Wishing to explain to himself his act, he said
slowly and thoughtfully, without looking at anyone:
"I wanted to speak the truth. Is this life?"
"Fool!" said Mayakin, contemptuously. "What truth can you speak?
What do you understand?"
"My heart is wounded, that I understand! What justification have
you all in the eyes of God? To what purpose do you live? Yes, I
feel--I felt the truth!"
"He is repenting!" said Reznikov, with a sarcastic smile.
"Let him!" replied Bobrov, with contempt.
Some one added:
"It is evident, from his words, that he is out of his wits."
"To speak the truth, that's not given to everyone!" said Yakov
Tarasovich, sternly and instructively, lifting his hand upward.
"It is not the heart that grasps truth; it is the mind; do you
understand that? And as to your feeling, that's nonsense! A cow
also feels when they twist her tail. But you must understand,
understand everything! Understand also your enemy. Guess what he
thinks even in his dreams, and then go ahead!"
According to his wont, Mayakin was carried away by the exposition
of his practical philosophy, but he realised in time that a
conquered man is not to be taught how to fight, and he stopped
short.
Pages:
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619