At that moment a young official entered the private room and remained standing in a respectful attitude with his portfolio. He was one of the few who engage con amore in the administration of affairs, instigated neither by ambition, nor by a desire for gain. In fact, he occupied himself with public affairs because he was convinced that his life had been given him for that purpose. His business consisted in sifting a matter and in picking it to pieces, and explaining it when he had grasped all its tangled threads. He felt that his toil, his efforts, and his sleepless nights were abundantly rewarded if the matter at length became intelligible to him, and when he saw that he could report upon it in a few clear and definite words, so that it would be patent and comprehensible to everyone.

The prince, seeing his young assistant, greeted him kindly; and then, as he wished to profit by a journey which Murazoff was about to make, so as to have various instructions carried out in different parts of the province, he began to speak to him on the subject. Murazoff readily consented to do whatever the prince required, and the latter then resumed: “Those faithless subordinates of mine who by their orgies and their avidity have stirred up the famine-stricken districts, have now returned here, and I shall give them their dues. I have just seen a most compromising letter, sent by one of them to a certain lawyer here, a thorough intriguer, whom I intend to turn out of the city. I must now also send some troops into the disaffected districts, especially to the one where the Raskolniki (Old Believers) are becoming turbulent; that is, unless you really think that your presence and sagacity would suffice to bring those unfortunate people to reason.”

“Yes, I think so, prince; and to make all the surer of success, I shall myself supply the impoverished districts with barley and rye. That is a business which I know better than your officials do; I will make personal observation as to what is needful. And, if your excellency will permit it, I will talk with the Raskolniki. They will converse more freely with a civilian like myself. Thus, God knows, I may perhaps be able to arrange matters peaceably with them. The officials would arrange nothing. A correspondence on the subject would ensue, and they so complicate matters on paper that the affair would become even more confused than it now is. I shall accept no money from you, for it would be a shame, at such a time, to think of one’s own purse when people are perishing of hunger. I have abundant stores of grain; I have already exported some to Siberia, and I shall send some more next summer.”

“God alone can requite you for such a service, Afanasiy Vasilievitch. I shall not say another word to you; you can realise the situation yourself; words are inadequate and useless. But with regard to the petition I have received from eighty-two officials of the town in favour of eleven of their colleagues convicted of deceit and prevarication, I don’t think I have a right to let this matter pass without notice. Whatever the petitioners may say, it would not be just or honourable on my part to pardon knaves.”

“By heavens! your excellency, it is impossible to call them that, the more so as many of them are very worthy people. The situations in which a man sometimes finds himself are difficult—very, very difficult. There are cases when a man seems to be undoubtedly guilty, but when you inquire into the matter, it is not he at all who is to blame.”

“But what will they themselves say if I let them off? There are certainly some among them who will raise their noses higher than ever after this, and even say that they had frightened me. They will be the first to show me disrespect, and my authority will be compromised.”

“Permit me, your excellency, to communicate to you my advice on this subject. Call all the officials together, give them to understand that you know everything, represent to them your own position in the very terms in which you have just been pleased to present it to me, and ask their advice as to what each one of them would do in your place.”

“Yes; you think they will be accessible to nobler sentiments than those connected with intriguing and enriching themselves! Pooh! they will only laugh at me.”

“I do not think so, your excellency. There is some sense of justice left, even in a person who is worse than the common run of men. Some Jew might behave in that way, but not a Russian. No, your excellency,