,
you can't make a good job of it, but that by cutting off a hundred
million heads and so lightening one's burden, one can jump over the
ditch more safely. A fine idea, no doubt, but quite as impracticable as
Shigalov's theories, which you referred to just now so contemptuously."

"Well, but I haven't come here for discussion." Verhovensky let drop
this significant phrase, and, as though quite unaware of his blunder,
drew the candle nearer to him that he might see better.

"It's a pity, a great pity, that you haven't come for discussion, and
it's a great pity that you are so taken up just now with your toilet."

"What's my toilet to you?"

"To remove a hundred million heads is as difficult as to transform the
world by propaganda. Possibly more difficult, especially in Russia,"
Liputin ventured again.

"It's Russia they rest their hopes on now," said an officer.

"We've heard they are resting their hopes on it," interposed the lame
man. "We know that a mysterious finger is pointing to our delightful
country as the land most fitted to accomplish the great task. But
there's this: by the gradual solution of the problem by propaganda I
shall gain something, anyway--I shall have some pleasant talk, at least,
and shall even get some recognition from government for my services
to the cause of society. But in the second way, by the rapid method
of cutting off a hundred million heads, what benefit shall I get
personally? If you began advocating that, your tongue might be cut out."

"Yours certainly would be," observed Verhovensky.

"You see. And as under the most favourable circumstances you would not
get through such a massacre in less than fifty or at the best thirty
years--for they are not sheep, you know, and perhaps they would not let
themselves be slaughtered--wouldn't it be better to pack one's bundle
and migrate to some quiet island beyond calm seas and there close one's
eyes tranquilly? Believe me"--he tapped the table significantly with his
finger--"you will only promote emigration by such propaganda and nothing
else!"

He finished evidently triumphant. He was one of the intellects of the
province. Liputin smiled slyly, Virginsky listened rather dejectedly,
the others followed the discussion with great attention, especially the
ladies and officers. They all realised that the advocate of the hundred
million heads theory had been driven into a corner, and waited to see
what would come of it.

"That was a good