thors of such literature write very obscurely in spite of the
boldness of their style. But as the workmen really were in a difficult
plight and the police to whom they appealed would not enter into their
grievances, what could be more natural than their idea of going in a
body to "the general himself" if possible, with the petition at their
head, forming up in an orderly way before his door, and as soon as he
showed himself, all falling on their knees and crying out to him as to
providence itself? To my mind there is no need to see in this a mutiny
or even a deputation, for it's a traditional, historical mode of
action; the Russian people have always loved to parley with "the general
himself" for the mere satisfaction of doing so, regardless of how the
conversation may end.

And so I am quite convinced that, even though Pyotr Stepanovitch,
Liputin, and perhaps some others--perhaps even Fedka too--had been
flitting about among the workpeople talking to them (and there is fairly
good evidence of this), they had only approached two, three, five at the
most, trying to sound them, and nothing had come of their conversation.
As for the mutiny they advocated, if the factory-workers did understand
anything of their propaganda, they would have left off listening to it
at once as to something stupid that had nothing to do with them. Fedka
was a different matter: he had more success, I believe, than Pyotr
Stepanovitch. Two workmen are now known for a fact to have assisted
Fedka in causing the fire in the town which occurred three days
afterwards, and a month later three men who had worked in the factory
were arrested for robbery and arson in the province. But if in these
cases Fedka did lure them to direct and immediate action, he could only
have succeeded with these five, for we heard of nothing of the sort
being done by others.

Be that as it may, the whole crowd of workpeople had at last reached the
open space in front of the governor's house and were drawn up there in
silence and good order. Then, gaping open-mouthed at the front door,
they waited. I am told that as soon as they halted they took off their
caps, that is, a good half-hour before the appearance of the governor,
who, as ill-luck would have it, was not at home at the moment. The
police made their appearance at once, at first individual policemen and
then as large a contingent of them as could be gathered together; they
began, of course, by being menacing, ordering