Im very glad youve come, said Kraft. I have a letter which concerns you. Well stay here a little and then go home.
Dergatchev was a strong, broad-shouldered, dark-complexioned man of medium height, with a big beard. His eyes showed acuteness, habitual reserve, and a certain incessant watchfulness; though he was for the most part silent, he evidently controlled the conversation. Vassins face did not impress me much, though I had heard of him as extraordinarily intelligent: he had fair hair, large light grey eyes, and a very open face. But at the same time there was something, as it were, too hard in it; one had a presentiment that he would not be communicative, but he looked undeniably clever, cleverer than Dergatchev, of a more profound intellect cleverer than anyone in the room. But perhaps I am exaggerating. Of the other young men I only recall two; one a tall, dark man of twenty-seven, with black whiskers, who talked a great deal, a teacher or something of the sort; the other was a fellow of my own age, with good lines in his face, wearing a Russian tunic without sleeves. He was silent, and listened attentively. He turned out afterwards to be a peasant.
No, thats not the way to put it, the black-whiskered teacher began, obviously continuing the previous discussion. He talked more than anyone in the room.
Im not talking of mathematical proofs, but that idea which I am prepared to believe without mathematical proof . . .
Wait a bit, Tihomirov, Dergatchev interrupted loudly, the new-comers dont understand. You see, he suddenly addressed himself to me alone (and I confess if he intended to put me as a novice through an examination or to make me speak, it was adroitly done on his part; I felt it and prepared myself) its all our friend Kraft, who is well known to us all for his character and the solidity of his convictions. From a very ordinary fact he has deduced a very extraordinary conviction that has surprised us all. He has deduced that the Russians are a second-rate people . . .
Third-rate, shouted some one.
A second-rate people destined to serve as the raw material for a nobler race, and not to play an independent part in the history of humanity. In view of this theory of his, which is perhaps correct, Kraft has come to the conclusion that the activity of every Russian must in the future be paralysed by this idea, that all, so to speak, will fold their hands and . . .
Excuse me, Dergatchev, thats not the way to put it, Tihomirov interrupted impatiently again (Dergatchev at once gave way), considering that Kraft has made a serious study of the subject, has made on a physiological basis deductions
which he regards as mathematically proved, and has spent perhaps two years on his idea (which I should be prepared a priori to accept with equanimity), considering all this, that is considering Krafts excitement and earnestness, the case must be considered as a phenomenon. All this leads up to a question which Kraft cannot understand, and thats what we must attend to I mean, Krafts not understanding it, for thats the phenomenon. We must decide whether this phenomenon belongs to the domain of pathology as a solitary instance, or whether it is an occurrence which may be normally repeated in others; thats what is of interest for the common cause. I believe Kraft about Russia, and I will even say that I am glad of it, perhaps; if this idea were assimilated by all it would free many from patriotic prejudice and untie their hands . . .
I am not influenced by patriotism, said Kraft, speaking with a certain stiffness. All this debate seemed distasteful to him.
Whether patriotism or not we need not consider, observed Vassin, who had been very silent.
But how, tell me, please, could Krafts deduction weaken the impulse to the cause of humanity, shouted the teacher. (He was the only one shouting. All the others spoke in a low voice.) Let Russia be condemned to second-rateness, but we can still work and not for Russia alone. And, whats more, how can Kraft be a patriot if he has ceased to believe in Russia?
Besides being a German, a voice interrupted again.
I am a Russian, said Kraft.
Thats a question that has no direct bearing on the subject, observed Dergatchev to the speaker who had interrupted.
Take a wider view of your idea, cried Tihomirov, heeding nothing. If Russia is only the material for nobler races why shouldnt she serve as such material? Its a sufficiently attractive part for her to play. Why not accept the idea calmly, considering how it enlarges the task? Humanity is on the eve of its regeneration, which is already beginning. None but the blind deny the task before us. Let Russia alone, if youve lost faith in her, and work for the future, for the future unknown people that will be formed of all humanity without distinction of race. Russia would perish some time, anyway; even the most gifted peoples exist for fifteen hundred or at the most two thousand years. Isnt it all the same whether its two thousand or two hundred? The Romans did not last fifteen hundred years as a vital force, they too have turned into material. They ceased to exist long ago, but theyve left an idea, and it has become an element in the future of mankind. How can one tell a man theres nothing to be done? I cant conceive of a position in which there ever could be nothing to do! Work for humanity and dont trouble about the rest. Theres so much to do that life isnt long enough if you look into it more closely.