ST Semenov's peasant stories

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There is a certain story by Flaubert, translated by Turgenev,
*Julian the Merciful*. The last episode of the story, which is
intended to be most touching, consists in this, that Julian lies
down in the same bed with a leper, whom he warms up with his body.
This leper is Christ, who carries Julian off to heaven with Him.
All that is told with great mastery, but I always remain very cold
during the reading of this story.

I feel that the author himself
would not have done, and would not even have wished to do so, and
I never feel any agitation in reading about this wonderful exploit.
But Semenov describes the simplest story, and it always
touches me. A village lad comes to Moscow to find himself a place,
and with the influence of a countryman of his, a coachman, who is
living with a wealthy merchant, he here gets the position of
assistant janitor.

This place was formerly occupied by an old man.
It was by the advice of his coachman that the merchant sent away
the old man and in his place put the young lad. The lad arrives in
the evening to begin his work, and in the yard hears the old man's
complaints in the servant's room, for having been discharged for no
cause whatsoever, only to make room for the young fellow. The lad
suddenly feels pity for the old man and is ashamed to have pushed
him out. He reflects for a moment, wavers, and finally decides to
give up the place, which he needs and which has pleased him so
much.

All this is told in such a way that every time when I read it
I feel that the author not only would have wished to act similarly
in such a case, but would certainly have done so, and his feeling
infects me, and I am happy, and it seems to me that I have done
something good or would be glad to do something good.
Sincerity is Semenov's chief characteristic. But, besides it,
the contents are always significant, -- significant, because they
deal with the most important class of Russia, the peasantry, which
Semenov knows as only a peasant, who himself lives the hard life of
a peasant, can know. « mai multe referate din Engleza