wealthy-poor, if I may so express myself. I went to see some of
them, and some of them received no answer. Nowhere did I succeed in
doing any thing. All applications to me were from persons who had
once occupied privileged positions (I thus designate those in which
people receive more from others than they give), who had lost them,
and who wished to occupy them again. To one, two hundred rubles were
indispensable, in order that he might prop up a failing business, and
complete the education of his children which had been begun; another
wanted a photographic outfit; a third wanted his debts paid, and
respectable clothing purchased for him; a fourth needed a piano, in
order to perfect himself and support his family by giving lessons.
But the majority did not stipulate for any given sum of money, and
simply asked for assistance; and when I came to examine into what was
required, it turned out that their demands grew in proportion to the
aid, and that there was not and could not be any way of satisfying
them. I repeat, that it is very possible that this arose from the
fact that I did not understand how; but I did not help any one,
although I sometimes endeavored to do so.

A very strange and unexpected thing happened to me as regards the co-
operation of the benevolently disposed. Out of all the persons who
had promised me financial aid, and who had even stated the number of
rubles, not a single one handed to me for distribution among the poor
one solitary ruble. But according to the pledges which had been
given me, I could reckon on about three thousand rubles; and out of
all these people, not one remembered our former discussions, or gave
me a single kopek. Only the students gave the money which had been
assigned to them for their work on the census, twelve rubles, I
think. So my whole scheme, which was to have been expressed by tens
of thousands of rubles contributed by the wealthy, for hundreds and