Such were the beliefs of the peasants about the Czar. In spite of it
all, I continued to tell them the real truth about the Czar, explaining
to them that the Czar knows of all the oppressions and is in charge
of every one of the oppressors. The peasants would say that I was
mistaken, but, nevertheless, listened to my arguments, and not one of
them insulted me with vulgar language.
I was not alone in the tramp from village to village. Three thousand
youths went to the people at that time, spreading all over the
thirty-six provinces of Russia, and we all talked to the people on the
same subject; we all endeavored to arouse the people to a good, free
life. However, the government soon discovered our activities and began
to arrest many, imprisoning, exiling to hard-labor settlements and to
Siberia.
I was arrested entirely by accident in 1874. I was "covering" the
provinces of Kieff, Podolia, Tchernigoff and Kherson, and had in my bag
detailed maps of these localities, in order to know my way and avoid
arousing suspicion by questions. Whenever I stopped in the village
cabins no peasant would ever look into my bag, and thus no one could
ever find out who I was.
But once, while stopping in Tulchin, the Province of Podolia, the
woman-laborer of the peasant who gave shelter to me looked into my bag
and discovered the maps there. To an illiterate person every printed
word was a rarity, especially in those days. It will be understood, of
course, that the laborer was shocked by her discovery. The same day she
went to do some gardening for the sheriff and told him everything. The
sheriff became alarmed and hurried off to look for me.
And I, without suspecting anything, was at the time returning from the
market, where I purchased a couple of apples, some pork and bread.
Suddenly I saw the sheriff racing toward me in a carriage, shouting:
"Get into the carriage!"
Well, I understood immediately what the trouble was. I got into the
carriage and kept still.
We arrived at the cabin. "Where is the luggage of this woman?" The
peasant replied: "She has no luggage, but she has a bag."
The bag was examined and what could they find in it but maps and
proclamations? Clearly, my case was closed.
The sheriff was rather inexperienced, simple-minded, so he unfolded the
proclamations and started to read them aloud, before the whole crowd.
The peasants, after listening to them, said:
"These are the real words. The whole truth is written there. This is
the very truth which the nobles have hidden from us."
In the meantime the examining officer arrived, and there both of
them began to read the proclamation aloud. Meanwhile a multitude of
peasants gathered, listening even under the windows. They learned
my proclamation by heart. The county police chief was notified. He
arrived, immediately perceived the meaning of it all, and ordered me to
prison.