The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-08-27
ToIStOi Bitterly Flags Upper
Crust of Modern SOCietv

anchorites in feats of self mortifica-
ton, followed by moods Of esctatic
rapture, swellings of spirit and con-
sciousness of the godlike power within
him. The fame of his holy life is
bruited abroad, and peasants begin
to speak of him in awe as a wonder
working saint Nowhere in the book
is Tolstoi's artistic power so marvel
ously displayed as in these converse
tions among peasants.
The second part of the novel opens
with description of a picnic arranged
by youthful city pleasure hunters, who
with the ladies of their hearts, are
whirled in three in hands to the ac-
compartment of the horses silvery
bells, past the golden domed monas-
terry, PAST the sylvan recess in which
the holy hermit is ever doing penance.
They discuss his romantic story, his
fierce love of self-infiicted suffering,
his invulnerability to the shafts of
temptation.
One blithe and pretty lady is scorn-
fully sceptical as to the monks invul-
nerability, declaresG that she could
easily ertice him from his pedestal of
sanctity and have .lim at her feet if
she wished
Her male conn anion, a lawyer,
challenges her to malaAsgood her boast,
offering "a heavy wag, that she will
fail
The lady then desceI 81 alone from
bo in, n
fringe of the forest, and. profiting by
fall of fine rain knocks at the door
of the hermit's hut, entreating the in
mate to give her temporary refuge.
The ensuing scenes of temptation
are most artistic and powerful; for
example, that in which, under the pre-
text of wet garments, the lady proceeds
to change them, while Sergius, with
throbbing heart and swimming head,
feels the awakening of a passion that
was not dead but sleeping, and mad
dened by the fear lest it should, like
an evil spirit, possess and sway him,
he seizes hatchet, and chops off
a finger.
The fair temptress, horror stricken,
fees from the austere hermitage,
SneuCllS tears Oh SudiHe dS she ue-
parts.
Meanwhile, the fame Of the holy man
spreads over a wider area. Even the
inhabitants of distant cities hear Of
the pious anchorite, who is endowed
with holy powers and miraculous fac
ulties. The sick and suffering are
sent to him for physical healing and
spiritual comfort
Among others, a merchant takes his
weak minded daughter that the sanity
man may intercede for her with God.
The young, we'll formed, attractive
maiden is then left in the cell of the
archorite. who has undertaken to Of
fer prayers for her day and night, but
on the very first evening the presence
of the girl awakens animal passions
within him. Sinful thoughts fit through
his brain like an army of evil spirits.
A terrible struggle enSueS between
the spirit and the flesh, eliminating
liz the absolute victory Of the latter.
Day dawns upon the fallen saint,
upon the brutal criminal His storm of
sudden passion subsiding the monk
catches a fitful glimpse of the horror
of the situation, and a second soul
tempest follows the first sweeping
away the entire structure of spiritual
perfection so laboriOuSly built up dur
ing many years. A sentiment of de-
liberate blind hatred springs up with
in him toward the girl there, who un-
Willingly caused his fall.
In a mad outburst of rage, Sergius
clutches a hatchet-the same hatchet
with which he formerly had chopped
off a finger and conquered temptation.
Now he swings it aloft and cleaves
the skull of the wronged maiden. Hav-
ing gazed long at the CORY corpse
Sergius quits the cell.
In the last scene we behold the long
bearded monk. with his hair floating in
the wind holding pilgrom's staff in
his hand and walking eastward aim
lessly