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read books or touch pen and paper, can be only faintly
imagined by those who have had no similar experience. In
that year he suffered more than in all the previous trials of his
life together, though even in these the worry and harassment
of police stupidity and suspicion had not been inconsiderable.
One thing only preserved his mind from becoming unhinged.
He was allowed to learn shoemaking.
At last the day came on which his fate was to be decided.
None but his mother and sisters were allowed to be present at
the trial. The sentence pronounced on himself and his
room-mate was fifteen years’ penal servitude in the mines of Siberia,
with loss of all civil rights. It was the refusal to betray the
names of those students who belonged to their circle that
induced the court to inflict this savage and barbarous
sentence.
His mother and his two eldest sisters went to the Governor
to intercede for some mitigation of this severity. After
looking into the case, and finding that Alexander was not yet
of age, he commuted the sentence to eight years in Siberia as
a compulsory colonist. This was no doubt much milder than
the penal servitude in the mines, which meant simply capital
punishment by long-drawn-out and fiendish methods, but to a
young man of his abilities, just on the threshold of life, and
with great hopes for the future, the difference did not seem
great. He must leave everything, his home, his relations and
friends, his plans of self-devotion for the good of his fellows,
the application of his genius to the welfare of mankind. All
that opened in prospect before him was the cheerless life of an
exile in a far-off desolate region, under the constant
surveillance of the police, without whose permission he could not
take a step beyond the bounds of a prescribed circle, nor even
send a letter to his home.
One other privilege was won by the untiring efforts of his
mother and sisters: he was allowed to travel at his own
expense to his place of exile instead of going by the common
étape. It was nothing much to look forward to, this tedious
journey in a clumsy and open cart in the company of
gendarmes, yet he was glad when the day of departure arrived.
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