A Herzen Reader

Second, they extracted from students a written obligation to attend Var- nek's lectures. The tricks and ruses they resorted to are quite interesting. Thus, the inspector demanded that medical students, in small groups, ap­pear before him from 11 to 12 at night, to avert the possibility of strikes. Also, not without ulterior motives, he began the signed statements with the scholarship students, who had to choose one of two things—to agree or to go off and be medical assistants. Finally, the necessary preparations had been made and on the 19th the dean posted an announcement that the following day at a certain hour Mr. Varnek would lecture in the ana­tomical theater. Long before the beginning of the lecture students crowded the corridor adjacent to the amphitheater. At 11:30 university officials be­gan to appear. Finally, trustee Bakhmetev himself arrived.² He politely ex­changed bows with the students and addressed them with the following words: "Gentlemen, we may now enter. It's time!" He pronounced this phrase in such a regular, affectionate voice, as if he knew nothing about the opposition that had formed. "We won't go!" shouted the crowd. "But gentlemen, remember that you gave your word of honor to the inspector." "Under the lash. they threatened us." "Then you absolutely don't want to go in?" "No! No!" "Then I ask you not to reproach me. I will act as my conscience demands. Rector, set up a commission to sort out this strange business. Whatever the decision, I will not hesitate to sign it, if it is just." The trustee bowed politely to the students once again and left, without even having seen Varnek.

At 7 o'clock in the evening several first-year medical students were called to the governing body, where they found Alfonsky, Barshev, Leshkov, and Krylov; Armfeld had left, not waiting for the students to gather and, as the rumors suggested, having argued with the others over their too honorable intentions!.. ³

The accused were led into a room and there was another attempt to con­vince them. "Why have you refused to go to Varnek's lectures?" "Because he lectures badly." "Who told you that he lectures badly? How did you acquire so much information in just two months that you take it upon yourselves to judge a professor, a man of science? You are young and might easily be mistaken." "We are not the only ones who feel this way." "Who else?" "All the medical students." "Well, listen up, medical students," exclaimed Barshev, a professor of criminal law, "that means you have formed a con­spiracy!" "The trustee," said the president, "out of sympathy for your youth, wants to bring this story to an end in-house. Agree to listen to Varnek and you will be left in peace and no one will be punished. Think it over—stub­bornness is useless and even dangerous."

The students thought it over and repeated that they would not listen to Varnek. They were released. On the 23rd, first-year medical students were summoned to the mineralogical hall, where they were handed written ques­tions and told that no one could leave until they had answered everything. The students, feeling that they were in the right, answered directly and sharply, without being in command of the full body of laws. That was suf­ficient; members jumped at the thoughtlessly severe phrases and, based on the degree of their sharpness, divided the accused into categories and handed the matter over for a final decision to the academic council. In this way the harshest punishment went to several people who had not taken part in the recent events, solely on the basis of their liberal opinions!

"But first," continues our correspondent, "before I say something about the decision of the university court, I will dwell for a moment on a curi­ous episode which accurately characterizes the professors' friendly attitude toward the students. If I were to call them two enemy camps, I would not earn a scolding from my comrades for exaggeration."

The student Klyauz, having spoiled the question sheet, asked the sec­retary for another one. "Don't give him one," said Barshev, "he was sent out to the corridor to see his friends, and they ordered him to give false information." "Professor, be careful with your accusations." "So," shouted Barshev, "you are still trying to vindicate yourself!" "I am not vindicating myself, but simply saying that you are lying." "Arrest him," ordered the en­raged member to the inspector. "But he really didn't leave the room," said Ilinsky.⁴ "In that case, pardon me, Mr. Klyauz," muttered the embarrassed professor.