to know wherefore these men are sent to me, but since they are sent, they must fulfil the lawful demands etc.," if you really did not know this. But you do know—if it were only through this my letter—that these men are sent to you because they wish to fulfil the law of God, which is equally binding upon you as upon them,—the law of God, which not only forbids us to kill or torture each other, but enjoins us to help and love each other.
And therefore, if you will not do all that is in your power to alleviate the lot of these men, you will bring upon yourself an invisible but most heavy calamity in the consciousness of the evident transgression of the will of God, as known to you; the consciousness of an irreparable, cruel, evil deed.
This is why the case I am writing to you about is of the highest importance and urgency. As for me, the matter is of great importance, because if I did not say all this, I should feel myself in fault before you, before myself and before God.
Everything on earth can be corrected except an ungodly and inhuman action, especially when one knows that it is ungodly and inhuman, and nevertheless commits it.
Pardon me, please, if I have said anything objectionable. Truly, before God, can I say that that which I have written, I have written only because I regarded it as my duty to you to do so.
I should be very grateful to you if you were to answer me.—With respect, I remain, yours sincerely,
Leo Tolstoy.
November 1st, 1896.
