Heaskedtohavehimbroughtnearer。Ivá；ncamecloser。
　　’WhatdidItellyou，Ivá；n？’begantheoldman’Whohasburntdownthevillage？’
　　’Itwashe，father！’Ivá；nanswered。’Icaughthimintheact。
　　Isawhimshovethefirebrandintothethatch。Imighthavepulledawaytheburningstrawandstampeditout，andthennothingwouldhavehappened。’
　　’Ivá；n，’saidtheoldman，’Iamdying，andyouinyourturnwillhavetofacedeath。Whoseisthesin？’
　　Ivá；ngazedathisfatherinsilence，unabletoutteraword。
　　’Now，beforeGod，saywhoseisthesin？WhatdidItellyou？’
　　OnlythenIvá；ncametohissensesandunderstooditall。Hesniffedandsaid，’Mine，father！’Andhefellonhiskneesbeforehisfather，saying，’Forgiveme，father；IamguiltybeforeyouandbeforeGod。’
　　Theoldmanmovedhishands，changedthecandlefromhisrighthandtohisleft，andtriedtolifthisrighthandtohisforeheadtocrosshimself，butcouldnotdoit，andstopped。
　　’PraisetheLord！PraisetheLord！’saidhe，andagainheturnedhiseyestowardshisson。
　　’Ivá；n！Isay，Ivá；n！’
　　’What，father？’
　　’Whatmustyoudonow？’
　　Ivá；nwasweeping。
　　’Idon’tknowhowwearetolivenow，father！’hesaid。
　　Theoldmanclosedhiseyes，movedhislipsasiftogatherstrength，andopeninghiseyesagain，said:’You’llmanage。IfyouobeyGod’swill，you’llmanage！’Hepaused，thensmiled，andsaid:
　　’Mind，Ivá；n！Don’ttellwhostartedthefire！Hideanotherman’ssin，andGodwillforgivetwoofyours！’Andtheoldmantookthecandleinbothhandsand，foldingthemonhisbreast，sighed，stretchedout，anddied。
　　Ivá；ndidnotsayanythingagainstGabriel，andnooneknewwhathadcausedthefire。
　　AndIvan’sangeragainstGabrielpassedaway，andGabrielwonderedthatIvá；ndidnottellanybody。AtfirstGabrielfeltafraid，butafterawhilehegotusedtoit。Themenleftoffquarrelling，andthentheirfamiliesleftoffalso。Whilerebuildingtheirhuts，bothfamilieslivedinonehouse；andwhenthevillagewasrebuiltandtheymighthavemovedfartherapart，Ivá；nandGabrielbuiltnexttoeachother，andremainedneighboursasbefore。
　　Theylivedasgoodneighboursshould。Ivá；nStcherbakó；frememberedhisoldfather’scommandtoobeyGod’slaw，andquenchafireatthefirstspark；andifanyonedoeshimaninjuryhenowtriesnottorevengehimself，butrathertosetmattersrightagain；andifanyonegiveshimabadword，insteadofgivingaworseinreturn，hetriestoteachtheothernottouseevilwords；
　　andsoheteacheshiswomenfolkandchildren。AndIvá；nStcherbakó；fhasgotonhisfeetagain，andnowlivesbettereventhanhedidbefore。
　　’Thewomansaithuntohim，Sir，Iperceivethatthouartaprophet。
　　Ourfathersworshippedinthismountain；andyesay，thatinJerusalemistheplacewheremenoughttoworship。Jesussaithuntoher，Woman，believeme，thehourcomethwhenneitherinthismountain，norinJerusalem，shallyeworshiptheFather……
　　Butthehourcometh，andnowis，whenthetrueworshippersshallworshiptheFatherinspiritandtruth:forsuchdoththeFatherseektobehisworshippers。’——Johniv。19-21，23。
　　THEREwereoncetwooldmenwhodecidedtogoonapilgrimagetoworshipGodatJerusalem。Oneofthemwasawell-to-dopeasantnamedEfí；mTará；sitchShevé；lef。Theother，ElishaBó；drof，wasnotsowelloff。
　　Efí；mwasastaidman，seriousandfirm。Heneitherdranknorsmokednortooksnuff，andhadneverusedbadlanguageinhislife。
　　HehadtwiceservedasvillageElder，andwhenheleftofficehisaccountswereingoodorder。Hehadalargefamily:twosonsandamarriedgrandson，alllivingwithhim。Hewashale，long-beardedanderect，anditwasonlywhenhewaspastsixtythatalittlegreybegantoshowitselfinhisbeard。
　　Elishawasneitherrichnorpoor。Hehadformerlygoneoutcarpentering，butnowthathewasgrowingoldhestayedathomeandkeptbees。Oneofhissonshadgoneawaytofindwork，theotherwaslivingathome。Elishawasakindlyandcheerfuloldman。Itistruehedranksometimes，andhetooksnuff，andwasfondofsinging，buthewasapeaceableman，andlivedongoodtermswithhisfamilyandwithhisneighbours。Hewasshortanddark，withacurlybeard，and，likehispatronsaintElisha，hewasquitebald-headed。
　　ThetwooldmenhadtakenavowlongsinceandhadarrangedtogoonapilgrimagetoJerusalemtogether:butEfí；mcouldneversparethetime；healwayshadsomuchbusinessonhand；assoonasonethingwasfinishedhestartedanother。Firsthehadtoarrangehisgrandson’smarriage；thentowaitforhisyoungestson’sreturnfromthearmy，andafterthathebeganbuildinganewhut。
　　Oneholidaythetwooldmenmetoutsidethehutand，sittingdownonsometimber，begantotalk。
　　’Well，’askedElisha，’whenarewetofulfilourvow？’
　　Efí；mmadeawryface。
　　’Wemustwait，’hesaid。’Thisyearhasturnedoutahardoneforme。
　　Istartedbuildingthishutthinkingitwouldcostmesomethingoverahundredroubles，butnowit’sgettingonforthreehundredandit’sstillnotfinished。Weshallhavetowaittinthesummer。Insummer，Godwilling，wewillgowithoutfail。’
　　’Itseemstomeweoughtnottoputitoff，butshouldgoatonce，’
　　saidElisha。’Springisthebesttime。’
　　’Thetime’srightenough，butwhataboutmybuilding？HowcanIleavethat？’
　　’Asifyouhadnoonetoleaveincharge！Yoursoncanlookafterit。’
　　’Buthow？Myeldestsonisnottrustworthy——hesometimestakesaglasstoomuch。’
　　’Ah，neighbour，whenwediethey’llgetonwithoutus。Letyoursonbeginnowtogetsomeexperience。’
　　’That’strueenough，butsomehowwhenonebeginsathingonelikestoseeitdone。’
　　’Eh，friend，wecannevergetthroughallwehavetodo。Theotherdaythewomen-folkathomewerewashingandhousecleaningforEaster。Heresomethingneededdoing，theresomethingelse，andtheycouldnotgeteverythingdone。Somyeldestdaughter-in-law，who’sasensiblewoman，says:’Wemaybethankfultheholidaycomeswithoutwaitingforus，orhoweverhardweworkedweshouldneverbereadyforit。’
　　Efí；mbecamethoughtful。
　　’I’vespentalotofmoneyonthisbuilding，’hesaid’andonecan’tstartonthejourneywithemptypockets。Weshallwantahundredroublesapiece——andit’snosmallsum。’
　　Elishalaughed。
　　’Now，come，come，oldfriend！’hesaid，’youhavetentimesasmuchasI，andyetyoutalkaboutmoney。Onlysaywhenwearetostart，andthoughIhavenothingnowIshallhaveenoughbythen。’
　　Efí；malsosmiled。
　　’Dearme，Ididnotknowyouweresorich！’saidhe。’Why，wherewillyougetitfrom？’
　　’Icanscrapesometogetherathome，andifthat’snotenough，I’llsellhalfascoreofhivestomyneighbour。He’slongbeenwantingtobuythem。’
　　’Iftheyswarmwellthisyear，you’llregretit。’
　　’Regretit！NotI，neighbour！Ineverregrettedanythinginmylife，exceptmysins。There’snothingmorepreciousthanthesoul。’
　　’That’sso；stillit’snotrighttoneglectthingsathome。’
　　’Butwhatifoursoulsareneglected？That’sworse。Wetookthevow，soletusgo！Now，seriously，letusgo！’