Ilyá；sthankedhisneighbour，andheandhiswifetookservicewithMuhammad-Shahaslabourers。Atfirstthepositionseemedhardtothem，buttheygotusedtoit，andlivedon，workingasmuchastheirstrengthallowed。
　　Muhammad-Shahfounditwastohisadvantagetokeepsuchpeople，because，havingbeenmastersthemselves，theyknewhowtomanageandwerenotlazy，butdidalltheworktheycould。YetitgrievedMuhammad-Shahtoseepeoplebroughtsolowwhohadbeenofsuchhighstanding。
　　IthappenedoncethatsomeofMuhammad-Shah’srelativescamefromagreatdistancetovisithim，andaMullahcametoo。
　　Muhammad-ShahtoldIlyá；stocatchasheepandkillit。Ilyá；sskinnedthesheep，andboiledit，andsentitintotheguests。Theguestsatethemutton，hadsometea，andthenbegandrinkingkumiss。
　　Astheyweresittingwiththeirhostondowncushionsonacarpet，conversingandsippingkumissfromtheircups，Ilyá；s，havingfinishedhisworkpassedbytheopendoor。Muhammad-Shah，seeinghimpass，saidtooneoftheguests:
　　’Didyounoticethatoldmanwhopassedjustnow？’
　　’Yes，’saidthevisitor，’whatisthereremarkableabouthim？’
　　’Onlythis——thathewasoncetherichestmanamongus，’repliedthehost。’HisnameisIlyá；s。Youmayhaveheardofhim。’
　　’OfcourseIhaveheardofhim，’theguestanswered’Ineversawhimbefore，buthisfamehasspreadfarandwide。’
　　’Yes，andnowhehasnothingleft，’saidMuhammad-Shah，’andheliveswithmeasmylabourer，andhisoldwomanisheretoo——
　　shemilksthemares。’
　　Theguestwasastonished:heclickedwithhistongue，shookhishead，andsaid:
　　’Fortuneturnslikeawheel。Onemanitlifts，anotheritsetsdown！
　　Doesnottheoldmangrieveoverallhehaslost？’
　　’Whocantell。Helivesquietlyandpeacefully，andworkswell。’
　　’MayIspeaktohim？’askedtheguest。’Ishouldliketoaskhimabouthislife。’
　　’Whynot？’repliedthemaster，andhecalledfromthekibí；tka[18]
　　inwhichtheyweresitting:
　　’Babay；’whichintheBashkirtonguemeans’Grandfather’’comeinandhaveacupofkumisswithus，andcallyourwifeherealso。’
　　Ilyá；senteredwithhiswife；andafterexchanginggreetingswithhismasterandtheguests，herepeatedaprayer，andseatedhimselfnearthedoor。Hiswifepassedinbehindthecurtainandsatdownwithhermistress。
　　ACapofkumisswashandedtoIlyá；s；hewishedtheguestsandhismastergoodhealth，bowed，drankalittle，andputdownthecup。
　　’Well，Daddy，’saidtheguestwhohadwishedtospeaktohim，’Isupposeyoufeelrathersadatthesightofus。Itmustremindyouofyourformerprosperity，andofyourpresentsorrows。’
　　Ilyá；ssmiled，andsaid:
　　’IfIweretotellyouwhatishappinessandwhatismisfortune，youwouldnotbelieveme。Youhadbetteraskmywife。Sheisawoman，andwhatisinherheartisonhertongue。Shewilltellyouthewholetruth。’
　　Theguestturnedtowardsthecurtain。
　　’Well，Granny，’hecried，’tellmehowyourformerhappinesscompareswithyourpresentmisfortune。’
　　AndSham-Shemagiansweredfrombehindthecurtain:
　　’ThisiswhatIthinkaboutit:MyoldmanandIlivedforfiftyyearsseekinghappinessandnotfindingit；anditisonlynow，theselasttwoyears，sincewehadnothingleftandhavelivedaslabourers，thatwehavefoundrealhappiness，andwewishfornothingbetterthanourpresentlot。’
　　Theguestswereastonished，andsowasthemaster；heevenroseanddrewthecurtainback，soastoseetheoldwoman’sface。
　　Thereshestoodwithherarmsfolded，lookingatheroldhusband，andsmiling；andhesmiledbackather。Theoldwomanwenton:
　　’Ispeakthetruthanddonotjest。Forhalfacenturywesoughtforhappiness，andaslongaswewererichweneverfoundit。Nowthatwehavenothingleft，andhavetakenserviceaslabourers，wehavefoundsuchhappinessthatwewantnothingbetter。’
　　’Butinwhatdoesyourhappinessconsist？’askedtheguest。
　　’Why，inthis，’shereplied，’whenwewererichmyhusbandandIhadsomanycaresthatwehadnotimetotalktooneanother，ortothinkofoursouls，ortopraytoGod。Nowwehadvisitors，andhadtoconsiderwhatfoodtosetbeforethem，andwhatpresentstogivethem，lesttheyshouldspeakillofus。Whentheyleft，wehadtolookafterourlabourerswhowerealwaystryingtoshirkworkandgetthebestfood，whilewewantedtogetallwecouldoutofthem。Sowesinned。Thenwewereinfearlestawolfshouldkillafoaloracalf，orthievesstealourhorses。Welayawakeatnight，worryinglesttheewesshouldoverlietheirlambs，andwegotupagainandagaintoseethatallwaswell。Onethingattendedto，anothercarewouldspringup:how，forinstance，togetenoughfodderforthewinter。Andbesidesthat，myoldmanandIusedtodisagree。Hewouldsaywemustdosoandso，andI
　　woulddifferfromhim；andthenwedisputed——sinningagain。Sowepassedfromonetroubletoanother，fromonesintoanother，andfoundnohappiness。’
　　’Well，andnow？’
　　’Now，whenmyhusbandandIwakeinthemorning，wealwayshavealovingwordforoneanotherandwelivepeacefully，havingnothingtoquarrelabout。Wehavenocarebuthowbesttoserveourmaster。Weworkasmuchasourstrengthallowsanddoitwithawill，thatourmastermaynotlosebutprofitbyus。Whenwecomein，dinnerorsupperisreadyandthereiskumisstodrink。
　　Wehavefueltoburnwhenitiscoldandwehaveourfurcloak。Andwehavetimetotalk，timetothinkofoursouls，andtimetopray。Forfiftyyearswesoughthappiness，butonlynowatlasthavewefoundit。’
　　Theguestslaughed。
　　ButIlyá；ssaid:
　　’Donotlaugh，friends。Itisnotamatterforjesting——itisthetruthoflife。Wealsowerefoolishatfirst，andweptatthelossofourwealth；butnowGodhasshownusthetruth，andwetellit，notforourownconsolation，butforyourgood。’
　　AndtheMullahsaid:
　　’Thatisawisespeech。Ilyá；shasspokentheexacttruth。ThesameissaidinHolyWrit。’
　　Andtheguestsceasedlaughingandbecamethoughtful。
　　thethreehermitsTHETHREEHERMITS
　　ANOLDLEGENDCURRENTINTHEVOLGADISTRICT
　　’Andinprayingusenotvainrepetitions，astheGentilesdo:fortheythinkthattheyshallbeheardfortheirmuchspeaking。Benotthereforelikeuntothem:foryourFatherknowethwhatthingsyehaveneedof，beforeyeaskHim。’——Matt。vi。7，8。
　　ABISHOPwassailingfromArchangeltotheSolové；tskMonastery；
　　andonthesamevesselwereanumberofpilgrimsontheirwaytovisittheshrinesatthatplace。Thevoyagewasasmoothone。
　　Thewindfavourable，andtheweatherfair。Thepilgrimslayondeck，eating，orsatingroupstalkingtooneanother。TheBishop，too，cameondeck，andashewaspacingupanddown，henoticedagroupofmenstandingneartheprowandlisteningtoafishermanwhowaspointingtotheseaandtellingthemsomething。TheBishopstopped，andlookedinthedirectioninwhichthemanwaspointing。Hecouldseenothinghowever，buttheseaglisteninginthesunshine。Hedrewnearertolisten，butwhenthemansawhim，hetookoffhiscapandwassilent。Therestofthepeoplealsotookofftheircaps，andbowed。
　　’Donotletmedisturbyou，friends，’saidtheBishop。’Icametohearwhatthisgoodmanwassaying。’
　　’Thefishermanwastellingusaboutthehermits，’repliedone，atradesman，ratherbolderthantherest。
　　’Whathermits？’askedtheBishop，goingtothesideofthevesselandseatinghimselfonabox。’Tellmeaboutthem。Ishouldliketohear。Whatwereyoupointingat？’
　　’Why，thatlittleislandyoucanjustseeoverthere，’answeredtheman，pointingtoaspotaheadandalittletotheright。’Thatistheislandwherethehermitsliveforthesalvationoftheirsouls。’
　　’Whereistheisland？’askedtheBishop。’Iseenothing。’
　　’There，inthedistance，ifyouwillpleaselookalongmyhand。Doyouseethatlittlecloud？Belowitandabittotheleft，thereisjustafaintstreak。Thatistheisland。’
　　TheBishoplookedcarefully，buthisunaccustomedeyescouldmakeoutnothingbutthewatershimmeringinthesun。
　　’Icannotseeit，’hesaid。’Butwhoarethehermitsthatlivethere？’
　　’Theyareholymen，’answeredthefisherman。’Ihadlongheardtellofthem，butneverchancedtoseethemmyselftilltheyearbeforelast。’
　　Andthefishermanrelatedhowonce，whenhewasoutfishing，hehadbeenstrandedatnightuponthatisland，notknowingwherehewas。Inthemorning，ashewanderedabouttheisland，hecameacrossanearthhut，andmetanoldmanstandingnearit。
　　Presentlytwootherscameout，andafterhavingfedhim，anddriedhisthings，theyhelpedhimmendhisboat。
　　’Andwhataretheylike？’askedtheBishop。