Page:Leo Tolstoi - Life Is Worth Living and Other Stories - tr. Adolphus Norraikow (1892).djvu/119



daylight appeared, Elissey had travelled five versts. Seating himself under a tree, he opened his sack and proceeded to count his money. To his great surprise, he found that he had but seventeen rubles and twenty kopecks left. He said to himself:

"Well, this is certainly too small an amount to take me on my proposed journey beyond the seas, and to go begging 'in Christ’s name' along the way might be only to commit more sin. Godfather Euthymus will reach there safely alone, and will surely put a candle in the window for me. It seems to have been predestinated that I should not fulfil my vow. I am thankful that the Lord is merciful, and will have patience with me."

Arising and putting the sack again upon his