Page:Leo Tolstoi - Life Is Worth Living and Other Stories - tr. Adolphus Norraikow (1892).djvu/120

 Rh back, Elissey started to walk in the direction of his home—making a circuit of the village, however, so as not to be seen by the people.

He soon reached his home, for although while he was travelling toward the Holy Land he walked with great difficulty, and could scarcely keep up with Euthymus, on his return journey God seemed to have given him additional strength and he did not know fatigue. He went along rejoicingly waving his stick in the air, and travelling at the rate of seventy versts a day.

On his return Elissey found that the other members of his household had completed their field work, and they rejoiced to see their old man at home once more. But they made many inquiries as to how he happened to leave his comrade, and why he did not continue his journey to Jerusalem. Elissey, however, did not make any extended explanation, saying only: "It was God's will. I lost money on the road and was obliged to leave my companion."