Page:Leo Tolstoi - Life Is Worth Living and Other Stories - tr. Adolphus Norraikow (1892).djvu/121

114 Restoring to his aged wife the little money he had left, Elissey inquired anxiously concerning their domestic affairs, which he found to be satisfactory in every particular. They were living in peace and contentment.

The family connections of Euthymus, hearing of Elissey's return, came to ask him a number of questions in regard to their old man, but to them he would only say: "Euthymus left me three days before St. Peter's Day. He was in good health. I intended to overtake him, but something happened through which I lost my money, and being unable to go any further I returned."

All the people wondered how such a wise man could have acted so foolishly: he started, but failed to reach his destination—only losing his money in the attempt. But they finally ceased to comment upon it, and soon the incident seemed to pass also out of Elissey's mind, for he had resumed control of his domestic labors with all his former energy. He helped his son