Page:Leo Tolstoi - Life Is Worth Living and Other Stories - tr. Adolphus Norraikow (1892).djvu/144

 Rh forgetfulness of God and his mercy, and our punishment was so severe that at one time we prayed that death might relieve us of our misery. There was nothing left for us to eat, and we were both hungry and sick. We certainly should have died had not the Lord taken pity upon us by sending an old man like yourself to our aid. He came to us for a drink of water, and, seeing our sad condition, he was moved to pity and stayed with us for a time. He first gave us some water to drink and then went and bought us food, after which he repurchased our rye-field and meadow, which had been mortgaged for all they were worth. After this he bought a horse and wagon and gave them to us, and then he went on his way.”

At this point the narrative was interrupted by the appearance of another woman upon the scene.

"We do not know," said she, "whether he was a man or an angel of God. He pitied us and befriended us, and finally left us without