Page:Leo Tolstoi - Life Is Worth Living and Other Stories - tr. Adolphus Norraikow (1892).djvu/146

 Rh household arrived home on horseback, and related his version of Elissey's visit.

"If that old man," said he, “"ad not come to us when he did we should all have died in our sins. We were almost dead, and in the deepest despair, blaming our neighbors and even the good God for our sufferings and want. But the stranger was the means of our salvation, and through him we were led to have faith in the Lord and to believe in the goodness of mankind. Bless him and prosper him, O Christ! We have been living like wild beasts, but through his kindness we became human beings once more!"

They gave Euthymus an abundance of food and drink, and prepared a place for him to sleep, after which they retired for the night.

But Euthymus found it impossible to sleep. He could not cease to wonder how it happened that he saw his old comrade on three different occasions standing in the Temple in front of all the other pilgrims.

"Now," said he, "I understand wherein he