Page:Leskov - The Sentry and other Stories.djvu/237

 Rh 'Lord, help me! Let me be accepted without an examination.' It was no good, however much I prayed to Him; they looked at my certificate and ordered me to go up for examination. I came up sad of heart, all the other boys were jolly, playing leap-frog, and jumping over each other—I alone was sad—I and another thin and miserable-looking boy who was sitting but not learning and told me it was from weakness—a fever had attacked him. I sat there looking into a book, and began in my mind to bid defiance to the Lord: well, what now, I thought, have I not prayed to Thee with all my might, and Thou hast done nothing for me. Then I rose in order to get a drink of water, when suddenly, somewhere in the middle of the room, something hit me on the back of my head and threw me to the ground. I thought this is probably my punishment! God has not helped me in any way, and now He has given me a blow. Then I looked round; no; it was only that sick boy, who had tried to jump over me, but had not the strength and had fallen, and knocked me down too. The other boys said to me: 'Look, you new boy, your arm is hanging loose.' I felt it; the arm was broken. I was taken to the hospital and put to bed. My father came to see me there, and said: 'Don't grieve, Kiryusha, because of this you have been accepted without an examination.'