Page:The Complete Works of Lyof N. Tolstoi - 08 (Crowell, 1899).djvu/13

 THE LONG EXILE; OR, GOD SEES THE TRUTH, BUT BIDES HIS TIME ONCE upon a time there lived in the city of Vladimir a young tradesman named Aksenof. He had two shops and a house. Aksenof had a ruddy complexion and curly hair; he was a very jolly fellow and a good singer. When he was young he used to drink too much, and when he was tipsy he was turbulent; but after his marriage he ceased drinking, and only occasionally had a spree. One summer Aksenof was going to Nizhni to the great Fair. As he was about to bid his family good-by, his wife said to him: "Ivan Dmitrievitch, do not start to-day; I dreamed that some misfortune befell you." Aksenof laughed at her, and said: "Are you still afraid that I shall go on a spree at the Fair?" His wife said: "I myself know not what I am afraid of, but I had such a bad dream; you seemed to be coming home from town, and you took off your hat, and I looked, and your head was all gray." Aksenof laughed. "That means good luck. See, I am going now. I will bring you some rich remembrances." And he bade his family farewell and set off. When he had gone half his journey, he fell in with a 1