Page:Tolstoy - Tales from Tolstoi.djvu/300

Tales from Tolstoi but the little muzhik, when he saw the Archbishop, doffed his cap and was silent. Then the people also saw the Archbishop, and they too doffed their caps and did obeisance.

"Do not let me disturb you, my brethren," said the Archbishop. "My good man," he added, "I also have come hither to listen to what thou wert talking about."

"The little fisherman was telling us about the old men," said a merchant, taking courage.

"The old men! What meanest thou?" and he came to the ship's side and sat down among them on a box. "Tell me, too; I am listening," said he. "What wert thou pointing out just now?"

"That little island yonder," said the little muzhik, and pointed to the right, straight in front of him. "On that same little island live the three old men and save their souls."

"But where is the island?" asked the Archbishop.

"There!—look, I prythee, straight along my arm. Over there is a little cloudy and below it, more to the left, like a little strip, thou canst see it."

The Archbishop gazed and gazed. The water sparkled in the sunlight, but he could not see anything more than usual.

"I see it not," said he. "But what manner of men are these three that dwell on this little island?"

"They are God's people," replied the peasant. "I have heard tell of them this long time, but to see them—I never could get so far as that; and lo! this last year I myself did see them!"

And the fisherman began to tell all over again how 250