Page:Tolstoy - Tales from Tolstoi.djvu/328

Tales from Tolstoi One Hay he was sitting in his cell, when he heard a man coming along on horseback, singing songs. The godson went out to see what manner of man it was, and he saw that he was a young man, and sturdy. The raiment he wore was goodly, and the horse he sat upon of great price. The godson stopped him and asked him what manner of man he was, and whither he was going.

The man stopped. "I am a robber," said he; "I go along the roads and slay people, and the more people I slay the merrier songs I sing."

The godson was horrified, and he thought within himself, "How is it possible to redeem the evil in such a man as this? It is good for me to talk to those who come to me and repent, but this man boasts him of the evil." The godson had nothing to say for himself, but he kept on thinking, "How will it be now? This man has made it his business to wander about here, and he will frighten the people, and they will cease coming to me. It will be no profit to him, and as for me, how shall I live also?"

So the godson stopped and spoke to the robber. "People come hither to me," said he, "not to boast them of their evil deeds, but to repent of their sins, and pray for forgiveness. Repent thou, also, if thou hast any fear of God; but if thou wilt not repent, depart hence and never come back again; disturb me not, and frighten not the people away from me. But if thou hearken not unto me, God will punish thee."

The freebooter began to laugh. "I fear not God," 278