Page:Tolstoy - Tales from Tolstoi.djvu/334

Tales from Tolstoi "Living thus, I live in vain," thought he; "I will go and tell the people what I know."

And while he was thus thinking, he heard something, and listened; it was the freebooter passing by. He let him pass by, and said to himself, "What can I say to him? he will not understand." Thus he thought at first, but presently he thought better of it, and went forth into the road. The freebooter was going moodily along, and his eyes were cast down to the ground. The godson looked at him and felt sorry, so he ran up to him and caught him by the knee.

"Dear brother," cried he, "have compassion on thy poor soul. Look now! the spirit of God is within thee, and yet thou dost torment thyself, and dost torment others, and wilt torment thyself yet more. But God loves thee, and of His merciful goodness there is no end! Do not ruin thyself, my brother! Change thy life!"

The robber looked darker than ever. He turned away. "Be off!" cried he.

But the godson caught the freebooter still more tightly round the knee, and burst into tears. The freebooter raised his eyes and fixed them on the godson. He looked and looked, dismounted from his horse, and fell down on his knees before the godson.

"Old man!" cried he, "thou hast conquered me. Twenty years have I striven with thee, and thou hast prevailed against me. I have now no power over myself. Do with me as it seemeth best to thee. When thou didst persuade me for the first time," 284