03-a lost opportunity-第6章

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Instead　of　running　after　him；　I　should　have　snatched　the　bunch　of

burning　straw　and　throwing　it　on　the　ground　have　stamped　it　out

with　my　feet；　and　then　there　would　have　been　no　fire。〃



〃Ivan；〃　said　the　old　man；　〃death　is　fast　approaching　me；　and

remember　that　you　also　will　have　to　die。　　Who　did　this　dreadful

thing？　　Whose　is　the　sin？〃



Ivan　gazed　at　the　noble　face　of　his　dying　father　and　was　silent。　

His　heart　was　too　full　for　utterance。



〃In　the　presence　of　God；〃　the　old　man　continued；　〃whose　is　the

sin？〃



It　was　only　now　that　the　truth　began　to　dawn　upon　Ivan's　mind；

and　that　he　realized　how　foolish　he　had　acted。　　He　sobbed

bitterly；　and　fell　on　his　knees　before　his　father；　and；　crying

like　a　child；　said：



〃My　dear　father；　forgive　me；　for　Christ's　sake；　for　I　am　guilty

before　God　and　before　you！〃



The　old　man　transferred　the　lighted　candle　from　his　right　hand　to

the　left；　and；　raising　the　former　to　his　forehead；　tried　to　make

the　sign　of　the　cross；　but　owing　to　weakness　was　unable　to　do　so。



〃Glory　to　Thee；　O　Lord！　　Glory　to　Thee！〃　he　exclaimed；　and

turning　his　dim　eyes　toward　his　son；　he　said：　〃See　here；

Ivanushka！　　Ivanushka；　my　dear　son！〃



〃What；　my　dear　father？〃　Ivan　asked。



〃What　are　you　going　to　do；〃　replied　the　old　man；　〃now　that　you

have　no　home？〃



Ivan　cried　and　said：　〃I　do　not　know　how　we　shall　live　now。〃



The　old　man　closed　his　eyes　and　made　a　movement　with　his　lips；　as

if　gathering　his　feeble　strength　for　a　final　effort。　　Slowly

opening　his　eyes；　he　whispered：



〃Should　you　live　according　to　God's　commands　you　will　be　happy

and　prosperous　again。〃



The　old　man　was　now　silent　for　awhile　and　then；　smiling　sadly；　he

continued：



〃See　here；　Ivanushka；　keep　silent　concerning　this　trouble；　and　do

not　tell　who　set　the　village　on　fire。　　Forgive　one　sin　of　your

neighbor's；　and　God　will　forgive　two　of　yours。〃



Grasping　the　candle　with　both　hands；　Ivan's　father　heaved　a　deep

sigh；　and；　stretching　himself　out　on　his　back；　yielded　up　the

ghost。



*　*　*　*　*　*　*



Ivan　for　once　accepted　his　father's　advice。　He　did　not　betray

Gavryl；　and　no　one　ever　learned　the　origin　of　the　fire。



Ivan's　heart　became　more　kindly　disposed　toward　his　old　enemy；

feeling　that　much　of　the　fault　in　connection　with　this　sad　affair

rested　with　himself。



Gavryl　was　greatly　surprised　that　Ivan　did　not　denounce　him

before　all　the　villagers；　and　at　first　he　stood　in　much　fear　of

him；　but　he　soon　afterward　overcame　this　feeling。



The　two　peasants　ceased　to　quarrel；　and　their　families　followed

their　example。　　While　they　were　building　new　houses；　both

families　lived　beneath　the　same　roof；　and　when　they　moved　into

their　respective　homes；　Ivan　and　Gavryl　lived　on　as　good　terms　as

their　fathers　had　done　before　them。



Ivan　remembered　his　dying　father's　command；　and　took　deeply　to

heart　the　evident　warning　of　God　that　A　FIRE　SHOULD　BE

EXTINGUISHED　IN　THE　BEGINNING。　　If　any　one　wronged　him　he　did　not

seek　revenge；　but　instead　made　every　effort　to　settle　the　matter

peaceably。　　If　any　one　spoke　to　him　unkindly；　he　did　not　answer

in　the　same　way；　but　replied　softly；　and　tried　to　persuade　the

person　not　to　speak　evil。　　He　taught　the　women　and　children　of

his　household　to　do　the　same。



Ivan　Scherbakoff　was　now　a　reformed　man。



He　lived　well　and　peacefully；　and　again　became　prosperous。



Let　us；　therefore；　have　peace；　live　in　brotherly　love　and

kindness；　and　we　will　be　happy。