第16章
’ButIstilldidnotknowall。IdidnotknowWhatmenliveby。AndIlivedon，waitingtillGodshouldrevealtomethelastlesson。Inthesixthyearcamethegirl-twinswiththewoman；andI
recognizedthegirls，andheardhowtheyhadbeenkeptalive。Havingheardthestory，Ithought，“Theirmotherbesoughtmeforthechildren’ssake，andIbelievedherwhenshesaidthatchildrencannotlivewithoutfatherormother；butastrangerhasnursedthem，andhasbroughtthemup。“Andwhenthewomanshowedherloveforthechildrenthatwerenotherown，andweptoverthem，IsawinherthelivingGod，andunderstoodWhatmenliveby。AndIknewthatGodhadrevealedtomethelastlesson，andhadforgivenmysin。AndthenI
smiledforthethirdtime。’
Andtheangel’sbodywasbared，andhewasclothedinlightsothateyecouldnotlookonhim；andhisvoicegrewlouder，asthoughitcamenotfromhimbutfromheavenabove。Andtheangelsaid:
’Ihavelearntthatallmenlivenotbycareforthemselves，butbylove。
’Itwasnotgiventothemothertoknowwhatherchildrenneededfortheirlife。Norwasitgiventotherichmantoknowwhathehimselfneeded。Norisitgiventoanymantoknowwhether，wheneveningcomes，hewillneedbootsforhisbodyorslippersforhiscorpse。
’IremainedalivewhenIwasaman，notbycareofmyself，butbecauselovewaspresentinapasser-by，andbecauseheandhiswifepitiedandlovedme。Theorphansremainedalive，notbecauseoftheirmother’scare，butbecausetherewasloveintheheartofawomanastrangertothem，whopitiedandlovedthem。Andallmenlivenotbythethoughttheyspendontheirownwelfare，butbecauseloveexistsinman。
’IknewbeforethatGodgavelifetomenanddesiresthattheyshouldlive；nowIunderstoodmorethanthat。
’IunderstoodthatGoddoesnotwishmentoliveapart，andthereforehedoesnotrevealtothemwhateachoneneedsforhimself；buthewishesthemtoliveunited，andthereforerevealstoeachofthemwhatisnecessaryforall。
’Ihavenowunderstoodthatthoughitseemstomenthattheylivebycareforthemselves，intruthitislovealonebywhichtheylive。Hewhohaslove，isinGod，andGodisinhim，forGodislove。’
AndtheangelsangpraisetoGod，sothatthehuttrembledathisvoice。
Theroofopened，andacolumnoffirerosefromearthtoheaven。Simonandhiswifeandchildrenfelltotheground。Wingsappearedupontheangel’sshoulders，andheroseintotheheavens。
AndwhenSimoncametohimselfthehutstoodasbefore，andtherewasnooneinitbuthisownfamily。
asparkneglectedburnsthehouseASPARKNEGLECTEDBURNSTHEHOUSE
’ThencamePeter，andsaidtohim，Lord，howoftshallmybrothersinagainstme，andIforgivehim？untilseventimes？Jesussaithuntohim，Isaynotuntothee，Untilseventimes；but，Untilseventytimesseven。Thereforeisthekingdomofheavenlikeneduntoacertainking，whichwouldmakeareckoningwithhisservants。
Andwhenhehadbeguntoreckon，onewasbroughtuntohim，whichowedhimtenthousandtalents。Butforasmuchashehadnotwherewithtopay，hislordcommandedhimtobesold，andhiswife，andchildren，andallthathehad，andpaymenttobemade。Theservantthereforefelldownandworshippedhim，saying，Lord，havepatiencewithme，andIwillpaytheeall。Andthelordofthatservant，beingmovedwithcompassion，releasedhim，andforgavehimthedebt。Butthatservantwentout，andfoundoneofhisfellow-servants，whichowedhimahundredpence:andhelaidholdonhim，andtookhimbythethroatsaying，Paywhatthouowest。Sohisfellow-servantfelldownandbesoughthim，saying，Havepatiencewithme，andIwillpaythee。Andhewouldnot:butwentandcasthimintoprison，tillheshouldpaythatwhichwasdue。Sowhenhisfellow-servantssawwhatwasdone，theywereexceedingsorry，andcameandtolduntotheirlordallthatwasdone。Thenhislordcalledhimuntohim，andsaithtohim，Thouwickedservant，I
forgavetheeallthatdebt，becausethoubesoughtestme:shouldestnotthoualsohavehadmercyonthyfellow-servant，evenasIhadmercyonthee？Andhislordwaswroth，anddeliveredhimtothetormentors，tillheshouldpayallthatwasdue。SoshallalsomyheavenlyFatherdountoyou，ifyeforgivenoteveryonehisbrotherfromyourhearts。’——Matt。xviii。21-35。
THEREoncelivedinavillageapeasantnamedIvá；nStcherbakó；f。
Hewascomfortablyoff，intheprimeoflife，thebestworkerinthevillage，andhadthreesonsallabletowork。Theeldestwasmarried，thesecondabouttomarry，andthethirdwasabigladwhocouldmindthehorsesandwasalreadybeginningtoplough。
Ivan’swifewasanableandthriftywoman，andtheywerefortunateinhavingaquiet，hard-workingdaughter-in-law。TherewasnothingtopreventIvá；nandhisfamilyfromlivinghappily。
Theyhadonlyoneidlemouthtofeed；thatwasIvá；n’soldfather，whosufferedfromasthmaandhadbeenlyingillonthetopofthebrickovenforsevenyears。Ivá；nhadallheneeded:threehorsesandacolt，acowwithacalf，andfifteensheep。Thewomenmadealltheclothingforthefamily，besideshelpinginthefields，andthementilledtheland。Theyalwayshadgrainenoughoftheirowntolastoverbeyondthenextharvestandsoldenoughoatstopaythetaxesandmeettheirotherneeds。SoIvá；nandhischildrenmighthavelivedquitecomfortablyhaditnotbeenforafeudbetweenhimandhisnext-doorneighbour，LimpingGabriel，thesonofGordé；yIvá；nof。
AslongasoldGordé；ywasaliveandIvá；n’sfatherwasstillabletomanagethehousehold，thepeasantslivedasneighboursshould。Ifthewomenofeitherhousehappenedtowantasieveoratub，orthemenrequiredasack，orifacart-wheelgotbrokenandcouldnotbemendedatonce，theyusedtosendtotheotherhouse，andhelpedeachotherinneighbourlyfashion。
Whenacalfstrayedintotheneighbour’sthrashing-groundtheywouldjustdriveitout，andonlysay，’Don’tletitgetinagain；ourgrainislyingthere。’Andsuchthingsaslockingupthebarnsandouthouses，hidingthingsfromoneanother，orbackbitingwereneverthoughtofinthosedays。
Thatwasinthefathers’time。Whenthesonscametobeattheheadofthefamilies，everythingchanged。
Itallbeganaboutatrifle。
Ivá；n’sdaughter-in-lawhadahenthatbeganlayingratherearlyintheseason，andshestartedcollectingitseggsforEaster。
Everydayshewenttothecart-shed，andfoundanegginthecart；
butonedaythehen，probablyfrightenedbythechildren，flewacrossthefenceintotheneighbour’syardandlaiditseggthere。
Thewomanheardthecackling，butsaidtoherself:’Ihavenotimenow；ImusttidyupforSunday。I’llfetchtheegglateron。’
Intheeveningshewenttothecart，butfoundnoeggthere。
Shewentandaskedhermother-in-lawandbrother-in-lawwhethertheyhadtakentheegg。’No，’theyhadnot；butheryoungestbrother-in-law，Tará；s，said:’YourBiddylaiditseggintheneighbour’syard。Itwasthereshewascackling，andsheflewbackacrossthefencefromthere。’
Thewomanwentandlookedatthehen。Thereshewasontheperchwiththeotherbirds，hereyesjustclosingreadytogotosleep。Thewomanwishedshecouldhaveaskedthehenandgotananswerfromher。
Thenshewenttotheneighbour’s，andGabriel’smothercameouttomeether。
’Whatdoyouwant，youngwoman？’
’Why，Granny，yousee，myhenflewacrossthismorning。Didshenotlayanegghere？’
’Weneversawanythingofit。TheLordbethanked，ourownhensstartedlayinglongago。Wecollectourowneggsandhavenoneedofotherpeople’s！Andwedon’tgolookingforeggsinotherpeople’syards，lass！’
Theyoungwomanwasoffended，andsaidmorethansheshouldhavedone。
Herneighbouransweredbackwithinterest，andthewomenbeganabusingeachother。Ivan’swife，whohadbeentofetchwater，happeningtopassjustthen，joinedintoo。
Gabriel’swiferushedout，andbeganreproachingtheyoungwomanwiththingsthathadreallyhappenedandwithotherthingsthatneverhadhappenedatall。Thenageneraluproarcommenced，allshoutingatonce，tryingtogetouttwowordsatatime，andnotchoicewordseither。
’You’rethis！’and’You’rethat！’’You’reathief！’and’You’reaslut！’
and’You’restarvingyouroldfather-in-lawtodeath！’and’You’reagood-for-nothing！’andsoon。
’Andyou’vemadeaholeinthesieveIlentyou，youjade！Andit’souryokeyou’recarryingyourpailson——youjustgivebackouryoke！’
Thentheycaughtholdoftheyoke，andspiltthewater，snatchedoffoneanother’sshawls，andbeganfighting。Gabriel，returningfromthefields，stoppedtotakehiswife’spart。OutrushedIvá；nandhissonandjoinedinwiththerest。Ivá；nwasastrongfellow，hescatteredthewholelotofthem，andpulledahandfulofhairoutofGabriel’sbeard。Peoplecametoseewhatwasthematter，andthefighterswereseparatedwithdifficulty。
Thatwashowitallbegan。
Gabrielwrappedthehairtornfromhisbeardinapaper，andwenttotheDistrictCourttohavethelawofIvá；n。’Ididn’tgrowmybeard，’saidhe，’forpockmarkedIvá；ntopullitout！’Andhiswifewentbraggingtotheneighbours，sayingthey’dhaveIvá；ncondemnedandsenttoSiberia。Andsothefeudgrew。
Theoldman，fromwherehelayonthetopoftheoven，triedfromtheveryfirsttopersuadethemtomakepeace，buttheywouldnotlisten。Hetoldthem，’It’sastupidthingyouareafter，children，pickingquarrelsaboutsuchapaltrymatter。Justthink！
Thewholethingbeganaboutanegg。Thechildrenmayhavetakenit——well，whatmatter？What’sthevalueofoneegg？Godsendsenoughforall！Andsupposeyourneighbourdidsayanunkindword——putitright；showherhowtosayabetterone！Iftherehasbeenafight——well，suchthingswillhappen；we’reallsinners，butmakeitup，andlettherebeanendofit！Ifyounurseyourangeritwillbeworseforyouyourselves。’
Buttheyoungerfolkwouldnotlistentotheoldman。Theythoughthiswordsweremeresenselessdotage。Ivá；nwouldnothumblehimselfbeforehisneighbour。
’Ineverpulledhisbeard，’hesaid，’hepulledthehairouthimself。
Buthissonhasburstallthefasteningsonmyshirt，andtornit……
Lookatit！’