Part 61 (2/2)
”He is back, my dear; he has been back for quite awhile. He returned soon after a.s.sumption day. We were so glad to see him back. It was lonely without him. Not that we mean his work,--for he is getting old.
But he is the head, and it is jollier for us. How happy our lad was!
Without him, he said, it was as without light for the eyes. It was lonely without him, my dear. We love him so much!”
”Well, is he at home now?”
”At home he is, neighbour, in the apiary, brus.h.i.+ng in the swarms. He says it was a fine swarming season. The old man does not remember when there has been such a lot of bees. G.o.d gives us not according to our sins, he says. Come in, dear one! He will be so glad to see you.”
Efim walked through the vestibule and through the yard to the apiary, to see Elisey. When he came inside the apiary, he saw Elisey standing without a net, without gloves, in a gray caftan, under a birch-tree, extending his arms and looking up, and his bald spot shone over his whole head, just as he had stood in Jerusalem at the Lord's Sepulchre, and above him, through the birch-tree, the sun glowed, and above his head the golden bees circled in the form of a wreath, and did not sting him. Efim stopped.
Elisey's wife called out to her husband:
”Your friend is here.”
Elisey looked around. He was happy, and walked over toward his friend, softly brus.h.i.+ng the bees out of his beard.
”Welcome, friend, welcome, dear man! Did you have a successful journey?”
”My feet took me there, and I have brought you some water from the river Jordan. Come and get it! But whether the Lord has received my work--”
”Thank G.o.d! Christ save you!”
Efim was silent.
”I was there with my feet, but in spirit you were there, or somebody else--”
”It is G.o.d's work, my friend, G.o.d's work.”
”On my way home I stopped at the hut where I lost you.”
Elisey was frightened, and he hastened to say:
”It is G.o.d's work, my friend, G.o.d's work. Well, won't you step in? I will bring some honey.”
And Elisey changed the subject, and began to speak of home matters.
Efim heaved a sigh. He did not mention the people of the hut to Elisey, nor what he had seen in Jerusalem. And he understood that G.o.d has enjoined that each man shall before his death carry out his vow--with love and good deeds.
WHERE LOVE IS, THERE G.o.d IS ALSO
1885
WHERE LOVE IS, THERE G.o.d IS ALSO
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