Part 10 (2/2)
”'Ah, you speak the truth,'I ca to convert you to my way of belief, but I own that you have conquered You have converted me to yours'
”These were the General's last words He rose to take his departure
He grasped his old comrade's hand, and went out Alas! Alas! His reason was convinced, but his heart was unchanged His oords had condemned him He went back to the world to laste of its allurements and false pleasure, its titles, its wealth, its evanescent honours He undoubtedly reported favourably of his friend, and obtained for hiht not the Lord where alone He can be found He continued his old habits of life, seeking the praise of men rather than the praise of God”
CHAPTER TWELVE
Steffanoff Saveleff's Early History--Resolves to visit his Parents and his Betrothed--Commences his Journey--Meets Woodcutters--Takes Shelter in the Hut of old Sidor--Attacked by Fever--Compelled to fly--Pursued by Enemies--Concealed in a Cave
”All this ti you aboutabout er ”When my people were ordered to take up their abode in the new districts appointed for the-place, resolved to share their fortunes I remained un hard to prepare a hoht be allowed to join rown up under their roof fro the days of persecution, I could not venture to wed her; but now that they were over, and I had the prospect of being able to prepare a home fit for her reception, I hoped to make her my wife A peasant can love as well as a noble--I could not leave the settlement, that is, openly, without pere In vain I asked for it I told him my object; still he would not listen to me I determined, therefore, to leave the place without his perht, amid a storm of wind and rain, I started on my journey The police, or anybody ould stop me, were not likely to be out at such a tiht, and in the daytime climbed up into a tree far away in the depths of a forest, where it was not probable any one would discover me I carried a wallet well stored with food; I wished to reat fear was of being captured should I enter any village to buy bread I had scraped together all the money I could collect, so that I ell provided with theprovisions when I could venture to do so Night after night I toiled on, sustained with the hope that success would crown my efforts I feared neither bears nor wolves; they seldom in the summer season attack people, and I had often contended with them In winter the wolves are es, have fallen victims to them On foot a person overtaken by a flock of the with his life, unless he could climb a tree or a rock out of their way I dreaded fa else Had I been able to buy food wherever I could find it, I et on froe to another without difficulty, but, as this I was afraid to do, I was obliged to husband my provisions I found in the woods an abundance of wild fruit, such as strawberries and raspberries, which grow plentifully in the woods; also of many roots, with the nature of which I ell acquainted Besides roots, there were many varieties of mushrooms, and I had a small pan with me in which I could cook the Soether I did not speak a word to a fellow-creature Now and then I fell in oodcutters, but they were poor men who kne to commiserate those in distress, and seldoreatest assistance I received was from men of hout the whole of the south of Russia, and I had no difficulty in discovering those who held the with any friends, but He who governs by His will the e not a sparrow falls to the ground, directed ht- to sleep, when, as I looked once h the wood an oldlad By their dress, and the hatchets in their belts, I knew that they oodcutters I thought, perhaps, that they ht cut down the very tree I had climbed into; however, they went on a little way, and then, throwing aside their axes at the foot of a tree, they knelt down together and offered up theira hyether for worshi+p The sounds cheered my heart; I knew at once that they were friends I quickly descended the tree, and went up to the that I was a spy upon their actions, but a feords reassured them I told them at once my story, for I knew that I was in safe hands They promised to assist me as far as they had the power I by this tih exhausted, my feet sore, and my boots worn out I required a day's rest, and here was an opportunity of enjoying it The lad, as the old et my bootsladly do it for charity's sake The oldan ample supply of provisions, and, in therest while he and his boy watched near me For this purpose they lopped off a nu trees, and formed an arbour
They then strewed the inside of it thickly with dry leaves, so as to form a more comfortable couch than I had enjoyed for many a day I crept in, and was soon asleep I had no fears, for I knew that the woodcutters were Christianwould induce them to betray me
”They aroused me at noon to partake of their meal, which consisted but of black bread and fish taken fro river The fish, however, reminded me that, if I could but provide ht frequently provide myself with food I mentioned my idea to my new friends, and they proood fisherman, and kne to catch every sort of fish
I was surprised that I had not thought of this before starting froain went to sleep, and rested soundly till the evening I awoke up, and the oldme some more food While we sat and ate we conversed earnestly of religious e, which was three versts off He did more even than he prohly repaired
”'Our brother knew the iht be co thes on his head! He gave ht out with hiht of a fir-torch, as we sat in the entrance of es It was late before the oldto return early the next ht securely rest there till then, sheltered by the bower They brought some water and washed my feet, and anointed thehtful for his years, had procured for the purpose I had been tooyears of hiding from persecution to have any fears after the assurance the woodcutters had givenmyself toa hand placed onthat a police-officer was about to seizecaptured, and I could not throw off the feeling I felt, notwithstanding, that to allow it to weigh on my mind was a sin, as it arose from want of faith and trust in God's providence I looked up, and beheld the honest countenance of the young woodcutter
”'You sleep soundly, father,' said he with a sood consciences can thus repose, I have heard Well, father, I have brought you as h to last you for o with you sorandfather will meet us on the road He wishes to say farewell to you It is all settled, so say not a word on thelad's proposal I was too thankful to have a guide and companion for part ofKhor (that was the lad's na, with a cheerful heart
Thus I found, whenabout two versts through the wood,the oldtowards us
”He embraced me warmly 'Heaven protect you, my son,' he said; 'all the brethren here will earnestly pray for you: o, and may friends be raised up for you whenever you require theuide you till you arrive at the abode of brother Sidor
It is but three days' journey from hence Khor will then easily find his way back, and Sidor will then guide you on your way farther;-- farewell' With these words we parted Young Khor was a pleasant, cheerful companion, and as he knew the country well, he led me by far more direct roads than I could have found e for hts, I had pleasant conversation He, too, had brought a Testah he had not the whole Bible, and whenever we sat down to rest he pulled it out and read to me, or I read to hiht, as he was able to conduct me by byhere ere not likely to th we reached the abode of brother Sidor He was a grey-headed old man, and from sad experience had learned caution We knocked three times at his door before he opened it When he had done so he did not speak, but stood in the porch, exa us from head to foot This scrutiny was apparently satisfactory 'Co fish, and bread, and cheese, and er, I will hear what you wish to tell ladly did as he desired, and e had satisfied our hunger, I frankly told him all my history, and the object of my journey 'Ah, my son! I knew your father, Loutich Saveleff, very well, in , in the establishreat state, and gave great parties, and ht ourselves very fine fellows When he died we could not procure other situations, and as we had saved nothing and could not pay our masters the tax, ere coes and to resuht very hard work, and gruly, but we could not help ourselves, and what at first we fancied a curse proved a blessing in the end By that ospel truth was made to shi+ne on us Your father was the first to receive it, and having procured two Bibles he sent ift he could bestow At first I valued it only as a gift from him, for I loved him much; and that he knew, or he would not have ventured to send it to an to read, and as I read on I learned to value it for itself, and would not now change it for all the wealth of the Czar What, I often ask myself, would the world be without it?
What can for a loomy would our life appear! How unjust, how unuide for the present; no certainty, no hope for the future It teaches us all we should wish for, all we should desire to knoalk in this present life, how to bear affliction, what to expect in the future' Much more to the same effect the old man said I loved the word of God, I had suffered s; he showedbrilliancy
Thus Christianconverse with each other about the volume on which their creed is founded Oh! miserable, miserable men who have not that foundation! I spent a whole day under Sidor's roof Young Khor rested there too He then set off with a light step to return home; he had no fears In the solitude of the forest, on the vast steppe at ht or noonday, he was sustained by a belief that One who could humble Himself to become man, and who so loved mankind that He could suffer death for their sakes, was ever watching over hiht him to discredit all the foolish superstitions of our country The _Domvoi_ (the familiar spirit of the house, similar to the Brownie of Scotland) had no terrors for him; neither had the _Roussalka_ (the wood fairy), nor the _Leechie_ (the de as the _Trichka_, who, it is supposed, will one day visit the country and co as a _Vodainoi_, or water spirit; in truth, he felt sure that God would allow only one evil being to infest the earth, and that merely to try mankind, and the better to fit theels shall be chained for ever and ever I was truly sorry to part frolad to meet He had seen land, and he told lish At the time he was there he said he did not know the reason of this liking, but since then he had discovered that it arose frootry, superstition, and priestcraft, faults which have coion of Russia
”But I must not stop to describe the conversations I held with old Sidor He pressed hly before I should recolad of a little delay; at the same tier was at his cottage without a pass, he ht be subject to severe penalties
”'We never calculate the risk when a brother requires our help,' he replied, taking ood, and died for our sakes, taught us that lesson, with et Say, therefore, no more about it, th has returned, and thou canst prosecute thy journey with renewed hope and confidence'
”I could not resist old Sidor's pressing, and, with a satisfaction I can scarcely describe, I threw myself on his bed, and in an instant was asleep My sleep, however, was feverish and troubled I had felt ill before I reached his cottage, and nohen I awoke, I found a raging fever onI had slept I know not Old Sidor was by ht, tending me with as much care as a father would an only son Several weeks I thus lay, hovering between life and death Oftentimes my old friend told me that he was inclined to summon a leech to see ht be betrayed, and delivered into the hands of our eneht, therefore, with reat Physician of our souls, that He would, in His abundant mercy, heal me Surely such prayers are not in vain In a short tith rapidly returned I had been out of the hut h the woods, but was yet, I fancied, unfit to prosecute my journey I lay on the bed while Sidor sat bythat book which was seldoh the open doorway his little grandson running in haste towards the hut He entered too much out of breath to speak; in his hand he bore a feather, which he held out towards uessed in a moment what it betokened--so did Sidor
”'Our foes have discovered your retreat, and this is sent by a brother to bid you flee'
”The boy nodded, and waved his hand hurriedly towards the door I threw my arms for a ht on the way I showed you yesterday, till you coht of it is a thicket; on the farther side, midway down it, you will find some dried brae Half-way down it the ground beneath your feet will sound hollow On your right hand, by bending aside the boughs, you will discover a further pile of brambles, which appear to have been thrown there by chance Draw them aside, and there will be found a cavity; enter without hesitation, drawing the brambles over your head You will find there provisions for several days, and a couch on which to rest your yet unpractised liitive brother has there found shelter for weeks together Farewell, uard you; you have not a moment to lose'
”These words he uttered as rapidly as possible, yet it was necessary to be precise, to enable ain e him, I darted fros, long unaccustomed to rapida shout; I could just distinguish between the trees severalthe hut For an instant I gave ht I found soon that I was not followed, then I trembled for the fate of itive like ive an account of me, the knout and Siberia will be his fate I felt inclined to turn back, but then I re ruin on hiuilty of the crime