’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！’