Themanunharnessedthehorse，andcarriedthesackintothebarn。Thenhemowedsomegrassandputitinthemanger。
　　Everybodylaydowntosleep。Elishawentoutsideandlaybytheroadside。
　　Thateveninghetookhisbagoutwithhim。Wheneveryonewasasleep，hegotup，packedandfastenedhisbag，wrappedthelinenbandsroundhislegs，putonhisshoesandcoat，andsetofftofollowEfí；m。
　　WhenElishahadwalkedrathermorethanthreemilesitbegantogrowlight。Hesatdownunderatree，openedhisbag，countedhismoney，andfoundhehadonlyseventeenroublesandtwentykopeksleft。
　　’Well，’thoughthe，’itisnousetryingtocrosstheseawiththis。
　　IfIbegmywayitmaybeworsethannotgoingatall。FriendEfí；mwillgettoJerusalemwithoutme，andwillplaceacandleattheshrinesinmyname。Asforme，I’mafraidIshallneverfulfilmyvowinthislife。ImustbethankfulitwasmadetoamercifulMaster，andtoonewhopardonssinners。’
　　Elisharose，jerkedhisbagwelluponhisshoulders，andturnedback。
　　Notwishingtoberecognizedbyanyone，hemadeacircuittoavoidthevillage，andwalkedbrisklyhomeward。Comingfromhomethewayhadseemeddifficulttohim，andhehadfoundithardtokeepupwithEfí；m，butnowonhisreturnjourney，Godhelpedhimtogetoverthegroundsothathehardlyfeltfatigue。
　　Walkingseemedlikechild’splay。Hewentalongswinginghisstaff，anddidhisfortytofiftymilesaday。
　　WhenElishareachedhometheharvestwasover。Hisfamilyweredelightedtoseehimagain，andallwantedtoknowwhathadhappened:Whyandhowhehadbeenleftbehind？AndwhyhehadreturnedwithoutreachingJerusalem？ButElishadidnottellthem。
　　’ItwasnotGod’swillthatIshouldgetthere，’saidhe。’Ilostmymoneyontheway，andlaggedbehindmycompanion。Forgiveme，fortheLord’ssake！’
　　Elishagavehisoldwifewhatmoneyhehadleft。Thenhequestionedthemabouthomeaffairs。Everythingwasgoingonwell；alltheworkhadbeendone，nothingneglected，andallwerelivinginpeaceandconcord。
　　Efí；m’sfamilyheardofhisreturnthesameday，andcamefornewsoftheiroldman；andtothemElishagavethesameanswers。
　　’Efí；misafastwalker。WepartedthreedaysbeforeSt。Peter’sday，andImeanttocatchhimupagain，butallsortsofthingshappened。Ilostmymoney，andhadnomeanstogetanyfurther，soIturnedback。’
　　Thefolkswereastonishedthatsosensibleamanshouldhaveactedsofoolishly:shouldhavestartedandnotgottohisdestination，andshouldhavesquanderedallhismoney。Theywonderedatitforawhile，andthenforgotallaboutit，andElishaforgotittoo。Hesettoworkagainonhishomestead。Withhisson’shelphecutwoodforfuelforthewinter。Heandthewomenthreshedthecorn。
　　Thenhemendedthethatchontheouthouses，putthebeesundercover，andhandedovertohisneighbourthetenhiveshehadsoldhiminspring，andalltheswarmsthathadcomefromthem。Hiswifetriednottotellhowmanyswarmstherehadbeenfromthesehives，butElishaknewwellenoughfromwhichtherehadbeenswarmsandfromwhichnot。Andinsteadoften，hehandedoverseventeenswarmstohisneighbour。Havinggoteverythingreadyforthewinter，Elishasenthissonawaytofindwork，whilehehimselftooktoplattingshoesofbark，andhollowingoutlogsforhives。
　　AllthatdaywhileElishastoppedbehindinthehutwiththesickpeople，Efí；mwaitedforhim。Heonlywentonalittlewaybeforehesatdown。Hewaitedandwaited，hadanap，wokeupagain，andagainsatwaiting；buthiscomradedidnotcome。Hegazedtillhiseyesached。Thesunwasalreadysinkingbehindatree，andstillnoElishawastobeseen。
　　’Perhapshehaspassedme，’thoughtEfí；m，’orperhapssomeonegavehimaliftandhedrovebywhileIslept，anddidnotseeme。
　　Buthowcouldhehelpseeingme？Onecanseesofarhereinthesteppe。
　　ShallIgoback？Supposeheisoninfront，weshallthenmisseachothercompletelyanditwillbestillworse。Ihadbettergoon，andweshallbesuretomeetwhereweputupforthenight。’
　　Hecametoavillage，andtoldthewatchman，ifanoldmanofacertaindescriptioncamealong，tobringhimtothehutwhereEfí；mstopped。ButElishadidnotturnupthatnight。Efí；mwenton，askingallhemetwhethertheyhadnotseenalittle，bald-headed，oldman？Noonehadseensuchatraveller。Efí；mwondered，butwentonalone，saying:
　　’WeshallbesuretomeetinOdessa，oronboardtheship，’andhedidnottroublemoreaboutit。
　　Ontheway，hecameacrossapilgrimwearingapriest’scoat，withlonghairandaskull-capsuchaspriestswear。ThispilgrimhadbeentoMountAthos，andwasnowgoingtoJerusalemforthesecondtime。Theybothstoppedatthesameplaceonenight，and，havingmet，theytravelledontogether。
　　TheygotsafelytoOdessa，andtherehadtowaitthreedaysforaship。
　　Manypilgrimsfrommanydifferentpartswereinthesamecase。AgainEfí；maskedaboutElisha，butnoonehadseenhim。
　　Efí；mgothimselfaforeignpassport，whichcosthimfiveroubles。
　　HepaidfortyroublesforareturntickettoJerusalem，andboughtasupplyofbreadandherringsforthevoyage。
　　ThepilgrimbeganexplainingtoEfí；mhowhemightgetontotheshipwithoutpayinghisfare；butEfí；mwouldnotlisten。’No，I
　　camepreparedtopay，andIshallpay，’saidhe。
　　Theshipwasfreighted，andthepilgrimswentonboard，Efí；mandhisnewcomradeamongthem。Theanchorswereweighed，andtheshipputouttosea。
　　Alldaytheysailedsmoothly，buttowardsnightawindarose，raincameon，andthevesseltossedaboutandshippedwater。Thepeoplewerefrightened:thewomenwailedandscreamed，andsomeoftheweakermenranabouttheshiplookingforshelter。
　　Efí；mtoowasfrightened，buthewouldnotshowit，andremainedattheplaceondeckwherehehadsettleddownwhenfirsthecameonboard，besidesomeoldmenfromTambó；f。Theretheysatsilent，allnightandallnextday，holdingontotheirsacks。Onthethirddayitgrewcalm，andonthefifthdaytheyanchoredatConstantinople。
　　SomeofthepilgrimswentonshoretovisittheChurchofSt。Sophia，nowheldbytheTurks。Efí；mremainedontheship，andonlyboughtsomewhitebread。Theylaytherefortwenty-fourhours，andthenputtoseaagain。AtSmyrnatheystoppedagain；andatAlexandria；butatlasttheyarrivedsafelyatJaffa，whereallthepilgrimshadtodisembark。FromtherestillitwasmorethanfortymilesbyroadtoJerusalem。Whendisembarkingthepeoplewereagainmuchfrightened。Theshipwashigh，andthepeopleweredroppedintoboats，whichrockedsomuchthatitwaseasytomissthemandfallintothewater。Acoupleofmendidgetawetting，butatlastallweresafelylanded。
　　Theywentononfoot，andatnoononthethirddayreachedJerusalem。
　　Theystoppedoutsidethetown，attheRussianinn，wheretheirpassportswereindorsed。Then，afterdinner，Efí；mvisitedtheHolyPlaceswithhiscompanion，thepilgrim。ItwasnotthetimewhentheycouldbeadmittedtotheHolySepulchre，buttheywenttothePatriarchate。Allthepilgrimsassembledthere。Thewomenwereseparatedfromthemen，whowerealltoldtositinacircle，barefoot。Thenamonkcameinwithatoweltowashtheirfeet。Hewashed，wiped，andthenkissedtheirfeet，anddidthistoeveryoneinthecircle。Efí；m’sfeetwerewashedandkissed，withtherest。Hestoodthroughvespersandmatins，prayed，placedcandlesattheshrines，handedinbookletsinscribedwithhisparents，names，thattheymightbementionedinthechurchprayers。
　　HereatthePatriarchatefoodandwineweregiventhem。
　　NextmorningtheywenttothecellofMaryofEgypt，whereshehadliveddoingpenance。Heretootheyplacedcandlesandhadprayersread。FromtheretheywenttoAbraham’sMonastery，andsawtheplacewhereAbrahamintendedtoslayhissonasanofferingtoGod。ThentheyvisitedthespotwhereChristappearedtoMaryMagdalene，andtheChurchofJames，theLord’sbrother。ThepilgrimshowedEfí；malltheseplaces，andtoldhimhowmuchmoneytogiveateachplace。Atmid-daytheyreturnedtotheinnandhaddinner。Astheywerepreparingtoliedownandrest，thepilgrimcriedout，andbegantosearchhisclothes，feelingthemallover。
　　’Mypursehasbeenstolen，thereweretwenty-threeroublesinit，’saidhe，’twoten-roublenotesandtherestinchange。’
　　Hesighedandlamentedagreatdeal，butastherewasnohelpforit，theylaydowntosleep。
　　AsEfí；mlaythere，hewasassailedbytemptation。
　　’Noonehasstolenanymoneyfromthispilgrim，’thoughthe，’Idonotbelievehehadany。Hegavenoneawayanywhere，thoughhemademegive，andevenborrowedaroubleofme。’
　　Thisthoughthadnosoonercrossedhismind，thanEfí；mrebukedhimself，saying:’WhatrighthaveItojudgeaman？Itisasin。I
　　willthinknomoreaboutit。’Butassoonashisthoughtsbegantowander，theyturnedagaintothepilgrim:howinterestedheseemedtobeinmoney，andhowunlikelyitsoundedwhenhedeclaredthathispursehadbeenstolen。
　　’Heneverhadanymoney，’thoughtEfí；m。’It’sallaninvention。’