Efí；mhadbeenawayjustayear，anditwasspringagainwhenhereachedhomeoneevening。Hissonwasnotathome，buthadgonetothepublic-houseandwhenhecameback，hehadhadadroptoomuch。Efí；mbeganquestioninghim。Everythingshowedthattheyoungfellowhadbeenunsteadyduringhisfather’sabsence。
　　Themoneyhadallbeenwronglyspent，andtheworkhadbeenneglected。Thefatherbegantoupbraidtheson；andthesonansweredrudely。
　　’Whydidn’tyoustayandlookafterityourself？’hesaid。’Yougooff，takingthemoneywithyouandnowyoudemanditofme！’
　　Theoldmangrewangry，andstruckhisson。
　　InthemorningEfí；mwenttothevillageEldertocomplainofhisson’sconduct。AshewaspassingElisha’shouse，hisfriend’swifegreetedhimfromtheporch。
　　’Howdoyoudo，neighbour，’shesaid。’Howdoyoudo，dearfriend？DidyougettoJerusalemsafely？’
　　Efí；mstopped。
　　’Yes，thankGod，’hesaid。’Ihavebeenthere。Ilostsightofyouroldman，butIhearhegothomesafely。’
　　Theoldwomanwasfondoftalking:
　　’Yes，neighbour，hehascomeback，’saidshe。’He’sbeenbackalongtime。SoonafterAssumption，Ithinkitwas，hereturned。AndweweregladtheLordhadsenthimbacktous！Weweredullwithouthim。Wecan’texpectmuchworkfromhimanymore，hisyearsforworkarepast；butstillheistheheadofthehouseholdandit’smorecheerfulwhenhe’sathome。Andhowgladourladwas！Hesaid，“It’slikebeingwithoutsunlight，whenfather’saway！“
　　Itwasdullwithouthim，dearfriend。We’refondofhim，andtakegoodcareofhim。’
　　’Isheathomenow？’
　　’Heis，dearfriend。Heiswithhisbees。Heishivingtheswarms。Hesaystheyareswarmingwellthisyear。TheLordhasgivensuchstrengthtothebeesthatmyhusbanddoesn’trememberthelike。
　　“TheLordisnotrewardingusaccordingtooursins，“hesays。Comein，dearneighbour，hewillbesogladtoseeyouagain。’
　　Efí；mpassedthroughthepassageintotheyardandtotheapiary，toseeElisha。TherewasElishainhisgreycoat，withoutanyface-netorgloves，standing，underthebirchtrees，lookingupwards，hisarmsstretchedoutandhisbaldheadshining，asEfí；mhadseenhimattheHolySepulchreinJerusalem:andabovehimthesunlightshonethroughthebirchesastheflamesoffirehaddoneintheholyplace，andthegoldenbeesflewroundhisheadlikeahalo，anddidnotstinghim。
　　Efí；mstopped。Theoldwomancalledtoherhusband。
　　’Here’syourfriendcome，’shecried。
　　Elishalookedroundwithapleasedface，andcametowardsEfí；m，gentlypickingbeesoutofhisownbeard。
　　’Goodday，neighbour，good-day，dearfriend。Didyougettheresafely？’
　　’Myfeetwalkedthere，andIhavebroughtyousomewaterfromtheriverJordan。Youmustcometomyhouseforit。ButwhethertheLordacceptedmyefforts……’
　　’WelltheLordbethanked！MayChristblessyou！’saidElisha。
　　Efí；mwassilentforawhile，andthenadded:
　　’Myfeethavebeenthere，butwhethermysoul，oranother’s，hasbeentheremoretruly……’
　　’That’sGod’sbusiness，neighbour，God’sbusiness，’interruptedElisha。
　　’OnmyreturnjourneyIstoppedatthehutwhereyouremainedbehind。
　　Elishawasalarmed，andsaidhurriedly:
　　’God’sbusiness，neighbour，God’sbusiness！Comeintothecottage，I’llgiveyousomeofourhoney。’AndElishachangedtheconversation，andtalkedofhomeaffairs。
　　Efí；msighed，anddidnotspeaktoElishaofthepeopleinthehut，norofhowhehadseenhiminJerusalem。Buthenowunderstoodthatthebestwaytokeepone’svowstoGodandtodoHiswill，isforeachmanwhilehelivestoshowloveanddogoodtoothers。
　　whereloveis，godisWHERELOVEIS，GODIS
　　INacertaintowntherelivedacobbler，MartinAvdé；itehbyname。
　　Hehadatinyroominabasement，theonewindowofwhichlookedoutontothestreet。Throughitonecouldonlyseethefeetofthosewhopassedby，butMartinrecognizedthepeoplebytheirboots。Hehadlivedlongintheplaceandhadmanyacquaintances。
　　Therewashardlyapairofbootsintheneighbourhoodthathadnotbeenonceortwicethroughhishands，soheoftensawhisownhandiworkthroughthewindow。Somehehadre-soled，somepatched，somestitchedup，andtosomehehadevenputfreshuppers。
　　Hehadplentytodo，forheworkedwell，usedgoodmaterial，didnotchargetoomuch，andcouldbereliedon。Ifhecoulddoajobbythedayrequired，heundertookit；ifnot，hetoldthetruthandgavenofalsepromises；sohewaswellknownandnevershortofwork。
　　Martinhadalwaysbeenagoodman；butinhisoldagehebegantothinkmoreabouthissoulandtodrawnearertoGod。Whilehestillworkedforamaster，beforehesetuponhisownaccount，hiswifehaddied，leavinghimwithathree-yearoldson。Noneofhiselderchildrenhadlived，theyhadalldiedininfancy。AtfirstMartinthoughtofsendinghislittlesontohissister’sinthecountry，butthenhefeltsorrytopartwiththeboy，thinking:’ItwouldbehardformylittleKapitó；ntohavetogrowupinastrangefamily；
　　I
　　willkeephimwithme。’
　　Martinlefthismasterandwentintolodgingswithhislittleson。Buthehadnoluckwithhischildren。Nosoonerhadtheboyreachedanagewhenhecouldhelphisfatherandbeasupportaswellasajoytohim，thanhefellilland，afterbeinglaidupforaweekwithaburningfever，died。Martinburiedhisson，andgavewaytodespairsogreatandoverwhelmingthathemurmuredagainstGod。Inhissorrowheprayedagainandagainthathetoomightdie，reproachingGodforhavingtakenthesonheloved，hisonlysonwhilehe，oldashewas，remainedalive。AfterthatMartinleftoffgoingtochurch。
　　OnedayanoldmanfromMartin’snativevillagewhohadbeenapilgrimforthelasteightyears，calledinonhiswayfromTró；itsaMonastery。Martinopenedhishearttohim，andtoldhimofhissorrow。
　　’Inolongerevenwishtolive，holyman，’hesaid。’AllIaskofGodisthatIsoonmaydie。Iamnowquitewithouthopeintheworld。’
　　Theoldmanreplied:’Youhavenorighttosaysuchthings，Martin。
　　WecannotjudgeGod’sways。Notourreasoning，butGod’swill，decides。IfGodwilledthatyoursonshoulddieandyoushouldlive，itmustbebestso。Astoyourdespair——thatcomesbecauseyouwishtoliveforyourownhappiness。’
　　’Whatelseshouldonelivefor？’askedMartin。
　　’ForGod，Martin，’saidtheoldman。’Hegivesyoulife，andyoumustliveforHim。WhenyouhavelearnttoliveforHim，youwillgrievenomore，andallwillseemeasytoyou。’
　　Martinwassilentawhile，andthenasked:’ButhowisonetoliveforGod？’
　　Theoldmananswered:’HowonemayliveforGodhasbeenshownusbyChrist。Canyouread？ThenbuytheGospels，andreadthem:thereyouwillseehowGodwouldhaveyoulive。Youhaveitallthere。’
　　ThesewordssankdeepintoMartin’sheart，andthatsamedayhewentandboughthimselfaTestamentinlargeprint，andbegantoread。
　　Atfirsthemeantonlytoreadonholidays，buthavingoncebegunhefounditmadehisheartsolightthathereadeveryday。
　　Sometimeshewassoabsorbedinhisreadingthattheoilinhislampburntoutbeforehecouldtearhimselfawayfromthebook。
　　Hecontinuedtoreadeverynight，andthemorehereadthemoreclearlyheunderstoodwhatGodrequiredofhim，andhowhemightliveforGod。Andhisheartgrewlighterandlighter。Before，whenhewenttobedheusedtoliewithaheavyheart，moaningashethoughtofhislittleKapitó；n；butnowheonlyrepeatedagainandagain:’GlorytoThee，glorytoThee，OLord！Thywillbedone！’
　　FromthattimeMartin’swholelifechanged。Formerly，onholidaysheusedtogoandhaveteaatthepublichouse，anddidnotevenrefuseaglassortwoofvó；dka。Sometimes，afterhavinghadadropwithafriend，heleftthepublichousenotdrunk，butrathermerry，andwouldsayfoolishthings:shoutataman，orabusehim。
　　Now，allthatsortofthingpassedawayfromhim。Hislifebecamepeacefulandjoyful。Hesatdowntohisworkinthemorning，andwhenhehadfinishedhisday’sworkhetookthelampdownfromthewall，stooditonthetable，fetchedhisbookfromtheshelf，openedit，andsatdowntoread。Themorehereadthebetterheunderstood，andtheclearerandhappierhefeltinhismind。
　　IthappenedoncethatMartinsatuplate，absorbedinhisbook。HewasreadingLuke’sGospel；andinthesixthchapterhecameupontheverses: