Transcriber's Note:
Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfullyas possible, including any non-standard spelling.
WHERE LOVE IS
THERE GOD IS ALSO
BY
LYOF N. TOLSTOI
TRANSLATED FROM THE RUSSIAN
BY
NATHAN HASKELL DOLE
NEW YORK
THOMAS Y. CROWELL COMPANY
PUBLISHERS
Copyright, 1887,
By Thomas Y. Crowell & Co.
WHERE LOVE IS
THERE GOD IS ALSO
In the city lived the shoemaker, MartuinAvdyeitch. He lived in a basement, in alittle room with one window. The windowlooked out on the street. Through thewindow he used to watch the people passingby; although only their feet could be seen,yet by the boots, Martuin Avdyeitch recognizedthe people. Martuin Avdyeitch hadlived long in one place, and had manyacquaintances. Few pairs of boots in hisdistrict had not been in his hands once andagain. Some he would half-sole, some hewould patch, some he would stitch around,and occasionally he would also put on newuppers. And through the window he oftenrecognized his work.
Avdyeitch had plenty to do, because hewas a faithful workman, used good material,did not make exorbitant charges, and kepthis word. If it was possible for him to finishan order by a certain time, he would acceptit; otherwise, he would not deceive you,—hewould tell you so beforehand. And allknew Avdyeitch, and he was never out ofwork.
Avdyeitch had always been a good man;but as he grew old, he began to think moreabout his soul, and get nearer to God.Martuin's wife had died when he was stillliving with his master. His wife left him aboy three years old. None of their otherchildren had lived. All the eldest had diedin childhood. Martuin at first intended tosend his little son to his sister in the village,but afterward he felt sorry for him; hethought to himself:—
“It will be hard for my Kapitoshka to livein a strange family. I shall keep him withme.”
And Avdyeitch left his master, and wentinto lodgings with his little son. But Godgave Avdyeitch no luck with his children.As Kapitoshka grew older, he began to helphis father, and would have been a delight tohim, but a sickness fell on him, he went tobed, suffered a week, and died. Martuinburied his son, and fell into despair. Sodeep was this despair that he began tocomplain of God. Martuin fell into sucha melancholy state, that more than oncehe prayed to God for death, and reproachedGod because He had not taken him whowas an old man, instead of his belovedonly son. Avdyeitch also ceased to go tochurch.
And once a little old man from the samedistrict came from Troïtsa(1) to see Avdyeitch;for seven years he had been wandering about.Avdyeitch talked with him, and began tocomplain about his sorrows.
“I have no desire to live any longer,” hesaid, “I only wish I was dead. That is allI pray God for. I am a man without anythingto hope for now.”
And the little old man said to him:—
“You don't talk right, Martuin, we mustnot judge God's doings. The world moves,not by our skill, but by God's will. Goddecr