Matryona stopped and said: "If he were a good man he would not be naked.
Why, he hasn't even a shirt on him. If he were all right, you would say
where you came across the fellow."
"That's just what I am trying to tell you," said Simon. "As I came to
the shrine I saw him sitting all naked and frozen. It isn't quite
the weather to sit about naked! God sent me to him, or he would have
perished. What was I to do? How do we know what may have happened to
him? So I took him, clothed him, and brought him along. Don't be so
angry, Matryona. It is a sin. Remember, we all must die one day."
Angry words rose to Matryona's lips, but she looked at the stranger
and was silent. He sat on the edge of the bench, motionless, his hands
folded on his knees, his head drooping on his breast, his eyes closed,
and his brows knit as if in pain. Matryona was silent: and Simon said:
"Matryona, have you no love of God?"
Matryona heard these words, and as she looked at the stranger, suddenly
her heart softened towards him. She came back from the door, and going
to the oven she got out the supper. Setting a cup on the table, she
poured out some kvas. Then she brought out the last piece of bread, and
set out a knife and spoons.
"Eat, if you want to," said she.
Simon drew the stranger to the table.
"Take your place, young man," said he.
Simon cut the bread, crumbled it into the broth, and they began to eat.
Matryona sat at the corner of the table resting her head on her hand and
looking at the stranger.
And Matryona was touched with pity for the stranger, and began to feel
fond of him. And at once the stranger's face lit up; his brows were no
longer bent, he raised his eyes and smiled at Matryona.
When they had finished supper, the woman cleared away the things and
began questioning the stranger. "Where are you from?" said she.
"I am not from these parts."
"But how did you come to be on the road?"
"I may not tell."
"Did some one rob you?"
"God punished me."
"And you were lying there naked?"
"Yes, naked and freezing. Simon saw me and had pity on me. He took off
his coat, put it on me and brought me here. And you have fed me, given
me drink, and shown pity on me. God will reward you!"
Matryona rose, took from the window Simon's old shirt she had been
patching, and gave it to the stranger. She also brought out a pair of
trousers for him.
"There," said she, "I see you have no shirt. Put this on, and lie down
where you please, in the loft or on the oven."
The stranger took off the coat, put on the shirt, and lay down in the
loft. Matryona put out the candle, took the coat, and climbed to where
her husband lay.
Matryona drew the skirts of the coat over her and lay down, but could
not sleep; she could not get the stranger out of her mind.
When she remembered that he had eaten their last piece of bread and that
there was none for tomorrow, and thought of the shirt and trousers she
had given away, she felt grieved; but when she remembered how he had
smiled, her heart was glad.
Long did Matryona lie awake, and she noticed that Simon also was
awake--he drew the coat towards him.
"Simon!"
"Well?"
"You have had the last of the bread, and I have not put any to rise.
I don't know what we shall do tomorrow. Perhaps I can borrow some of
neighbor Martha."
"If we're alive we shall find something to eat."
The woman lay still awhile, and then said, "He seems a good man, but why
does he not tell us who he is?"
"I suppose he has his reasons."
"Simon!"
"Well?"
"We give; but why does nobody give us anything?"
Simon did not know what to say; so he only said, "Let us stop talking,"
and turned over and went to sleep.
V
In the morning Simon awoke. The children were still asleep; his wife
had gone to the neighbor's to borrow some bread. The stranger alone was
sitting on the bench, dressed in the old shirt and trousers, and looking
upwards. His face was brighter than it had been the day before.
Simon said to him, "Well, friend; the belly wants bread, and the naked
body clothes. One has to work for a living What work do you know?"
"I do not know any."
This surprised Simon, but he said, "Men who want to learn can learn
anything."
"Men work, and I will work also."
"What is your name?"
"Michael."
"Well, Michael, if you don't wish to talk about yourself, that is your
own affair; but you'll have to earn a living for yourself. If you will
work as I tell you, I will give you food and shelter."
"May God reward you! I will learn. Show me what to do."
Simon took yarn, put it round his thumb and began to twist it.
"It is easy enough--see!"
Michael watched him, put some yarn round his own thumb in the same way,
caught the knack, and twisted the yarn also.
Then Simon showed him how to wax the thread. This also Michael mastered.
Next Simon showed him how to twist the bristle in, and how to sew, and
this, too, Michael learned at once.
Whatever Simon showed him he understood at once, and after three days he
worked as if he had sewn boots all his life. He worked without stopping,
and ate little. When work was over he sat silently, looking upwards.
He hardly went into the street, spoke only when necessary, and neither
joked nor laughed. They never saw him smile, except that first evening
when Matryona gave them supper.