Leo Tolstoy (1828 1910)
Tolstoy is the most celebrated of all Russian writers. This extraordinary man, after serving in the army and leading a wild and reckless life, was for half a century the great interpreter of the life of his country, and during the last thirty years a religious and social prophet. He was preeminent as a novelist, though his complete works include a large number of fairy tales and short stories.
The present version, by Louise and Aylmer Maude, is reprinted by permission of the translators and publisher, from Twenty-Three Tales by Leo Tolstoy, published by Humphrey Milford, Oxford University Press in the World` Classics Series. The title in the original runs God Sees the Truth, but Waits.
The Long Exile
In the town of Vladimir lived a young merchant named Ivan Dmit- rich Aksionov. He had two shops and a house of his own.
Aksionov was a handsome, fair-haired, curly-headed fellow, full of fun, and very fond of singing. When quite a young man he had been given to drink, and was riotous when he had had too much; but after lie married he gave up drinking, except now and then.
One summer Aksionov was going to the Nizhny Fair, and as he bade good-bye to his family, his wife said to him, “Ivan Dmitrich, do not Mart to-day; I have had a bad dream about you.”
Aksionov laughed, and said, “You are afraid that when I get to the fair I shall go on a spree.”
His wife replied: “I do not know what I am afraid of; all I know is that I had a bad dream. I dreamt you returned from the town, and when you took off your cap I saw that your hair was quite gray.”
Aksionov laughed. “That` a lucky sign,” said he. “See if I dont sell out all my goods, and bring you some presents from the fair.”
So he said good-bye to his family, and drove away.
When he had traveled half-way, he met a merchant whom he knew, and they put up at the same inn for the night. They had some tea together, and then went to bed in adjoining rooms.
It was not Aksionov` habit to sleep late, and wishing to travel while it was still cool, he aroused his driver before dawn, and told him to put in the horses.
Then he made his way across to the landlord of the inn (who lived in a cottage at the back), paid his bill, and continued his journey.
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