点击下载App，搜索"TWENTY-THREE TALES",免费读到尾

　　’ButIstilldidnotknowall。IdidnotknowWhatmenliveby。AndIlivedon，waitingtillGodshouldrevealtomethelastlesson。Inthesixthyearcamethegirl-twinswiththewoman；andI

　　recognizedthegirls，andheardhowtheyhadbeenkeptalive。Havingheardthestory，Ithought，“Theirmotherbesoughtmeforthechildren’ssake，andIbelievedherwhenshesaidthatchildrencannotlivewithoutfatherormother；butastrangerhasnursedthem，andhasbroughtthemup。“Andwhenthewomanshowedherloveforthechildrenthatwerenotherown，andweptoverthem，IsawinherthelivingGod，andunderstoodWhatmenliveby。AndIknewthatGodhadrevealedtomethelastlesson，andhadforgivenmysin。AndthenI

　　smiledforthethirdtime。’

　　Andtheangel’sbodywasbared，andhewasclothedinlightsothateyecouldnotlookonhim；andhisvoicegrewlouder，asthoughitcamenotfromhimbutfromheavenabove。Andtheangelsaid:

　　’Ihavelearntthatallmenlivenotbycareforthemselves，butbylove。

　　’Itwasnotgiventothemothertoknowwhatherchildrenneededfortheirlife。Norwasitgiventotherichmantoknowwhathehimselfneeded。Norisitgiventoanymantoknowwhether，wheneveningcomes，hewillneedbootsforhisbodyorslippersforhiscorpse。

　　’IremainedalivewhenIwasaman，notbycareofmyself，butbecauselovewaspresentinapasser-by，andbecauseheandhiswifepitiedandlovedme。Theorphansremainedalive，notbecauseoftheirmother’scare，butbecausetherewasloveintheheartofawomanastrangertothem，whopitiedandlovedthem。Andallmenlivenotbythethoughttheyspendontheirownwelfare，butbecauseloveexistsinman。

　　’IknewbeforethatGodgavelifetomenanddesiresthattheyshouldlive；nowIunderstoodmorethanthat。

　　’IunderstoodthatGoddoesnotwishmentoliveapart，andthereforehedoesnotrevealtothemwhateachoneneedsforhimself；buthewishesthemtoliveunited，andthereforerevealstoeachofthemwhatisnecessaryforall。

　　’Ihavenowunderstoodthatthoughitseemstomenthattheylivebycareforthemselves，intruthitislovealonebywhichtheylive。Hewhohaslove，isinGod，andGodisinhim，forGodislove。’

　　AndtheangelsangpraisetoGod，sothatthehuttrembledathisvoice。

　　Theroofopened，andacolumnoffirerosefromearthtoheaven。Simonandhiswifeandchildrenfelltotheground。Wingsappearedupontheangel’sshoulders，andheroseintotheheavens。

　　AndwhenSimoncametohimselfthehutstoodasbefore，andtherewasnooneinitbuthisownfamily。

　　asparkneglectedburnsthehouseASPARKNEGLECTEDBURNSTHEHOUSE

　　’ThencamePeter，andsaidtohim，Lord，howoftshallmybrothersinagainstme，andIforgivehim？untilseventimes？Jesussaithuntohim，Isaynotuntothee，Untilseventimes；but，Untilseventytimesseven。Thereforeisthekingdomofheavenlikeneduntoacertainking，whichwouldmakeareckoningwithhisservants。

　　Andwhenhehadbeguntoreckon，onewasbroughtuntohim，whichowedhimtenthousandtalents。Butforasmuchashehadnotwherewithtopay，hislordcommandedhimtobesold，andhiswife，andchildren，andallthathehad，andpaymenttobemade。Theservantthereforefelldownandworshippedhim，saying，Lord，havepatiencewithme，andIwillpaytheeall。Andthelordofthatservant，beingmovedwithcompassion，releasedhim，andforgavehimthedebt。Butthatservantwentout，andfoundoneofhisfellow-servants，whichowedhimahundredpence:andhelaidholdonhim，andtookhimbythethroatsaying，Paywhatthouowest。Sohisfellow-servantfelldownandbesoughthim，saying，Havepatiencewithme，andIwillpaythee。Andhewouldnot:butwentandcasthimintoprison，tillheshouldpaythatwhichwasdue。Sowhenhisfellow-servantssawwhatwasdone，theywereexceedingsorry，andcameandtolduntotheirlordallthatwasdone。Thenhislordcalledhimuntohim，andsaithtohim，Thouwickedservant，I

　　forgavetheeallthatdebt，becausethoubesoughtestme:shouldestnotthoualsohavehadmercyonthyfellow-servant，evenasIhadmercyonthee？Andhislordwaswroth，anddeliveredhimtothetormentors，tillheshouldpayallthatwasdue。SoshallalsomyheavenlyFatherdountoyou，ifyeforgivenoteveryonehisbrotherfromyourhearts。’——Matt。xviii。21-35。

　　THEREoncelivedinavillageapeasantnamedIv&aacute；nStcherbak&oacute；f。

　　Hewascomfortablyoff，intheprimeoflife，thebestworkerinthevillage，andhadthreesonsallabletowork。Theeldestwasmarried，thesecondabouttomarry，andthethirdwasabigladwhocouldmindthehorsesandwasalreadybeginningtoplough。

　　Ivan’swifewasanableandthriftywoman，andtheywerefortunateinhavingaquiet，hard-workingdaughter-in-law。TherewasnothingtopreventIv&aacute；nandhisfamilyfromlivinghappily。

　　Theyhadonlyoneidlemouthtofeed；thatwasIv&aacute；n’soldfather，whosufferedfromasthmaandhadbeenlyingillonthetopofthebrickovenforsevenyears。Iv&aacute；nhadallheneeded:threehorsesandacolt，acowwithacalf，andfifteensheep。Thewomenmadealltheclothingforthefamily，besideshelpinginthefields，andthementilledtheland。Theyalwayshadgrainenoughoftheirowntolastoverbeyondthenextharvestandsoldenoughoatstopaythetaxesandmeettheirotherneeds。SoIv&aacute；nandhischildrenmighthavelivedquitecomfortablyhaditnotbeenforafeudbetweenhimandhisnext-doorneighbour，LimpingGabriel，thesonofGord&eacute；yIv&aacute；nof。

　　AslongasoldGord&eacute；ywasaliveandIv&aacute；n’sfatherwasstillabletomanagethehousehold，thepeasantslivedasneighboursshould。Ifthewomenofeitherhousehappenedtowantasieveoratub，orthemenrequiredasack，orifacart-wheelgotbrokenandcouldnotbemendedatonce，theyusedtosendtotheotherhouse，andhelpedeachotherinneighbourlyfashion。

　　Whenacalfstrayedintotheneighbour’sthrashing-groundtheywouldjustdriveitout，andonlysay，’Don’tletitgetinagain；ourgrainislyingthere。’Andsuchthingsaslockingupthebarnsandouthouses，hidingthingsfromoneanother，orbackbitingwereneverthoughtofinthosedays。

　　Thatwasinthefathers’time。Whenthesonscametobeattheheadofthefamilies，everythingchanged。

　　Itallbeganaboutatrifle。

　　Iv&aacute；n’sdaughter-in-lawhadahenthatbeganlayingratherearlyintheseason，andshestartedcollectingitseggsforEaster。

　　Everydayshewenttothecart-shed，andfoundanegginthecart；

　　butonedaythehen，probablyfrightenedbythechildren，flewacrossthefenceintotheneighbour’syardandlaiditseggthere。

　　Thewomanheardthecackling，butsaidtoherself:’Ihavenotimenow；ImusttidyupforSunday。I’llfetchtheegglateron。’

　　Intheeveningshewenttothecart，butfoundnoeggthere。

　　Shewentandaskedhermother-in-lawandbrother-in-lawwhethertheyhadtakentheegg。’No，’theyhadnot；butheryoungestbrother-in-law，Tar&aacute；s，said:’YourBiddylaiditseggintheneighbour’syard。Itwasthereshewascackling，andsheflewbackacrossthefencefromthere。’

　　Thewomanwentandlookedatthehen。Thereshewasontheperchwiththeotherbirds，hereyesjustclosingreadytogotosleep。Thewomanwishedshecouldhaveaskedthehenandgotananswerfromher。

　　Thenshewenttotheneighbour’s，andGabriel’smothercameouttomeether。

　　’Whatdoyouwant，youngwoman？’

　　’Why，Granny，yousee，myhenflewacrossthismorning。Didshenotlayanegghere？’

　　’Weneversawanythingofit。TheLordbethanked，ourownhensstartedlayinglongago。Wecollectourowneggsandhavenoneedofotherpeople’s！Andwedon’tgolookingforeggsinotherpeople’syards，lass！’

　　Theyoungwomanwasoffended，andsaidmorethansheshouldhavedone。

　　Herneighbouransweredbackwithinterest，andthewomenbeganabusingeachother。Ivan’swife，whohadbeentofetchwater，happeningtopassjustthen，joinedintoo。

　　Gabriel’swiferushedout，andbeganreproachingtheyoungwomanwiththingsthathadreallyhappenedandwithotherthingsthatneverhadhappenedatall。Thenageneraluproarcommenced，allshoutingatonce，tryingtogetouttwowordsatatime，andnotchoicewordseither。

　　’You’rethis！’and’You’rethat！’’You’reathief！’and’You’reaslut！’

　　and’You’restarvingyouroldfather-in-lawtodeath！’and’You’reagood-for-nothing！’andsoon。

　　’Andyou’vemadeaholeinthesieveIlentyou，youjade！Andit’souryokeyou’recarryingyourpailson——youjustgivebackouryoke！’

　　Thentheycaughtholdoftheyoke，andspiltthewater，snatchedoffoneanother’sshawls，andbeganfighting。Gabriel，returningfromthefields，stoppedtotakehiswife’spart。OutrushedIv&aacute；nandhissonandjoinedinwiththerest。Iv&aacute；nwasastrongfellow，hescatteredthewholelotofthem，andpulledahandfulofhairoutofGabriel’sbeard。Peoplecametoseewhatwasthematter，andthefighterswereseparatedwithdifficulty。

　　Thatwashowitallbegan。

　　Gabrielwrappedthehairtornfromhisbeardinapaper，andwenttotheDistrictCourttohavethelawofIv&aacute；n。’Ididn’tgrowmybeard，’saidhe，’forpockmarkedIv&aacute；ntopullitout！’Andhiswifewentbraggingtotheneighbours，sayingthey’dhaveIv&aacute；ncondemnedandsenttoSiberia。Andsothefeudgrew。

　　Theoldman，fromwherehelayonthetopoftheoven，triedfromtheveryfirsttopersuadethemtomakepeace，buttheywouldnotlisten。Hetoldthem，’It’sastupidthingyouareafter，children，pickingquarrelsaboutsuchapaltrymatter。Justthink！

　　Thewholethingbeganaboutanegg。Thechildrenmayhavetakenit——well，whatmatter？What’sthevalueofoneegg？Godsendsenoughforall！Andsupposeyourneighbourdidsayanunkindword——putitright；showherhowtosayabetterone！Iftherehasbeenafight——well，suchthingswillhappen；we’reallsinners，butmakeitup，andlettherebeanendofit！Ifyounurseyourangeritwillbeworseforyouyourselves。’

　　Buttheyoungerfolkwouldnotlistentotheoldman。Theythoughthiswordsweremeresenselessdotage。Iv&aacute；nwouldnothumblehimselfbeforehisneighbour。

　　’Ineverpulledhisbeard，’hesaid，’hepulledthehairouthimself。

　　Buthissonhasburstallthefasteningsonmyshirt，andtornit……

　　Lookatit！’