点击下载App，搜索"TWENTY-THREE TALES",免费读到尾

　　Ef&iacute；mhadbeenawayjustayear，anditwasspringagainwhenhereachedhomeoneevening。Hissonwasnotathome，buthadgonetothepublic-houseandwhenhecameback，hehadhadadroptoomuch。Ef&iacute；mbeganquestioninghim。Everythingshowedthattheyoungfellowhadbeenunsteadyduringhisfather’sabsence。

　　Themoneyhadallbeenwronglyspent，andtheworkhadbeenneglected。Thefatherbegantoupbraidtheson；andthesonansweredrudely。

　　’Whydidn’tyoustayandlookafterityourself？’hesaid。’Yougooff，takingthemoneywithyouandnowyoudemanditofme！’

　　Theoldmangrewangry，andstruckhisson。

　　InthemorningEf&iacute；mwenttothevillageEldertocomplainofhisson’sconduct。AshewaspassingElisha’shouse，hisfriend’swifegreetedhimfromtheporch。

　　’Howdoyoudo，neighbour，’shesaid。’Howdoyoudo，dearfriend？DidyougettoJerusalemsafely？’

　　Ef&iacute；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。’

　　Ef&iacute；mpassedthroughthepassageintotheyardandtotheapiary，toseeElisha。TherewasElishainhisgreycoat，withoutanyface-netorgloves，standing，underthebirchtrees，lookingupwards，hisarmsstretchedoutandhisbaldheadshining，asEf&iacute；mhadseenhimattheHolySepulchreinJerusalem:andabovehimthesunlightshonethroughthebirchesastheflamesoffirehaddoneintheholyplace，andthegoldenbeesflewroundhisheadlikeahalo，anddidnotstinghim。

　　Ef&iacute；mstopped。Theoldwomancalledtoherhusband。

　　’Here’syourfriendcome，’shecried。

　　Elishalookedroundwithapleasedface，andcametowardsEf&iacute；m，gentlypickingbeesoutofhisownbeard。

　　’Goodday，neighbour，good-day，dearfriend。Didyougettheresafely？’

　　’Myfeetwalkedthere，andIhavebroughtyousomewaterfromtheriverJordan。Youmustcometomyhouseforit。ButwhethertheLordacceptedmyefforts……’

　　’WelltheLordbethanked！MayChristblessyou！’saidElisha。

　　Ef&iacute；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。

　　Ef&iacute；msighed，anddidnotspeaktoElishaofthepeopleinthehut，norofhowhehadseenhiminJerusalem。Buthenowunderstoodthatthebestwaytokeepone’svowstoGodandtodoHiswill，isforeachmanwhilehelivestoshowloveanddogoodtoothers。

　　whereloveis，godisWHERELOVEIS，GODIS

　　INacertaintowntherelivedacobbler，MartinAvd&eacute；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:’ItwouldbehardformylittleKapit&oacute；ntohavetogrowupinastrangefamily；

　　I

　　willkeephimwithme。’

　　Martinlefthismasterandwentintolodgingswithhislittleson。Buthehadnoluckwithhischildren。Nosoonerhadtheboyreachedanagewhenhecouldhelphisfatherandbeasupportaswellasajoytohim，thanhefellilland，afterbeinglaidupforaweekwithaburningfever，died。Martinburiedhisson，andgavewaytodespairsogreatandoverwhelmingthathemurmuredagainstGod。Inhissorrowheprayedagainandagainthathetoomightdie，reproachingGodforhavingtakenthesonheloved，hisonlysonwhilehe，oldashewas，remainedalive。AfterthatMartinleftoffgoingtochurch。

　　OnedayanoldmanfromMartin’snativevillagewhohadbeenapilgrimforthelasteightyears，calledinonhiswayfromTr&oacute；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，moaningashethoughtofhislittleKapit&oacute；n；butnowheonlyrepeatedagainandagain:’GlorytoThee，glorytoThee，OLord！Thywillbedone！’

　　FromthattimeMartin’swholelifechanged。Formerly，onholidaysheusedtogoandhaveteaatthepublichouse，anddidnotevenrefuseaglassortwoofv&oacute；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: