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tary confinement； but to share the common cell
with other prisoners。
In the common cell he lived in the company of
twenty men； but felt as if he were quite alone。
He did not notice the presence of the rest； did not
speak to anybody； and was tormented by the old
agony。 He felt it most of all when the men were
sleeping and he alone could not get one moment
of sleep。 Continually he saw HER before his eyes；
heard her voice； and then again the black devils
with their horrible eyes came and tortured him in
the usual way。
He again tried to say his prayers； but； just as
before； it did not help him。 One day when； after
his prayers； she was again before his eyes； he be…
gan to implore her dear soul to forgive him his sin；
and release him。 Towards morning； when he fell
down quite exhausted on his crushed linen bag； he
fell asleep at once； and in his dream she came to
him with her thin； wrinkled； and severed neck。
〃Will you forgive me？〃 he asked。 She looked
at him with her mild eyes and did not answer。
〃Will you forgive me？〃 And so he asked her
three times。 But she did not say a word； and he
awoke。 From that time onwards he suffered less；
and seemed to come to his senses； looked around
him； and began for the first time to talk to the
other men in the cell。
III
STEPAN'S cell was shared among others by the
former yard…porter； Vassily； who had been sen…
tenced to deportation for robbery； and by Chouev；
sentenced also to deportation。 Vassily sang songs
the whole day long with his fine voice； or told his
adventures to the other men in the cell。 Chouev
was working at something all day； mending his
clothes； or reading the Gospel and the Psalter。
Stepan asked him why he was put into prison；
and Chouev answered that he was being perse…
cuted because of his true Christian faith by the
priests； who were all of them hypocrites and hated
those who followed the law of Christ。 Stepan
asked what that true law was； and Chouev made
clear to him that the true law consists in not wor…
shipping gods made with hands； but worshipping
the spirit and the truth。 He told him how he had
learnt the truth from the lame tailor at the time
when they were dividing the land。
〃And what will become of those who have
done evil？〃 asked Stepan。
〃 The Scriptures give an answer to that；〃 said
Chouev； and read aloud to him Matthew xxv。
31：
〃When the Son of Man shall come in His
glory； and all the holy angels with Him； then shall
He sit upon the throne of His glory： and before
Him shall be gathered all nations： and He shall
separate them one from another； as a shepherd
divideth His sheep from the goats： and He shall
set the sheep on His right hand； but the goats on
the left。 Then shall the King say unto them on
His right hand； Come； ye blessed of My Father；
inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
foundation of the world： for I was an hungred；
and ye gave Me meat： I was thirsty； and ye gave
Me drink： I was a stranger； and ye took Me in：
naked； and ye clothed Me： I was sick； and ye
visited Me： I was in prison； and ye came unto Me。
Then shall the righteous answer Him； saying；
Lord； when saw we Thee an hungred； and fed
Thee？ or thirsty； and gave Thee drink？ When
saw we Thee a stranger； and took Thee in？ or
naked； and clothed Thee？ Or when saw we Thee
sick； or in prison； and came unto Thee？ And the
King shall answer and say unto them； Verily I say
unto you； inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of
the least of these My brethren； ye have done it
unto Me。 Then shall He say also unto them on
the left hand； Depart from Me； ye cursed； into
everlasting fire； prepared for the devil and his an…
gels： for I was an hungred； and ye gave Me no
meat： I was thirsty； and ye gave Me no drink： I
was a stranger and ye took Me not in： naked； and
ye clothed Me not； sick； and in prison； and ye
visited Me not。 Then shall they also answer
Him； saying； Lord； when saw we Thee an hun…
gred； or athirst； or a stranger； or naked； or sick；
or in prison； and did not minister unto Thee？
Then shall He answer them； saying； Verily I say
unto you； Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the
least of these； ye did it not to Me。 And these
shall go away into everlasting punishment： but the
righteous into life eternal。〃
Vassily； who was sitting on the floor at Chouev's
side； and was listening to his reading the Gospel；
nodded his handsome head in approval。 〃True；〃
he said in a resolute tone。 〃Go； you cursed vil…
lains； into everlasting punishment； since you did
not give food to the hungry； but swallowed it all
yourself。 Serves them right！ I have read the
holy Nikodim's writings；〃 he added； showing off
his erudition。
〃And will they never be pardoned？〃 asked
Stepan； who had listened silently； with his hairy
head bent low down。
〃Wait a moment； and be silent；〃 said Chouev
to Vassily； who went on talking about the rich
who had not given meat to the stranger； nor vis…
ited him in the prison。
〃Wait； I say！〃 said Chouev； again turning
over the leaves of the Gospel。 Having found
what he was looking for； Chouev smoothed the
page with his large and strong hand； which had
become exceedingly white in prison：
〃And there were also two other malefactors；
led with Him〃it means with Christ〃to be
put to death。 And when they were come to the
place； which is called Calvary； there they crucified
Him； and the malefactors； one on the right hand；
and the other on the left。 Then said Jesus；
'Father； forgive them； for they know not what
they do。' And the people stood beholding。 And
the rulers also with them derided Him； saying；
'He saved others； let Him save Himself if He
be Christ； the chosen of God。' And the soldiers
also mocked Him； coming to Him； and offering
Him vinegar； and saying； 'If Thou be the King of
the Jews save Thyself。' And a superscription
also was written over Him in letters of Greek；
and Latin； and Hebrew； 'This is the King of the
Jews。' And one of the malefactors which were
hanged railed on Him； saying； 'If thou be Christ；
save Thyself and us。' But the other answering
rebuked Him； saying； 'Dost not thou fear God；
seeing thou art in the same condemnation？ And
we indeed justly； for we receive the due reward of
our deeds： but this man hath done nothing amiss。'
And he said unto Jesus； 'Lord； remember me
when Thou comest into Thy kingdom。' And Je…
sus said unto him； 'Verily I say unto thee； to…day
shalt thou be with Me in paradise。'〃
Stepan did not say anything； and was sitting
in thought； as if he were listening。
Now he knew what the true faith was。 Those
only will be saved who have given food and drink
to the poor and visited the prisoners； those who
have not done it； go to hell。 And yet the male…
factor had repented on the cross； and went never…
theless to paradise。 This did not strike him as
being inconsistent。 Quite the contrary。 The one
confirmed the other： the fact that the merciful
will go to Heaven； and the unmerciful to hell；
meant that everybody ought to be merciful； and
the malefactor having been forgiven by Christ
meant that Christ was merciful。 This was all
new to Stepan； and he wonde