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Two Old Men

He came to the village, asked for the Desyatnik[1] and bade him if such and such an old man came along that way, to bring him to the same hut. Elisyei did not come to the night-quarters. Efim went on further, and asked everyone if they had noticed a bald-headed pilgrim. No one had seen him. Efim was surprised, and went on alone.

"We shall meet somewhere or other," thought he, "at Odessa, or in the ship," and he thought no more about it.

He went on his road with a pilgrim. This traveller was in a cape with a long cassock beneath it, and long locks; he had been at Athos, and was going to Jerusalem for the second time. They met at their night-quarters, struck up an acquaintance, and went on together.

They got to Odessa all right. They waited for a ship thrice twenty-four hours. Many pilgrims were waiting: they came from various quarters. Again Efim asked about Elisyei, but there was no word of him.

The pilgrim told Efim how he might cross in the ship without paying any money, but Efim Tarasuich would not listen to him.

"I would rather give money," said he, "and I've laid by for it too."

He gave forty tsyelkoviki[2] for his passage there and back, and bought bread and dried herring for the journey. They loaded the vessel, took on board all the pilgrims, and Tarasuich and the pilgrim went on

  1. The chief man in a hamlet of ten families.
  2. £10.

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