police,
while the boy fought and kicked.

"I didn't take it," said he. "What are you whacking me for? Let me go!"

Avdyeeich came up and tried to part them. He seized the lad by the arm
and said: "Let him go, little mother! Forgive him for Christ's sake!"

"I'll forgive him so that he shan't forget the taste of fresh
birch-rods. I mean to take the rascal to the police station." Avdyeeich
began to entreat with the old woman.

"Let him go, little mother; he will not do so any more. Let him go for
Christ's sake."

The old woman let him go. The lad would have bolted, but Avdyeeich held
him fast.

"Beg the little mother's pardon," said he, "and don't do such things any
more. I saw thee take them."

Then the lad began to cry and beg pardon.

"Well, that's all right! And now, there's an apple for thee." And
Avdyeeich took one out of the basket and gave it to the boy. "I'll pay
thee for it, little mother," he said to the old woman.

"Thou wilt ruin them that way, the blackguards," said the old woman. "If
I had the rewarding of him, he should not be able to sit down for a
week."

"Oh, little mother, little mother!" cried Avdyeeich, "that is our way of
looking at things, but it is not God's way. If we ought to be whipped so
for the sake of one apple, what do we deserve for our sins!"

The old woman was silent.

And Avdyeeich told the old woman about the parable of the master who
forgave his servant a very great debt, and how that servant immediately
went out and caught his fellow-servant by the throat because he was his
debtor. The old woman listened to the end, and the lad listened too.

"God bade us forgive," said Avdyeeich, "otherwise He will not forgive
us. We must forgive every one, especially the thoughtless."

The old woman shook her head and sighed.

"That's all very well," she said, "but they are spoiled enough already."

"Then it is for us old people to teach them better," said Avdyeeich.

"So say I," replied the old woman. "I had seven of them at one time, and
now I have but a single daughter left." And the old woman began telling
him where and how she lived with her daughter, and how many
grandchildren she had. "I'm not what I was," she said, "but I work all I
can. I am sorry for my grandchildren, and good children they are, too.
No one is so glad to see me as they are. Little Aksyutka will go to none
but me. 'Grandma dear! darling grandma!'" and the old woman was melted
to tears. "As for him," sh