t before he had time to be
surprised he felt a burning pain and the warmth of flowing blood. He
hastily wrapped the stump in the skirt of his cassock, and pressing it
to his hip went back into the room, and standing in front of the woman,
lowered his eyes and asked in a low voice: 'What do you want?'

She looked at his pale face and his quivering left cheek, and suddenly
felt ashamed. She jumped up, seized her fur cloak, and throwing it round
her shoulders, wrapped herself up in it.

'I was in pain... I have caught cold... I... Father Sergius...
I...'

He let his eyes, shining with a quiet light of joy, rest upon her, and
said:

'Dear sister, why did you wish to ruin your immortal soul? Temptations
must come into the world, but woe to him by whom temptation comes. Pray
that God may forgive us!'

She listened and looked at him. Suddenly she heard the sound of
something dripping. She looked down and saw that blood was flowing from
his hand and down his cassock.

'What have you done to your hand?' She remembered the sound she had
heard, and seizing the little lamp ran out into the porch. There on the
floor she saw the bloody finger. She returned with her face paler than
his and was about to speak to him, but he silently passed into the back
cell and fastened the door.

'Forgive me!' she said. 'How can I atone for my sin?'

'Go away.'

'Let me tie up your hand.'

'Go away from here.'

She dressed hurriedly and silently, and when ready sat waiting in her
furs. The sledge-bells were heard outside.

'Father Sergius, forgive me!'

'Go away. God will forgive.'

'Father Sergius! I will change my life. Do not forsake me!'

'Go away.'

'Forgive me--and give me your blessing!'

'In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost!'--she
heard his voice from behind the partition. 'Go!'

She burst into sobs and left the cell. The lawyer came forward to meet
her.

'Well, I see I have lost the bet. It can't be helped. Where will you
sit?'

'It is all the same to me.'

She took a seat in the sledge, and did not utter a word all the way
home.

A year later she entered a convent as a novice, and lived a strict life
under the direction of the hermit Arseny, who wrote letters to her at
long intervals.

IV

Father Sergius lived as a recluse for another seven years.

At first he accepted much of what people brought him--tea, sugar, white
bread, milk, clothing, and fire-wood. But as time wen