Chapter Six:
Robbers
Once a year, in the summer, Alexey went to the town, where salt was traded. This town on the way to Siberia originated near a salt deposit, and therefore it had a commercial development.
Here, Alexey bought that little which — in his common life with the elder Nicholas — was necessary. Also, he sent letters, which the elder ordered, and supplications from other people of the village if there were any to send. For these few days in the town, he stayed with the local sexton or the voivode. He made papers for the various people who had come to him with their problems, and for that he had a stock of ink and paper. Due to this, he also had a little money — for the shared needs of him and the elder: such as the aforementioned salt, so that mushrooms and vegetables could be preserved for the winter.
But this summer, it was not possible to do it.
It was already late autumn, when Alexey, having completed all the economic affairs in the hermitage, went to the town. Everything went well there.
Alexey was returning in a joyous mood. There was a good feeling inside his heart because of the feeling that a small benefit had been given to people by his advice and help, even though it was not much. It was from the deeds and his words to the people with whom he had conversations.
The weather was clear, the first frost took hold of the roads that had been sodden from the rains, and it was easy to walk.
The sun — as if in a farewell caress — stroked by its rays the last golden leaves on the birches…
… In those day, robbery on the roads was not surprising.
People fled to the forests from penal servitude, from conscription, from monasteries based off the cruel foundations of the “new faith” or fanaticism of the “old faith”, from both the brutality of landowners and the new mining factory owners. They found shelter in the taiga distances, but some of them got into gangs and looked for livelihood on the roads of trade.
* * *
Four robbers attacked Alexey.
The robbers were angry because Alexey had nothing that they could steal… A bit of salt and paper — that was all. They began to brutally beat him, taking out their malice to the whole world and for their broken and hopeless life…
Then they threw the body of Alexey, beaten almost to death, in the ravine…
“It would be necessary to kill him! He will report us, an investigation will be done!” — the leader of the bandits said.
“Relax! There are many other places that they have to patrol! And I do not want to take the sin of killing on myself!” — replied a broad-shouldered, grim-looking robber, the tallest and strongest of the attackers.
“Are you righteous? Do you want to stay clean? It will not work!” — the leader spat angrily.
He held out the ax to the broad-shouldered man:
“Do it!”
… Alexey calmly and clearly realized that here it is — the hour of death.
He was not afraid of death. He even somehow was delighted that now it will all end and he, perhaps, will see Jesus, he will know everything that he did not know, but would like to know, he would understand what has not yet been understood…
Speaking to the robbers, he said words of forgiveness for the pain and death that they cause.
Alexey began to say prayers for the forgiveness of these sinners for their ignorance, for what they are doing. Understanding that now his prayer for these erring ones is something small that he can do, added calmness. Words about the enlightenment and salvation of the souls of sinners who have lost the ability to love in the spiritual darkness, flowed from the depths of his being. He turned to Jesus, Who was, probably, the One Who knows how to help them, these unhappy ones…
The robber, standing with the ax in hand, listened in surprise, then dropped the ax:
“I cannot… You kill this blessed one…”
“What? Are you being pulled back to ‘schismatics’? Where was your ‘faith’ when you came to me? Look, maybe his God will save him — for being a monk and ‘pincher’ who does not cross with a double-finger? Or maybe He will not save him? Well? Should we test this? In my hands now — is his life!”
… The leader approached, took the ax, wanted to swing and… suddenly his eyes met a clear, as if radiant and surprisingly calm, look of Alexey.
He was surprised and could not finish him off either…
The three accomplices silently looked on at what was happening.
The leader asked Alexey:
“If you are so brave, will you join our gang? Then I’ll save your life! I need courageous people!”
“No, not for that is life given…”
“Do you know what for?”
“Right now — ‘in the world beyond’ — maybe I’ll find out…”
… The leader spat and swore…, but did not kill him.
Alexey, bleeding, was left to die slowly in the ravine…
He crawled up to the road and went into a coma.
* * *
Unexpectedly, indescribable and blissful peace embraced Alexey. The sensation of the body with its pain disappeared…
Alexey saw in the wavering flame of candles the Face of Jesus on the icon. This Face suddenly began to come to life. Jesus smiled to Alexey and held out His Hands to him! Alexey reached out to Him, but could not touch Him… As if a transparent wall was separating them…
He saw the movements of Jesus’ moving lips: “I’m waiting for you, My son, but not now: you still need to cognize and do a lot!”
… Alexey heard or just understood these words… Jesus was watching — and the soul was filled with the Love of Jesus! Alexey knew that this Love of Jesus is the Most Important!
Then he did not see or feel anything…
* * *
The elder Nicholas left the hermitage for the first time in fifteen years.
He went to that hut in the village, where a lame old man had the only horse in the whole district. He asked him to harness it:
“I’ll go to search for Alexey: trouble was done to him! Harness it, for Christ’s sake!”
… The grim owner of the horse harnessed his skinny mare to the cart without objection. He himself went with the elder.
… They found Alexey. The first snowstorm had already powdered the road with snow.
They found him — still alive. With difficulty they lifted his body and put it into the cart.
“He does not have much longer,” — the lame old man shook his head gloomily… But he took off his quilted jacket and covered Alexey.
They started on the way back.
The elder Nicholas was silent. The head of Alexey rested on his lap. He carefully held his body: the cart shook violently on the frozen potholes.
Alexey’s deathly pale face was surprisingly calm and beautiful… The streaks of coagulated blood from the light-brown strands seemed to adorn the face…
Before the elder Nicholas, the Face of Jesus appeared with His Eyes penetrating into the depths of the soul. The elder Nicholas looked into Jesus’ Eyes and prayed: “May everything be according to Your Will, oh Lord!”
* * *
Alexey survived, but recovered slowly.
The elder Nicholas took care of him, like a small child. He fed Alexey with a spoon.
For a long time the elder stood before the icon, and tears glistened in his bright eyes…
Sometimes he would sit next to him, and they would talk.
Alexey remembered that time as one of rest and happiness, despite the slow recovery of bodily health.
He almost did not feel the body, and the soul rejoiced because he was granted to see Jesus!
He told the elder:
“Maybe it’s just a vision, an illusion of the disease… But as I recall it — the heart is filled with happiness!”
“It’s not my place to judge about this… Here — Jesus saved your life, revealed Himself — and, therefore, there is a good reason for that… He is aware of it, but us sinners are not…
“And that you saw Jesus — save this memory in your heart. And do not talk about it to people in vain…
“Tests, including the infirmities of the flesh, are often given to us for the uplifting and strengthening of the soul!
“And to see your own death so closely — this is a great gift from God!
“It’s good to summarize the results of the past and entrust the future to the Lord!”
Book in PDF
