Leo Tolstoy

“ I shed tears of pleasure while reading these frank lines, which seemed to me full of deep and touching sentiment. My maid wept when I asked her pardon also. Why were they all so good to me? How had I deserved so much affection? I asked myself. Involuntarily I began to think about Sergius Mikailovitch. ”

“ Behind the choir I caught a glimpse of the embossed fonts near which I had so often held the children of our drorovies, and where I myself had received baptism. The old priest appeared, wearing a chasuble cut from cloth which had been the pall of my father's coffin, and he intoned the service in the same voice which, as far back as I could remember, had chanted the offices of the Church at our house, at Sonia's baptism, at my father's funeral service, at my mother's burial. In the choir I heard the familiar cracked voice of the precentor ”

“ One evening I heard our intendant, in making his report to Macha, say that a peasant, Simon, had come to beg for some wood to make a coffin for his daughter, and for a silver rouble to pay for the mortuary service, and that his request had been complied with.
" Are they so poor?" I enquired.
" Very poor, my lady; they live without salt," [4] replied the intendant. ”

“ It seemed impossible not to live aright, and very simple to love every one and to be loved by every one. Besides, every one was good and gentle to me, even Sonia, whom I continued to teach, and who had become totally different, who really made an effort to understand, and to satisfy me, and give me no annoyance. ”

“ I said, presently, in a steady voice, controlling my emotion; but no doubt this seemed to him mere playful banter, for he answered with the air of a deeply wounded man:
" You are young; I am no longer so. Playing may please you, for me more is necessary. Only, do not play with me, for I assure you it will do me no good, and you might find it weigh on your conscience! That is what A. said," he added, " but all this is nonsense; you understand, now, why I am going; let us say no more about it, I beg you...'"
"Yes, yes, let us speak of it!" said I, and tears made my voice tremble. " ”

“ When the horses were ready, I entered the droschky, accompanied by Macha or a maid-servant, and drove about three versts to church. In entering the church, I never failed to remember that we pray there for all those "who enter this place in the fear of God," and I strove to rise to the level of this thought, above all when my feet first touched the two grass-grown steps of the porch. At this hour there were not usually in trie church more than ten or a dozen persons, peasants and drorovies, preparing to make their devotions ”

“ When I opened my lips, he let go the little branch, and covered his face with his hand. This might be the attitude of a man who was perfectly calm, or that of a man yielding to great agitation.
"Why are you going away?" ”