By Leo N. Tolstoy
In the town of Vladimir lived a young merchant named IvanDmitrich Aksionov. He had two shops and a house of his own.
Aksionov was a handsome， fair-haired， curly-headed fellow，full of fun， and very fond of singing. When quite a young manhe had been given to drink， and was riotous when he had hadtoo much； but after he married he gave up drinking， exceptnow and then.
One summer Aksionov was going to the Nizhny Fair， and as hebade good-bye to his family， his wife said to him， “Ivan Dmitrich，do not start to-day； I have had a bad dream about you.”
Aksionov laughed， and said， “You are afraid that when I getto the fair I shall go on a spree.”
His wife replied： “I do not know what I am afraid of； all Iknow is that I had a bad dream. I dreamt you returned from thetown， and when you took off your cap I saw that your hair wasquite grey.”
Aksionov laughed. “That’s a lucky sign，” said he. “See if Idon’t sell out all my goods， and bring you some presents fromthe fair.”
So he said good-bye to his family， and drove away.
When he had travelled half-way， he met a merchant whom heknew， and they put up at the same inn for the night. They hadsome tea together， and then went to bed in adjoining rooms.
It was not Aksionov’s habit to sleep late， and， wishing totravel while it was still cool， he aroused his driver beforedawn， and told him to put in the horses.
Then he made his way across to the landlord of the inn （wholived in a cottage at the back）， paid his bill， and continued hisjourney.
When he had gone about twenty-five miles， he stopped forthe horses to be fed. Aksionov rested awhile in the passageof the inn， then he stepped out into the porch， and， ordering asamovar to be heated， got out his guitar and began to play.
Suddenly a troika drove up with tinkling bells and an officialalighted， followed by two soldiers. He came to Aksionov andbegan to question him， asking him who he was and whencehe came. Aksionov answered him fully， and said， “Won’tyou have some tea with me？” But the official went on crossquestioninghim and asking him. “Where did you spend lastnight？ Were you alone， or with a fellow-merchant？ Did yousee the other merchant this morning？ Why did you leave theinn before dawn？”
Aksionov wondered why he was asked all these questions，but he described all that had happened， and then added， “Whydo you cross-question me as if I were a thief or a robber？ Iam travelling on business of my own， and there is no need toquestion me.”
Then the official， calling the soldiers， said， “I am the policeofficerof this district， and I question you because the merchantwith whom you spent last night has been found with his throatcut. We must search your things.”
They entered the house. The soldiers and the police-officerunstrapped Aksionov’s luggage and searched it. Suddenlythe officer drew a knife out of a bag， crying， “Whose knife isthis？”
Aksionov looked， and seeing a blood-stained knife takenfrom his bag， he was frightened.
“How is it there is blood on this knife？”
Aksionov tried to answer， but could hardly utter a word，and only stammered： “I—don’t know—not mine.” Then thepolice-officer said： “This morning the merchant was foundin bed with his throat cut. You are the only person who couldhave done it. The house was locked from inside， and no oneelse was there. Here is this blood-stained knife in your bag andyour face and manner betray you！ Tell me how you killed him，and how much money you stole？”
Aksionov swore he had not done it； that he had not seen themerchant after they had had tea together； that he had no moneyexcept eight thousand rubles of his own， and that the knifewas not his. But his voice was broken， his face pale， and hetrembled with fear as though he went guilty.
The police-officer ordered the soldiers to bind Aksionovand to put him in the cart. As they tied his feet together andflung him into the cart， Aksionov crossed himself and wept.
His money and goods were taken from him， and he was sentto the nearest town and imprisoned there. Enquiries as to hischaracter were made in Vladimir. The merchants and otherinhabitants of that town said that in former days he used todrink and waste his time， but that he was a good man. Then thetrial came on： he was charged with murdering a merchant fromRyazan， and robbing him of twenty thousand rubles.
His wife was in despair， and did not know what to believe.
Her children were all quite small； one was a baby at her breast.
Taking them all with her， she went to the town where herhusband was in jail. At first she was not allowed to see him；but after much begging， she obtained permission from theofficials， and was taken to him. When she saw her husband inprison-dress and in chains， shut up with thieves and criminals，she fell down， and did not come to her senses for a long time.
Then she drew her children to her， and sat down near him.
She told him of things at home， and asked about what hadhappened to him. He told her all， and she asked， “What can wedo now？”
“We must petition the Czar not to let an innocent man perish.”
His wife told him that she had sent a petition to the Czar， butit had not been accepted.
Aksionov did not reply， but only looked downcast.
Then his wife said， “It was not for nothing I dreamt your hairhad turned grey. You remember？ You should not have startedthat day.” And passing her fingers through his hair， she said：
“Vanya dearest， tell your wife the truth； was it not you who didit？”
“So you， too， suspect me！” said Aksionov， and， hiding hisface in his hands， he began to weep. Then a soldier came tosay that the wife and children must go away； and Aksionovsaid good-bye to his family for the last time.
When they were gone， Aksionov recalled what had beensaid， and when he remembered that his wife also had suspectedhim， he said to himself， “It seems that only God can know thetruth； it is to Him alone we must appeal， and from Him aloneexpect mercy.”
And Aksionov wrote no more petitions； gave up all hope，and only prayed to God.