GOD SEES THE TRUTH BUT WAITS

GOD SEES THE TRUTH BUT WAITS

- Leo Tolstoy 

Leo Tolstoy is a well known Russian author, essayist and philosopher wrote the epic novel War and Peace . "God Sees the Truth, But Waits"  is a short story. It was first published in 1872. The story, about a man sent to prison for a murder he didn't commit, takes the form of a parable of forgiveness.  The concept of the story of a man wrongfully accussed of murder and banished to Siberia also appears in one of Tolstoy's previous works, "War and Peace".

    Ivan Dimifrish Aksionov, is a marchant of Vladimir. He was a handsome and happy. As a young man he had given to drinking. After marriage he gave up drinking.

    One summer morning he decided to go Nizhny Fair. But his wife requested him not to go that day as she had a bad dream about her husband. Aksionov took it carelessly and left for the fair. Which he was going to the fair, on the way he met a known marchant. They both were halted in the same inn (hotel) for the night. They had tea together and then went to bed in side by side rooms.

    Aksionov resumed his journey paying his bill before dawn. He travelled about twenty-five miles. Then he stopped to fed his horses nearby inn. But very soon he was stopped by the District Police  Commissioner. He cross questioned Aksionov. Later the Commissioner charged Aksinov with murdering a marchant and robbing his twenty thousand rubles. Then he was imprisoned nearby town.

    His wife was in despair. She went along with her small children to the prison. His wife sent petition to the Czar. But it was rejected by Czar. After wards his wife asked him how it had happened. Then Aksinov was very upset because his wife also suspected him. He bade good bay to his wife and family. He stopped writing petitions to the Czar. He said to himself, ' it seems that only God can know the truth; it is to him alone we must appeal, and from Him alone expect mercy.'
later he was taken to Siberia with other convicts.

    Aksionov lived in Siberia as convict for Twenty six years. He became very humble and pious. Prison authorities liked his meekness. His fellow-prisoners respected him. The fellow-prisoners called him 'Grand father' and 'The Saint'.   

    One day a fresh gang of convicts came to the prison. In that evening the old prisoners gathered round the new ones and asked them about their crimes. Among them there was a man called Makir, a tall and strong man of sixty from Vladimir.

    Later Aksionov learnt that Makir was the man who killed the merchant. One night Makir was digging the hole then Aksionov saw it. But Makir warned him don't reveal it any one.Later the Governer finds the hole and was asked everyone who dug the hole but nobody revealed it. Finally the Governer asked Aksionov to tell the truth about the underground hole. But, Aksionov did not tell. That night Makir fell at the feet of Aksionov and confessed his crime. He asked Aksionov to forgive him. He confessed his crime of murdering the merchant even before the officials. But it was the time for his release came. Aksionov has already dead. Hence God saw the truth but waited quiet long time in case of Aksionov innocence.

After Twenty Years

AFTER TWENTY YEARS

                                                                                                                                 - O Henry

O Henry is the pen name of American writer William Sydney Porter. Porter’s 400 short stories are known for their wit, word play, characterization and the clever use of twist endings. O Henry stories are famous for their surprise endings, to the point that such an ending is often referred as an “O Henry ending”.

Jimmy Wells and Bob were two best friends. They grew up like brothers. When, Bob and Jimmy were 18 and 20 years respectively. They parted to seek their fortunes. Before their departure they had an agreement. It was to meet exactly after twenty years at the same place and time irrespective of their conditions. Bob went to West to make his fortune. Jimmy was in New York because he thought that it was the only place on the earth.

    But when Bob went to West he turned out to be a notorious criminal. He was a wanted criminal in Chicago. The police was in search of him. On the other hand Jimmy became a policeman in New York.

    After twenty years at the appointed time Bob was waiting at the place where they departed. It was the same time which they wanted to meet. Just then, a policeman came to him. Bob said that he was waiting there to meet his friend, Jimmy Wells. He was very desperate. He said that he would wait for his friend another half an hour. The policeman wished Bob good luck and was about to leave. Then Bob lighted his cigar in that light policeman saw Bob’s face and then he realized him as the notorious criminal, who wanted in Chicago.

    After some time a man in plain clothes came and introduced himself as Jimmy Wells. Bob’s happiness was boundless. Jimmy and Bob exchanged greetings and views about their ancient good times.  They walked a little distance to have had another dinner after twenty years. They reached the drug store which was brilliant with electric lights. There each of them turned to see other’s face too eagerly. Then Bob realized that who was walking arm in arm along with him was not Jimmy. Bob stopped suddenly and released his arm. Bob knew Jimmy by his Roman nose. Then the man in plain clothes revealed that he was policeman and arrested Bob ten minutes ago. He handed over a note to Bob. The note was from his best friend Jimmy Wells- the first policeman.
   

The note was written as Bob had met him earlier was Jimmy himself. But he realized that his old friend was a wanted man in Chicago and could not arrest him who had come to see his after twenty years. So he had sent a plain clothed man to do the duty.