“Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” said he, and again he turned his eyes towards his son.

“Iván! I say, Iván!”

“What, father?”

“What must you do now?”

Iván was weeping.

“I don’t know how we are to live now, father!” he said.

The old man closed his eyes, moved his lips as if to gather strength, and opening his eyes again, said: “You’ll manage. If you obey God’s will, you’ll manage!” He paused, then smiled, and said: “Mind, Iván! Don’t tell who started the fire! Hide another man’s sin, and God will forgive two of yours!” And the old man took the candle in both hands and, folding them on his breast, sighed, stretched out, and died.

Iván did not say anything against Gabriel, and no one knew what had caused the fire.