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The Candle, a short story by Leo Tolstoy.
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The Candle, a short story by Leo Tolstoy.
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Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.
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But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil.
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St Matthew, verses 38-39.
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It was in the time of serfdom, many years before Alexander II's liberation of the 60 million serfs in 1862.
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In those days the people were ruled by different kinds of lords.
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There were not a few who, remembering God, treated their slaves in a humane manner and not as beasts of burden,
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while there were others who were seldom known to perform a kind or generous action.
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But the most barbarous and tyrannical of all were those former serfs who arose from the dirt, and became princes.
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It was this latter class who made life literally a burden to those who were unfortunate enough to come under their rule.
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Many of them had arisen from the ranks of the peasantry to become superintendents of noblemen's estates.
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The peasants were obliged to work for their master a certain number of days each week.
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There was plenty of land and water and the soil was rich and fertile,
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while the meadows and forests were sufficient to supply the needs of both the peasants and their lord.
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There was a certain nobleman who had chosen a superintendent from the peasantry on one of his other estates.
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No sooner had the power to govern, been vested in this newly made official,
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than he began to practice the most outrageous cruelties upon the poor serfs who had been placed under his control.
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Although this man had a wife and two married daughters
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and was making so much money that he could have lived happily without transgressing in any way against either God or man,
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yet he was filled with envy and jealousy and deeply sunk in sin.
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Michael Simeonovich began his persecutions by compelling the peasants to perform
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more days of service on the estate every week than the laws obliged them to work.
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He established a brickyard, in which he forced the men and women to do excessive labour, selling the bricks for his own profit.
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On one occasion, the overworked serfs sent a delegation to Moscow to complain of their treatment to their lord, but they obtained no satisfaction.
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When the poor peasants returned disconsolate from the noblemen, their superintendent determined to have revenge for their boldness in going above him for redress,
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and their life and that of their fellow victims became worse than before.
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It happened
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that among the serfs there were some very treacherous people who would falsely accuse their fellows of wrongdoing
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and sow seeds of discord among the peasantry, whereupon Michael would become greatly enraged,
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while his poor subjects had began to live in fear of their lives.
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When the superintendent passed through the village, the people would run and hide themselves as from a wild beast.
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Seeing thus the terror which he had struck to the hearts of the Mujiks, Michael's treatment of them became still more vindictive,
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so that from overwork and ill usage, the lot of the poor serfs was indeed a hard one.
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There was a time when it was possible for the peasants,
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when driven to despair, to devise means whereby they could rid themselves of an inhuman monster such as Simeonovich,
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and so these unfortunate people began to consider whether something could not be done to relieve them of their intolerable yoke.
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They would hold little meetings in secret places to bewail their misery
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and to confer with one another as to which would be the best way to act.
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Now and then, the boldest of the gathering would rise and address his companions in this strain.
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How much longer can we tolerate such a villain to rule over us?
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Let us make an end of it at once, for it were better for us to perish than to suffer.
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It is surely not a sin to kill such a devil in human form.
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It happened once, before the Easter holidays, that one of these meetings was held in the woods, where Michael had sent the serfs to make a clearance for their master.
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At noon they assembled to eat their dinner and to hold a consultation.
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Why can't we leave now? said one.
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Very soon we shall be reduced to nothing.
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Already we are almost worked to death, there being no rest, night or day, either for us or our poor women.
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If anything should be done in a way not exactly to please him, he will find fault and perhaps flog some of us to death, death, as was the case with poor Simeon,
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whom he killed not long ago.
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Only recently Anissim was tortured in irons till he died.
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We certainly cannot stand this much longer.
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Yes, said another.
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What is the use of waiting?
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Let us act at once.
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Michael will be here this evening, and will be certain to abuse us shamefully.
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Let us then thrust him from his horse and with one blow of an axe give him what he deserves, and thus end our misery.
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We can then dig a big hole and bury him like a dog, and no one will know what became of him.
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Now let us come to an agreement.
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To stand together as one man, and not to betray one another.
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The last speaker was Vasily Minayev, who, if possible, had more cause to complain of Michael's cruelty than any of his fellow serfs.
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The superintendent was in the habit of flogging him severely every week, and he took also Vasili's wife to serve him as cook.
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Accordingly, during the evening that followed this meeting in the woods, Michael arrived on the scene on horseback.
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He began at once to find fault with the manner in which the work had been done, and to complain because some lime trees had been cut down.
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I told you not to cut down any lime trees, shouted the enraged superintendent.
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Who did this thing?
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Tell me at once, or I shall flog every one of you.
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On investigation, a peasant named Cedar was pointed out as the guilty one, and his face was roundly slapped.
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Michael also severely punished Vasili because he had not done sufficient work, after which the master rode safely home.
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In the evening the serfs again assembled, and poor Vasily said, Oh, what kind of people are we anyway?
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We are only sparrows and not men at all.
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We agree to stand by each other, but as soon as the time for action comes, we all run and hide.
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Once a lot of sparrows conspired against a hawk, but no sooner did the bird of prey appear than they sneaked off in the grass.
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Selecting one of the choicest sparrows, the hawk took it away to eat, after which the others came out crying,
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Tweetweet, and found that one was missing.
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Who is killed? they asked.
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Vanka!
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Well, he deserved it.
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You, my friends, are acting in just the same manner.
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When Michael attacked Cedar, you should have stood by your promise.
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Why didn't you arise, and with one stroke put an end to him and to our misery?
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The effect of this speech was to make the peasants more firm in their determination to kill their superintendent.
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The latter had already given orders
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that they should be ready to plough during the Easter holidays and to sow the field with oats,
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whereupon the serfs became stricken with grief and gathered in Vasili's house to hold another indignation meeting.
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If he has really forgotten God, they said, and shall continue to commit such crimes against us, it is truly necessary that we should kill him.
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If not, let us perish, for it can make no difference to us now.
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This despairing programme, however, met with considerable opposition from a peaceably inclined man named Peter Mikheyev.
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Brethren, said he, you are contemplating a grievous sin.
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The taking of human life is a very serious matter.
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Of course, it is easy to end the mortal existence of a man, but what will become of the souls of those who commit the deed?
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If Michael continues to act toward us unjustly, God will surely punish him.
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But my friends, we must have patience.
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This specific utterance only served to intensify the anger of Vasili, said he.
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Peter is forever repeating the same old story, it is a sin to kill anyone.
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Certainly it is sinful to murder, but we should consider the kind of man we are dealing with.
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We all know it is wrong to kill a good man, but even God would take away the life of such a dog as he is.
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It is our duty, if we have any love for mankind, to shoot a dog that is mad.
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It is a sin to let him live.
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If, therefore, we are to suffer at all, let it be in the interests of the people, and they will thank us for it.
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If we remain quiet any longer, a flogging will be our only reward.
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You are talking nonsense, Mikhaef.
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Why don't you think of the sin we shall be committing if we work during the Easter holidays, for you will refuse to work then yourself?
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Well then, replied Peter, if they shall send me to plough I will go, but I shall not be going of my own free will, and God will know whose sin it is,
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and shall punish the offender accordingly.
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yet we must not forget him.
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Brethren, I am not giving you my own views only.
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The law of God is not to return evil for evil.
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Indeed, if you try in this way to stamp out wickedness, it will come upon you all the stronger.
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It is not difficult for you to kill the man, but his blood will surely stain your own soul.
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You may think you have killed a bad man, that you have gotten rid of evil,
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But you will soon find out that the seeds of still greater wickedness have been planted within you.
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If you yield to misfortune, it will surely come to you.
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As Peter was not without sympathizers among the peasants, the poor serfs were consequently divided into two groups,
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the followers of Vasily and those who held the views of Mikhaif.
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On Easter Sunday, no work was done.
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Toward the evening, an elder came to the peasants from the nobleman's court and said,
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Our superintendent, Michael Simeonovich, orders you to go tomorrow to plough the field for the oats.
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Thus the official went through the village and directed the men to prepare for work the next day, some by the river and others by the roadway.
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The poor people were almost overcome with grief, many of them shedding tears, but none dared to disobey the orders of their master.
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On the morning of Easter Monday, while the church bells were calling the inhabitants to religious services, and while everyone else was about to enjoy a holiday,
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the unfortunate serfs started for the field to plough.
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Michael arose rather late and took a walk about the farm.
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The domestic servants were through with their work and had dressed themselves for the day, while Michael's wife and their widowed daughter,
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who was visiting them, as was her custom on holidays, had been to church and returned.
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A steaming samovar awaited them and they began to drink tea with Michael, who, after lighting his pipe, called the elder to him.
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Well, said the superintendent, have you ordered the Mujiks to plough today?
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Yes, sir, I did, was the reply.
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Have they all gone to the field?
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Yes, sir, all of them.
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I directed them myself where to begin.
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That is all very well.
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You gave the orders, but are they ploughing?
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Go at once and see, and you may tell them that I shall be there after dinner.
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I shall expect to find one and a half acres done for every two ploughs, and the work must be well done.
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Otherwise they shall be severely punished, notwithstanding the holiday.
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I hear, sir, and obey.
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The elder started to go, but Michael called him back.
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After hesitating for some time, as if he felt very uneasy, he said, By the way, listen to what those scoundrels say about me.
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Doubtless some of them will curse me, and I want you to report the exact words.
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I know what villains they are.
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They don't find work at all pleasant.
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They would rather lie down all day and do nothing.
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They would like to eat and drink and make merry on holidays, but they forget that if the ploughing is not done it will soon be too late,
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so you go and listen to what is said and tell it to me in detail.
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Go at once.
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I hear, sir, and obey.
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Turning his back and mounting his horse, the elder was soon at the field where the serfs were hard at work.
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It happened that Michael's wife, a very good-hearted woman, overheard the conversation which her husband had just been holding with the elder.
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Approaching him, she said, My good friend,
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Mishinka, diminutive of Michael, I beg of you to consider the importance and solemnity of this holy day.
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Do not sin for Christ's sake.
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Let the poor Mujiks go home.
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Michael laughed, but made no reply to his wife's humane request.
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Finally he said to her, you've not been whipped for a very long time,
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and now you have become bold enough to interfere in affairs that are not your own.
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Mishinka, she persisted, I have had a frightful dream concerning you.
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You had better let the Mujiks go.
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Yes, said he, I perceive that you have gained
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so much flesh of late that you think you would not feel the whip.
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Look out.
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Rudely thrusting his hot pipe against her cheek, Michael chased his wife from the room, after which he ordered his dinner.
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After eating a hearty meal consisting of cabbage soup, roast pig, meat cake, pastry with milk, jelly, sweet cakes and vodka,
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he called his woman cook to him and ordered her to be seated and sing songs, Simeonovich accompanying her on the guitar.
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While the superintendent was thus enjoying himself to the fullest satisfaction in the musical society of his cook,
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the elder returned and making a low bow to his superior, proceeded to give the desired information concerning the serfs.
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Well? asked Michael.
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Did they plough?
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Yes, replied the elder.
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They have accomplished about half the field.
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Is there no fault to be found?
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Not that I could discover.
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The work seems to be well done.
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They are evidently afraid of you.
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How is the soil?
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Very good.
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It appears to be quite soft.
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Well, said Simeonovich after a pause, what did they say about me?
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Cursed me, I suppose.
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As the elder hesitated somewhat, Michael commanded him to speak and tell him the whole truth.
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Tell me all, said he.
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I want to know their exact words.
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If you tell me the truth, I shall reward you.
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But if you conceal anything from me, you will be punished.
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See here, Catherine, pour out a glass of vodka to give him courage.
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After drinking to the health of his superior, the elder said to himself, It is not my fault if they do not praise him.
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I shall tell him the truth.
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Then, turning suddenly to the superintendent, he said, They complain, Michael Simeonovich.
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They complain bitterly.
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But what did they say? demanded Michael.
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Tell me.
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Well, one thing they said was, he does not believe in God.
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Michael laughed.
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Who said that? he asked.
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It seemed to be their unanimous opinion.
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He has been overcome by the evil one, they said.
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Very good, laughed the superintendent, but tell me what each of them said.
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What did Vasily say?
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The elder did not wish to betray his people, but he had a certain grudge against Vasili, and he said, he cursed you more than did any of the others.
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But what did he say?
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It is awful to repeat it, sir.
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Vasili said, he shall die like a dog, having no chance to repent.
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Oh, the villain, exclaimed Michael, he would kill me if he were not afraid.
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All right, Vasily, we shall have an accounting with you, and Tishka.
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He called me a dog, I suppose.
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Well, said the elder, they all spoke of you in anything but complimentary terms, but it is mean in me to repeat what they said.
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Mean or not, you must tell me, I say.
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Some of them declared that your back should be broken.
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Simeonovich appeared to enjoy this immensely, for he laughed outright.
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We shall see whose back will be the first to be broken, said he. Was that Tishka's opinion?
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While I did not suppose they would say anything good about me, I did not expect such curses and threats.
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And Peter Mikhaev.
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Was that fool cursing me too?
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No, he did not curse you at all.
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He appeared to be the only silent one among them.
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Mikhaev is a very wise Mujik and he surprises me very much.
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At his actions all the other peasants seemed amazed.
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What did he do?
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He did something remarkable.
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He was diligently ploughing and as I approached him I heard someone singing very sweetly.
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Looking between the ploughshares I observed a bright object shining.
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Well, what was it?
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Hurry up!
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It was a small five-kopeck wax candle burning brightly, and the wind was unable to blow it out.
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Peter, wearing a new shirt, sang beautiful hymns as he ploughed, and no matter how he handled the implement, the candle continued to burn.
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In my presence, he fixed the plough, shaking it violently, but the bright little object between the colters remained undisturbed.
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And what did Mikhaef say?
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He said nothing, except when, on seeing me, he gave me the holy day salutation, after which he went on his way singing and ploughing as before.
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I did not say anything to him, but on approaching the other Mujiks, I found that they were laughing and making sport of their silent companion.
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It is a great sin to plough on Easter Monday.
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They said, You could not get absolution from your sin if you were to pray all your life.
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And did Mikhaev make no reply?
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He stood long enough to say, There should be peace on earth and goodwill to men.
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After which he resumed his ploughing and singing, the candle burning even more brightly than before.
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Simeonovich had now ceased to ridicule, and putting aside his guitar, his head dropped on his breast and he became lost in thought.
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Presently he ordered the elder and cook to depart, after which Michael went behind a screen and threw himself upon the bed.
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He was sighing and moaning, as if in great distress, when his wife came in and spoke kindly to him.
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He refused to listen to her, exclaiming, He has conquered me and my end is near.
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Mishinka, said the woman, arise and go to the Mujiks in the field.
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Let them go home and everything will be all right.
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Heretofore you have run far greater risks without any fear, but now you appear to be very much alarmed.
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He has conquered me, he repeated.
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I am lost.
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What do you mean? demanded his wife angrily.
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If you will go and do as I tell you, there will be no danger.
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Come, Mishinka, she added tenderly.
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I shall have the saddle horse brought for you at once.
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When the horse arrived, the woman persuaded her husband to mount the animal and to fulfil her request concerning the serfs.
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When he reached the village, a woman opened the gate for him to enter, and as he did so,
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the inhabitants, seeing the brutal superintendent whom everybody feared, ran to hide themselves in their houses,
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gardens and other secluded places.
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At length Michael reached the other gate, which he found closed also, and being unable to open it himself while seated on his horse,
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he called loudly for assistance.
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As no one responded to his shouts, he dismounted and opened the gate, but as he was about to remount and had one foot in the stirrup,
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the horse became frightened at some pigs and sprang suddenly to one side.
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The superintendent fell across the fence and a very sharp picket pierced his stomach when Michael fell unconscious to the ground.
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Toward the evening, when the serfs arrived at the village gate, their horses refused to enter.
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On looking around, the peasants discovered the dead body of their superintendent lying face
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downward in a pool of blood where he had fallen from the fence
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peter mikhayev alone had sufficient courage to dismount and approach the prostrate form
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his companions riding around the village and entering by way of the backyards
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peter closed the dead man's eyes after which he put the body in a wagon and took it home
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When the nobleman learned of the fatal accident which had befallen his superintendent, and of the brutal treatment which he had meted out to those under him,
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he freed the serfs, exacting a small rent for the use of his land and the other agricultural opportunities.
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And thus the peasants clearly understood that the power of God is manifested not in evil, but in goodness.
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この動画がスピーキング練習に最適な理由
レオ・トルストイの短編小説「ろうそく」を語るこの動画は、IELTS スピーキング対策にもぴったりな素材です。なぜか？物語の展開が緩急あり、感情の起伏が口語的に表現されているからです。登場人物の怒りや絶望が自然な語調で伝わり、shadow speak（シャドースピーキング）の練習に最適なリズムがあります。また、歴史的背景や人間関係の描写が豊かで、話す内容の深さを養うのにも役立ちます。
自然な英語の秘密を探る
動画の台詞からいくつかの文を取り上げ、なぜ自然に聞こえるのか見てみましょう。
- 「No sooner had the power to govern, been vested in this newly made official, than he began to practice the most outrageous cruelties...」
「No sooner...than」の構文は、「～するやいなや」という瞬間的な変化を表し、物語の緊張感を高めます。口語でも使われるこの表現は、shadowspeaksの練習でリズムを覚えるのに最適です。 - 「When the superintendent passed through the village, the people would run and hide themselves as from a wild beast.」
「as from a wild beast」のような比喩表現が、簡単な言葉で強い印象を与えます。こうした修飾語を使うことで、話が生き生きとなり、IELTS スピーキングのスコアアップにも繋がります。 - 「It is surely not a sin to kill such a devil in human form.」
「devil in human form」（人間の形をした悪魔）は、感情を込めて発音すると、聞き手の心に響きます。shadow speechでは、このような感情的な言葉の発音を真似ることで、自然な表現力が身につきます。
簡単な練習ルーティン：リピート&レコード
この動画を使ったshadow speakの練習方法を紹介します。
- 動画を1分程度再生し、内容を理解します。
- 1文ずつ止め、そのまま真似て発音します（シャドーイング）。特に語調やポーズに注意してください。
- 自分の発音を録音し、原動画と比較します。リズムやアクセントの違いを見つけて修正します。
- 1日10分、1週間続けると、自然な英語の発音とリズムが身につきます。
この練習は、shadow speakの基本であり、IELTS スピーキング対策だけでなく、日常会話のスキルも向上させます。ぜひ試してみてください！
シャドーイングとは？英語上達に効果的な理由
シャドーイング（Shadowing）は、もともとプロの通訳者養成プログラムで開発された言語学習法で、多言語習得者として知られるDr. Alexander Arguelles によって広く普及されました。方法はシンプルですが非常に効果的：ネイティブスピーカーの英語を聞きながら、1〜2秒の遅延で声に出してすぐに繰り返す——まるで「影（shadow）」のように話者を追いかけます。文法ドリルや受動的なリスニングと異なり、シャドーイングは脳と口の筋肉が同時にリアルタイムで英語を処理・再現することを強制します。研究により、発音精度、抑揚、リズム、連音、リスニング力、そして会話の流暢さが大幅に向上することが確認されています。IELTSスピーキング対策や自然な英語コミュニケーションを目指す方に特におすすめです。