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The Elegant Table


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The Elegant Table


 


I was walking on the road to Izgrev. The snow crunched under the soles of my shoes but I felt no cold. Happily I was carrying on my shoulders a small table; and in my hands, its two glass plates. It was late in the evening and the road was lonely. Only the moon looked down on me through the high tops of the pine trees and seemed to participate in my happiness.


 


I was carrying a table for the Masterr-a modern elegant table on wheels. I thought it would be more comfortable for him to have his meals on it. Under his own table were always paper-bags full of fruit and I had noticed that he didn't sit very comfortably at it. And having enough money to order a writing desk for myself, I ordered the small table for him - elegant and well polished.


 


When I reached Izgrev, I hid myself in the hazel-bushes just opposite the Hall, afraid that someone might see me. There was a light up in the Master's room. The steps leading to it were lighted too. I gathered up all my courage, ran across the yard and up the stairs, and knoked at his door. He opened it a bit and looked out.


 


"Master, excuse me for troubling you at such a late hour but I am bringing you a small table."


 


Smiling he opened the door wide and invited me into the lobby. There I placed the glass plates on the table and demonstrated that it was on wheels and could very easily be moved around. I was very happy, thinking that The Master would be pleased, and 1 explained to him that it would be more comfortable to have his meals on it instead of on the old one.


 


The Master calmly accepted my happiness and tenderly told me:


 


"Thank you very much for your gift. This table is really very nice and it would be very good to serve the guests on it. And for ill person it is very comfortable too."


 


1 don't remember the other details but the Master and I took the table down to the reception room. We put it behind a screen.


 


"Here it will stay, in the place of honour for the guests," he said.


 


I was very unpleasantly surprised and thought that if I had known that he would not himself have his meals on it, I would have retained it for myself. But I said nothing and we went out of the reception room.


 


Once, more I excused myself for coming so late but explained that I didn't want anybody to see me. I kissed his hand and went off.


 


Once, on a visit to the Master, he treated me with some fruit on that same table. I heard some people say that the Master was serving them fruit on a very nice and elegant table.


 


Years passed. The Master passed beyond. The council of the Brotherhood chose brother M.I. to take care of the Master's possessions. He was an unusually careful and honest man. I was a friend of the family and he invited me sometimes to help him in dusting and ventilating the rooms.


 


Once, while we were dusting the reception room and I myself was dusting the elegant table, the thought again crossed my mind that if I had known that the Master would not like my table and would not eat on it, I would have retained it for myself.


 


Several minutes later brother M.I. said:


 


"Take this table and have your meals on it."


 


I felt very embarrassed and explained that I myself had given the table to the master.


 


"Never mind, take your table!" insisted brother M.I.. This was very unusual, for he never permitted anybody even to touch the belongings of the Master.


 


"Take it! To-night I will bring it home and you will take it from there," he continued to insist, and I felt as if the Master himself were talking to me through his lips.


 


Without further explanation, Brother M.I. took the small elegant table to his home and one evening I took it home.


 


That same table is still in my room and on it is the picture of the Master, reminding me of the possibilities of a Master's thought.


 


I understood that today, when he is not anymore with us on earth, our Master can hear us and communicate his thoughts to us.


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