And behold, one night the ikon had been robbed, the glass of the case was broken, the grating was smashed and several stones and pearls (I don't know whether they were very precious ones) had been removed from the crown and the setting.

But what was worse, besides the theft a senseless, scoffing sacrilege had been perpetrated.

Behind the broken glass of the ikon they found in the morning, so it was said, a live mouse.

Now, four months since, it has been established beyond doubt that the crime was committed by the convict Fedka, but for some reason it is added that Lyamshin took part in it.

At the time no one spoke of Lyamshin or had any suspicion of him.