In a dazed way he asked: "What father?
Whom does he want ?" The elder's son again repeated his father's message to Ivan.

"Your aged parent is at our house dying, and he wants to see you and bid you good-bye.

Won't you go now, uncle Ivan ?" the boy said.
Finally Ivan understood, and followed the elder's son.
When Ivan's father was carried from the oven, he was slightly injured by a big bunch of burning straw falling on him just as he reached the street.

To insure his safety he was removed to the elder's house, which stood a considerable distance from his late home, and where it was not likely that the fire would reach it.
When Ivan arrived at the elder's home he found only the latter's wife and children, who were all seated on the brick oven.

The old man was lying on a bench holding a lighted candle in his hand (a Russian custom when a person is dying).