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Aksyonov is the protagonist of the “God Sees the Truth, But Waits.” At the outset of the story he is a youthful and prosperous merchant in the town of Vladimir, Russia, where he lives with his wife and children, enjoys occasional bouts of drinking, and owns two shops and a house. On the way to the commercial Fair at Nizhny, Aksyonov meets his merchant friend for tea at an inn. The next day, Aksyonov learns that his friend has been killed and Aksyonov is wrongly arrested for murdering him when the police find a bloody knife in his bag. This begins a long ordeal that escalates from his being separated from his family to his being flogged and sentenced to hard labor in Siberia. During Aksyonov’s 26th year at the labor camp, he meets and inmate named Makar Semyonov who suspiciously seems to recognize him. When Makar attempts to escape the camp, Aksyonov covers for him by lying to the Governor. This act of kindness that prompts Makar to guiltily confess that it was he who murdered the merchant and framed Aksyonov for the crime by planting the bloody knife. At first, Aksyonov is angry, but he decides to forgive Makar and assures him that God, too, will forgive him. This display of strength spurs a spiritual awakening in Aksyonov, and trusts that God knows the truth and will deliver due justice in the afterlife. Eventually, Makar confesses and Aksyonov is finally pardoned for his crimes, but he dies in the labor camp before he can be released. By the time of his death, he is fully committed to being a “Man of God,” as his fellow prisoners call him, and he has accepted his journey of persecution and suffering as an opportunity to atone for past sins and to achieve salvation by pursuing a life of deep spiritual devotion.
Ivan Dmitriyevich Aksyonov Quotes in God Sees the Truth But Waits
The God Sees the Truth But Waits quotes below are all either spoken by Ivan Dmitriyevich Aksyonov or refer to Ivan Dmitriyevich Aksyonov. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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God Sees the Truth But Waits Quotes
“Don’t worry, I’ll do some good business there, make a nice little profit and then I can bring you back some expensive presents!”
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“This morning the merchant was found in bed with his throat cut. No one else but you could have done it. The hut was locked on the inside and no one else was there. And now we find this bloodstained knife in your bag. I can see you’re guilty from your face. Come on, tell me how you murdered him and how much money you stole.”
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“Obviously, no one except God can know the truth… only from Him should I ask help, from Him alone can I expect mercy.”
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“To pay for my sins I’ve done twenty-six years penal servitude.”
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“It’s obvious the murderer was the one in whose bag the knife was found. If someone planted a knife on you he hasn’t been caught—no man is a thief until he’s caught! And how could anyone have slipped a knife into your bag? He’d have had to be standing right at the head of your bed—and then you’d have heard him.”
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“I could cover up for him, but why should I forgive the man who ruined me? […] Let him pay the price for all my suffering. On the other hand, they’re bound to flog him if I testify against him. And what if my suspicions are wrong? Would it make me feel any easier?”
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“I saw nothing and I know nothing.”
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“Ivan Dmitriyevich, forgive me. For God’s sake forgive me! I’ll confess to the murder and they’ll grant you a pardon. Then you’ll be able to go home.”
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“It’s easy enough for you to go and tell them, but just think what I’ll have to endure! Where shall I go? My wife’s dead, my children will have forgotten me. I’ve nowhere to go…”
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“Ivan Dmitriyevich! Forgive me! […] The flogging they gave me was easier to bear than looking at you now! When I think how you took pity on me and didn’t inform. Oh, forgive me for Christ’s sake! Forgive me—I’m such a rotten bastard!”
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“God will forgive you. […] Perhaps I’m a hundred times worse.”
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Ivan Dmitriyevich Aksyonov Character Timeline in God Sees the Truth But Waits
The timeline below shows where the character Ivan Dmitriyevich Aksyonov appears in God Sees the Truth But Waits. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
God Sees the Truth But Waits
Aksyonov, a well-to-do young merchant from the town of Vladimir, prepares to set off for the...
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Halfway to Nizhny, Aksyonov meets a merchant friend at an inn, where they have tea and spend the night...
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The police inspector orders a search of Aksyonov’s belongings and discovers a bloody knife. The inspector formally accuses Aksyonov of murder, and a...
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Aksyonov’s wife comes to visit him in jail. She collapses upon seeing her husband in prison...
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Aksyonov is flogged and then sent to a Siberian labor camp. He remains here for 26...
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During Aksyonov’s 26th year at the Siberian prison, a new group of convicts arrives. One of them,...
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Other inmates tell Makar about the merchant’s murder and Aksyonov’s wrongful arrest. Makar’s reaction to this information leads Aksyonov to suspect that it was Makar...
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One night, Aksyonov discovers Makar digging an escape tunnel. The next day, the authorities discover the hole, and...
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The following night, Aksyonov finds Makar sitting at the foot of his bunk. Makar, overwhelmed by Aksyonov’s goodness in...
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Aksyonov responds to Makar’s confession with indignation, claiming that even if Makar were to help him...
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Aksyonov tells Makar that God will forgive him. Aksyonov feels a weight off his shoulders and...
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Makar confesses to the authorities that it was he who murdered the merchant, not Aksyonov, and Aksyonov is officially exonerated. However, by the time permission arrives for him to be...
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