Ye-es, hm. "Go," he said, "and put down the machine as you were told to do, and set it going according to the directions. Carry out the devil's plot in full. I and the other brothers will sing a hymn quietly as we carry the ikon away. Yes, that's what we'll do. We'll carry the ikon away. And thus the devil will be made a fool of."
SAVVA
Ah!
LIPA (astonished)
But, Father Kondraty, how can that be?
[Savva laughs heartily.
KONDRATY
Patience, patience, Miss Olympiada. "And when," said the Father Superior, "the devil's plot shall have been carried out, then we'll put the ikon—the dear, precious ikon—back in His place." Well, I won't attempt to describe the scene that took place when we carried the ikon away. It's beyond my power. The brothers sobbed and wept. Not one of them was able to sing. The little candles burned with tiny little flames. And then when we carried Him out to the gate, and when we began to think and remembered—who is now in His sacred place—we lay around the ikon, our faces on the ground, and cried and wept bitter, bitter tears, tears of pity and contrition. "O Thou, our own, our precious idol, have mercy on us, return to Thy place." (Lipa cries; the Friar wipes his eyes with his fist) And then—bang! went the machine, and the sulphurous smoke spread all around so that it was impossible to breathe. (In a whisper) And then many beheld the devil in the smoke, and they were so terrified that they lost consciousness. It was horrible! And then, as we carried Him back, all of one accord, as though we had agreed beforehand, began to sing "Christ is arisen." That's how it happened.
SAVVA
You hear, Lipa? But what's the matter with you? Why are you all crying?
FRIAR
It makes one feel so sorry, Mr. Savva.
SAVVA
Why, they fooled you, they played a trick on you. Or else you are all lying, lying with your tears.
[Kondraty makes a gesture of indifference.
LIPA (shaking her head, weeping)
No, Savva, you don't understand. Oh, Lord! Oh, Lord!
KONDRATY
You have no God, that's the reason you don't understand; You have only
reason, and pride, and malice. That's why you don't understand.
Ah, Mr. Savva, you wanted to ruin me too. And I tell you as a
Christian—it would have been better if you had never been born.
SAVVA
Oh, fiddlesticks! Whom do you think you can hoodwink? Do you think I have turned blind?
KONDRATY (turning away with a wave of his hand)
You can shout as much as you like.
FRIAR
Mr. Savva, you mustn't shout, you mustn't. We have already attracted the attention of the crowd. They are looking at us.
SAVVA (laying his hand on Kondraty's shoulder and speaking in a low voice) Look here, I understand. Of course, in the presence of people—but you understand, don't you, Kondraty? You are a clever man, a very bright man. You understand that all this is nonsense. Just consider, brother, consider a moment. Didn't they carry the ikon away? Then where is the miracle?
KONDRATY (twisting himself free from Savva's grasp, shaking his head and speaking aloud) Then you don't understand? No, you don't understand. What of it?
SAVVA (in a whisper)
Listen, remember our talk.
KONDRATY (aloud)
Don't whisper to me. I have nothing to hide from anybody. How do you think miracles happen anyhow? Say, you are a smart man too, and yet you can't comprehend a simple matter like this. Why, it's all your work, all your doing, isn't it? You gave me the machine. You planned the explosion. Your orders have been carried out. And yet the ikon is untouched; it's whole. That's all I have to say. It's the plain, simple statement of fact. Yet you come here with your arguments and try to get away from those facts by mere reasoning.
LIPA (looking around in a paroxysm of excitement)
How simple it is! And how terrible! O Lord, O Lord! And to think that it was I who did it, I, with my own hands! O my God! (She falls on her knees, turning her eyes toward heaven)
SAVVA (looking at her savagely, then at Kondraty)
Well!
KONDRATY (drawing back in fright)
Why are you staying here? Why haven't you left already?
SAVVA (shouting)
What a —— fool you are!
KONDRATY (paling)
Lower, lower, I say. Don't talk like that, or I'll shout.
SAVVA (turning quickly toward Speransky)
What are you staring at with your mouth wide open? You are a philosopher. You, you are a philosopher. Can you understand the stupidity of these people? They think it's a miracle. (Laughs) They think it's a miracle.
SPERANSKY (stepping back)
Excuse me, Mr. Tropinin, but from their point of view—I don't know.
SAVVA
You don't know?
SPERANSKY
Who does know? (Cries out, in despair) The dead alone, Mr. Savva, the dead alone.
KONDRATY
Ah! You are cornered—Antichrist!
LIPA (in terror)
Antichrist?
[Hearing the cry, the two pilgrims who were with Kondraty approach. They are gradually joined by others, among whom is the Man in Peasant Overcoat.
FIRST PILGRIM
What is it, father? Has he revealed himself?
KONDRATY
Look at him, look at him!
SAVVA
Vassya, you dear, fine boy—Vassya, what is the matter with them? Hear what they are saying. Hear the nonsense they are talking. You good, nice boy!
FRIAR (drawing back)
Mr. Savva, don't, don't. Go away from
