he 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