ere was Cain. Even when he died, his sorrow
remained.

SPERANSKY

The dead do not grieve. They are serene. They know the truth.

KING HEROD

But they don't tell it to anybody. What's the good of such truth? Here
am I alive, and yet I know the truth. Here am I with my sorrow. You
see what it is--there is no greater on earth. And yet if God spoke to
me and said, "Yeremey, I will give you the whole earth if you give me
your grief," I wouldn't give it away. I will not give it away, friend.
It is sweeter to me than honey; it is stronger than the strongest
drink. Through it I have learned the truth.

SAVVA

God?

KING HEROD

Christ--that's the one! He alone can understand the sorrow that is
in me. He sees and understands. "Yes, Yeremey, I see how you suffer."
That's all. "I see." And I answer Him: "Yes, O Lord, behold my
sorrow!" That's all. No more is necessary.

SAVVA

What you value in Christ is His suffering for the people, is that it?

KING HEROD

You mean his crucifixion? No, brother, that suffering was a trifle.
They crucified Him--what did that matter? The important point was that
thereby He came to know the truth. As long as He walked the earth, He
was--well--a man, rather a good man--talking here and there about this
and that. When He met someone, He would talk to him about this and
that, teach him, and tell him a few good things to put him on the
right track. But when these same fellows carried Him off to the cross
and went at Him with knouts, whips, and lashes, then His eyes were
opened. "Aha!" He said, "so that's what it is!" And He prayed:
"I cannot endure such suffering. I thought it would be a simple
crucifixion; but, O Father in Heaven, what is this?" And the Father
said to Him: "Never mind, never mind, Son! Know the truth, know what
it is." And from then on, He fell to sorrowing, and has been sorrowing
to this day.

SAVVA

Sorrowing?

KING HEROD

Yes, friend, he is sorrowing. _(Pause. Lightning)_

SPERANSKY

It looks like rain, and I am without rubbers and umbrella.

KING HEROD

And everywhere, wheresoever I go, wheresoever I turn, I see before
me His pure visage. "Do you understand my suffering, O Lord?" "I
understand, Yeremey, I understand everything. Go your way in peace."
I am to Him like a transparent crystal with a tear inside. "You
understand, Lord?" "I understand, Yeremey." "Well, and I understand
you too." So we live together. He with me, I with Him. I am sorry
for Hi