urt you. All you have to do is to put it in the right place,
set it off, and then you can go to the village to your mistresses.

KONDRATY

That's not the point.

SAVVA

What then? Are you afraid of being caught? But I told you, if anything
should happen, I'll take the guilt on myself. Don't you believe me?

KONDRATY

Why, of course I believe you.

SAVVA

What then? Do you fear God?

KONDRATY

Yes, I do.

SAVVA

But you don't believe in God--you believe in the devil.

KONDRATY

Who knows? Maybe some day I'll suddenly discover that He does exist.
In that case, Mr. Savva, I thank you, but I'd rather not. Why should
I? I live a nice, quiet existence. Of course, it's all a humbug,
an imposition. But what business is it of mine? The people want to
believe--let them. It wasn't I who invented God.

SAVVA

Look here. You know I could have done it myself. All I need have done
was to take a bomb and throw it into the procession. That's all.
But that would mean the killing of many people, which at the present
juncture would serve no useful purpose. I therefore ask you to do it.
If you refuse, then the blood will rest on you. You understand?

KONDRATY

Why on me? I am not going to throw the bomb. And then, what have I got
to do with them--I mean the people that get killed? What concern are
they of mine? There are plenty of people in the world. You can't kill
them all, no matter how many bombs you throw.

SAVVA

Aren't you sorry for them?

KONDRATY

If I were to be sorry for everybody, I should have no sympathy left
for myself.

SAVVA

That's right. You are a bright man. You have a good mind. I have
already told you so. And yet you hesitate. You are clever, and yet you
are afraid to smash a piece of wood.

KONDRATY

If it is nothing but a piece of wood, then why go to so much trouble
about it? The point is, it is not a piece of wood, it is an image.

SAVVA

For me it is a piece of wood. For the people it is a sacred object.
That is why I want to destroy it. Imagine how they'll open their
mouths and stare. Ah, brother, if you were not a coward, I would tell
you some things.

KONDRATY

Go ahead and talk. It's no sin to listen. I am not a coward either. I
am simply careful.

SAVVA

This would only be the beginning, brother.

KONDRATY

A good beginning, I won't deny it. And what will be the end?

SAVVA

The earth stripped naked, a _tabula rasa_, do you understand? And on
this naked