Savva and the Life of Man Part 46

LIPA

Will they carry Him out soon? I must go. _(Rises)_

SPERANSKY

They say it'll be soon now. One wagon with cripples in it was upset--cripples without hands or feet. They are lying on the ground crying. It's all so strange.

FRIAR

What? Did you see it yourself?

_[Kondraty appears on the road coming from the monastery. He is walking in the company of two pilgrims, who are listening attentively to him. Catching sight of Savva, Kondraty says something to his companions, who remain standing where they are while he goes up to Savva._

SAVVA

Aha!

KONDRATY _(clean, spruce, beaming)_

Good morning, Miss Olympiada. Good morning to you too, Mr. Savva Tropinin.

SAVVA

Good morning, good morning. You have come after all? You were not afraid?

KONDRATY _(calmly)_

Why should I be afraid? You won't kill me, I suppose, and if you should, it would be sweet to die at your hands.

SAVVA

What bravery! And how clean you are! You are positively painful to look at. You didn't make quite so smart an appearance when you lay wallowing in the puddle. You were a little the worse for the mud, and so on.

KONDRATY _(shrugging his shoulders and speaking with dignity)_ It's no use recalling that incident now. It's quite out of place. Mr.

Tropinin, it's time for you to have done with your spite and malice, high time.

SAVVA

Well?

KONDRATY

That's all. There is no "well" about it. You have had your shot. Be satisfied.

SAVVA

Are congratulations upon the miracle in order?

KONDRATY

Yes, Mr. Tropinin, upon the miracle--the miracle, indeed. _(He weeps with a bland air, wiping his face with his handkerchief)_ G.o.d granted that I should live to see the day.

SAVVA _(rising and advancing a step toward the monk; peremptorily)_ Enough now! Stop your hocus-pocus. You have played your trick. Now stop, or I'll knock all that jugglery out of you. Do you hear?

FRIAR

Mr. Savva, good Mr. Savva, please don't.

KONDRATY _(drawing back a little)_

Not so loud, not so loud. We are not in the forest where you can kill rich merchants and get away with it. There are people here.

SAVVA _(lowering his voice)_

Well, tell me all about it. Come on.

KONDRATY

What's the use of going away? I can tell you everything right here. I have no secrets. It's you who have secrets. I am all here.

SAVVA

You'll lie if you tell it here.

KONDRATY _(heatedly, with tears)_

Shame, Mr. Tropinin! Shame! Shame! Why do you insult me? Is it because you saw me lying in the puddle? It's a sin, a shame!

SAVVA _(perplexed)_

What's the matter with you?

KONDRATY

Do you think I am going to lie on a day like this? Miss Olympiada, you at least ought to know--Good G.o.d! Good G.o.d! Why, Christ has just arisen! Do you understand?

_[The crowd increases. Some cast glances at the group with the two monks before they pa.s.s on._

LIPA _(excitedly)_

Father Kondraty--

KONDRATY _(beating his breast)_

Do you understand? I have lived all my life like a scoundrel, so why, why did G.o.d do this with me? Do you understand, Miss Olympiada? Do you understand? Eh?

SAVVA _(perplexed)_