Savva and the Life of Man - LightNovelsOnl.com
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YEGOR
The devil take you all! Brought up and fed a lot of--_(Exit)_
LIPA _(handing him milk and dark bread)_
You seem to be happy to-night?
SAVVA
Yes, I am, and you are happy too.
LIPA _(laughing)_
I am.
SAVVA
And I am happy. _(He drinks the milk with avidity; the footsteps in the street grow louder, filing the room with their sound, and then die away again)_ What a treading and a tramping!
LIPA _(looking out of the window)_
The weather will be fine to-morrow. As long as I can remember the sun has always been s.h.i.+ning brightly that way.
SAVVA
Hm, yes. That's good.
LIPA
And when they carry the ikon, it sparkles all over with the precious stones like fire. Only His face remains gloomy. All the gems don't give him any pleasure. He is sad and gloomy like the people's woe.
SAVVA _(coolly)_
Hm, yes. Is that so?
LIPA
Just think how many tears have fallen upon Him, how many sighs and groans He has heard! That alone is enough to make the ikon holy for all who love and sympathize with the people and understand their soul.
Why, they have n.o.body except Christ, all those unfortunate, miserable people. When I was a little girl, I was always waiting for a miracle--
SAVVA
It would be interesting.
LIPA
But now I understand that He Himself is waiting for a miracle from the people. He is waiting for the people to stop fighting, hating, and destroying each other.
SAVVA
Well, what of it?
LIPA _(fixing her gaze upon him)_
Nothing. To-morrow you'll see for yourself when they carry Him in the procession. You'll see what effect the mere consciousness that He is there with them has upon them, how it transforms them, what it does to them. The whole year round they live a dog's life, in filth, quarrelling with each other, suffering. On that day all the ugliness seems to vanish. It is an awful and a joyous day when suddenly you cast away from yourself all that is superfluous and when you feel so clearly your nearness to all the unfortunates that are and ever were, and your nearness to G.o.d.
SAVVA _(abruptly)_
What time is it?
SPERANSKY
The clock has just struck a quarter past eleven, if I am not mistaken.
LIPA
It's still early.
SAVVA
Early for what?
LIPA
Nothing. It's still early, that's all.
SAVVA _(suspiciously)_
What do you mean?
LIPA _(defiantly)_
What I mean.
SAVVA
Why did you say it's still early?
LIPA _(paling)_
Because it's only a little after eleven; but when it's twelve--
SAVVA _(jumping up and going to her quickly; fixing her with his stare, he speaks slowly, p.r.o.nouncing every word separately and distinctly)_ So? Is that it? When it's twelve--_(He turns to Speransky without removing his eyes from Lipa)_ Listen, you go home.
LIPA _(frightened)_
No, stay, Mr. Speransky. Please stay, I beg you.
