father sergius-第7部分

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night；　and　Father　Sergius　intended　to　avail　himself　of　this

information。　　He　even　put　on　those　clothes　one　night　in　his

desire　to　go；　but　he　could　not　decide　what　was　bestto　remain　or

to　escape。　　At　first　he　was　in　doubt；　but　afterwards　this

indecision　passed。　　He　submitted　to　custom　and　yielded　to　the

devil；　and　only　the　peasant　garb　reminded　him　of　the　thought　and

feeling　he　had　had。



Every　day　more　and　more　people　flocked　to　him　and　less　and　less

time　was　left　him　for　prayer　and　for　renewing　his　spiritual

strength。　　Sometimes　in　lucid　moments　he　thought　he　was　like　a

place　where　there　had　once　been　a　spring。　　'There　used　to　be　a

feeble　spring　of　living　water　which　flowed　quietly　from　me　and

through　me。　　That　was　true　life；　the　time　when　she　tempted　me！'　

（He　always　thought　with　ecstasy　of　that　night　and　of　her　who　was

now　Mother　Agnes。）　　She　had　tasted　of　that　pure　water；　but　since

then　there　had　not　been　time　for　it　to　collect　before　thirsty

people　came　crowding　in　and　pushing　one　another　aside。　　And　they

had　trampled　everything　down　and　nothing　was　left　but　mud。



So　he　thought　in　rare　moments　of　lucidity；　but　his　usual　state　of

mind　was　one　of　weariness　and　a　tender　pity　for　himself　because

of　that　weariness。



It　was　in　spring；　on　the　eve　of　the　mid…Pentecostal　feast。　

Father　Sergius　was　officiating　at　the　Vigil　Service　in　his

hermitage　church；　where　the　congregation　was　as　large　as　the

little　church　could　holdabout　twenty　people。　They　were　all

well…to…do　proprietors　or　merchants。　　Father　Sergius　admitted

anyone；　but　a　selection　was　made　by　the　monk　in　attendance　and　by

an　assistant　who　was　sent　to　the　hermitage　every　day　from　the

monastery。　　A　crowd　of　some　eighty　peoplepilgrims　and　peasants；

and　especially　peasant…womenstood　outside　waiting　for　Father

Sergius　to　come　out　and　bless　them。　　Meanwhile　he　conducted　the

service；　but　at　the　point　at　which　he　went　out　to　the　tomb　of　his

predecessor；　he　staggered　and　would　have　fallen　had　he　not　been

caught　by　a　merchant　standing　behind　him　and　by　the　monk　acting

as　deacon。



'What　is　the　matter；　Father　Sergius？　　Dear　man！　　O　Lord！'

exclaimed　the　women。　　'He　is　as　white　as　a　sheet！'



But　Father　Sergius　recovered　immediately；　and　though　very　pale；

he　waved　the　merchant　and　the　deacon　aside　and　continued　to　chant

the　service。



Father　Seraphim；　the　deacon；　the　acolytes；　and　Sofya　Ivanovna；　a

lady　who　always　lived　near　the　hermitage　and　tended　Father

Sergius；　begged　him　to　bring　the　service　to　an　end。



'No；　there's　nothing　the　matter；'　said　Father　Sergius；　slightly

smiling　from　beneath　his　moustache　and　continuing　the　service。　

'Yes；　that　is　the　way　the　Saints　behave！'　thought　he。



'A　holy　manan　angel　of　God！'　he　heard　just　then　the　voice　of

Sofya　Ivanovna　behind　him；　and　also　of　the　merchant　who　had

supported　him。　　He　did　not　heed　their　entreaties；　but　went　on

with　the　service。　　Again　crowding　together　they　all　made　their

way　by　the　narrow　passages　back　into　the　little　church；　and

there；　though　abbreviating　it　slightly；　Father　Sergius　completed

vespers。



Immediately　after　the　service　Father　Sergius；　having　pronounced

the　benediction　on　those　present；　went　over　to　the　bench　under

the　elm　tree　at　the　entrance　to　the　cave。　　He　wished　to　rest　and

breathe　the　fresh　airhe　felt　in　need　of　it。　　But　as　soon　as　he

left　the　church　the　crowd　of　people　rushed　to　him　soliciting　his

blessing；　his　advice；　and　his　help。　　There　were　pilgrims　who

constantly　tramped　from　one　holy　place　to　another　and　from　one

starets　to　another；　and　were　always　entranced　by　every　shrine　and

every　starets。　　Father　Sergius　knew　this　common；　cold；

conventional；　and　most　irreligious　type。　　There　were　pilgrims；

for　the　most　part　discharged　soldiers；　unaccustomed　to　a　settled

life；　poverty…stricken；　and　many　of　them　drunken　old　men；　who

tramped　from　monastery　to　monastery　merely　to　be　fed。　　And　there

were　rough　peasants　and　peasant…women　who　had　come　with　their

selfish　requirements；　seeking　cures　or　to　have　doubts　about　quite

practical　affairs　solved　for　them：　about　marrying　off　a　daughter；

or　hiring　a　shop；　or　buying　a　bit　of　land；　or　how　to　atone　for

having　overlaid　a　child　or　having　an　illegitimate　one。



All　this　was　an　old　story　and　not　in　the　least　interesting　to

him。　　He　knew　he　would　hear　nothing　new　from　these　folk；　that

they　would　arouse　no　religious　emotion　in　him；　but　he　liked　to

see　the　crowd　to　which　his　blessing　and　advice　was　necessary　and

precious；　so　while　that　crowd　oppressed　him　it　also　pleased　him。　

Father　Seraphim　began　to　drive　them　away；　saying　that　Father

Sergius　was　tired。



But　Father　Sergius；　remembering　the　words　of　the　Gospel：　'Forbid

them'　（children）　'not　to　come　unto　me；'　and　feeling　tenderly

towards　himself　at　this　recollection；　said　they　should　be　allowed

to　approach。



He　rose；　went　to　the　railing　beyond　which　the　crowd　had　gathered；

and　began　blessing　them　and　answering　their　questions；　but　in　a

voice　so　weak　that　he　was　touched　with　pity　for　himself。　　Yet

despite　his　wish　to　receive　them　all　he　could　not　do　it。　　Things

again　grew　dark　before　his　eyes；　and　he　staggered　and　grasped　the

railings。　　He　felt　a　rush　of　blood　to　his　head　and　first　went

pale　and　then　suddenly　flushed。



'I　must　leave　the　rest　till　to…morrow。　　I　cannot　do　more　to…day；'

and；　pronouncing　a　general　benediction；　he　returned　to　the　bench。　

The　merchant　again　supported　him；　and　leading　him　by　the　arm

helped　him　to　be　seated。



'Father！'　came　voices　from　the　crowd。　　'Dear　Father！　Do　not

forsake　us。　　Without　you　we　are　lost！'



The　merchant；　having　seated　Father　Sergius　on　the　bench　under　the

elm；　took　on　himself　police　duties　and　drove　the　people　off　very

resolutely。　　It　is　true　that　he　spoke　in　a　low　voice　so　that

Father　Sergius　might　not　hear　him；　but　his　words　were　incisive

and　angry。



'Be　off；　be　off！　　He　has　blessed　you；　and　what　more　do　you　want？　

Get　along　with　you；　or　I'll　wring　your　necks！　Move　on　there！　　Get

along；　you　old　woman　with　your　dirty　leg…bands！　　Go；　go！　　Where

are　you　shoving　to？　　You've　been　told　that　it　is　finished。　

To…morrow　will　be　as　God　wills；　but　for　to…day　he　has　finished！'



'Father！　　Only　let　my　eyes　have　a　glimpse　of　his　dear　face！'　said

an　old　woman。



'I'll　glimpse　you！　　Where　are　you　shoving　to？'



Father　Sergius　noticed　that　the　merchant　seemed　to　be　acting

roughly；　and　in　a　feeble　voice　told　the　attendant　that　the　people

should　not　be　driven　away。　　He　knew　that　they　would　be　driven

away　all　the　same；　and　he　much　desired　to　be　left　alone　and　to

rest；　but　he　sent　the　attendant　with　that　message　to　produce　an

impression。



'All　right；　all　right！　　I　am　not　driving　them　away。　　I　am　only

remonstrating　with　them；'　replied　the　merchant。　　'You　know　they

wouldn't　hesitate　to　drive　a　man　to　death。　　They　have　no　pity；

they　only　consider　themselves。　。　。　。　　You've　been　told　you　cannot

see　him。　　Go　away！　　To…morrow！'　　And　he　got　rid　of　them　all。



He　took　all　these　pains　because　he　liked　order　and　liked　to

domineer　and　drive　the　people　away；　but　chiefly　because　he　wanted

to　have　Father　Sergius　to　himself。　　He　was　a　widower　with　an　only

daughter　who　was　an　invalid　and　unmarried；　and　whom　he　had

brought　fourteen　hundred　versts　to　Father　Sergius　to　be　healed。　

For　two　years　past　he　had　been　taking　her　to　different　places　to

be　cured：　first　to　the　university　clinic　in　the　chief　town　of　the

province；　but　that　did　no　good；　then　to　a　peasant　in　the　province

of　Samara；　where　she　got　a　little　better；　then　to　a　doctor　in

Moscow　to　whom　he　paid　much　money；　but　this　did　no　good　at　all。　

Now　he　had　been　told　that　Father　Sergius　wrought　cures；　and　had

brought　her　to　him。　　So　when　all　the　people　had　been　driven　away

he　approached　Father　Sergius；　and　suddenly　falling　on　his　knees

loudly　exclaimed：



'Holy　Father！　　Bless　my　afflicted　offspring　that　she　may　be

healed　of　her　malady。　　I　venture　to　prostrate　myself　at　your　holy

feet。'



And　he　placed　one　hand　on　the　other；　cup…wise。　　He　said　and　did

all　this　as　if　he　were　doing　something　clearly　and　firmly

appointed　by　law　and　usageas　if　one　must　and　should　ask　for　a

daughter　to　be　cured　in　just　this　way　and　no　other。　　He　did　it

with　such　conviction　that　it　seemed　even　to　Father　Sergius　that

it　should　be　said　and　done　in　just　that　way；　but　nevertheless　he

bade　him　rise　and　tell　him　what　the　trouble　was。　　The　merchant

said　that　his　daughter；　a　girl　of　twenty…two；　had　fallen　ill　two

years　ago；　after　her　mother's　sudden　death。　　She　had　moaned　（as

he　expressed　it）　and　since　then　had　not　been　herself。　　And　now　he

had　brought　her　fourteen　hundred　versts　and　she　was　waiting　in

the　hostelry　till　Father　Sergius　should　give　orders　to　bring　her。　

She　did　not　go　out　during　the　day；　being　afraid　of　the　light；　and

could　only　come　after　sunset。



'Is　she　very　weak？'　asked　Father　Sergius。



'No；　she　has　no　particular　weakness。　　She　is　quite　plump；　and　is

only　〃nerastenic〃　the　doctors　say。　　If　you　will　only　let　me　bring

her　this　evening；　Father　Sergius；　I'll　fly　like　a　spirit　to　fetch

her。　　Holy　Father！　　Revive　a　parent's　heart；　restore　his　line；

save　his　afflicted　daughter　by　your　prayers！'　　And　the　merchant

again　threw　himself　on　his　knees　and　bending　sideways；　with　his

head　resting　on　his　clenched　fists；　remained　stock　still。　　Father

Sergius　again　told　him　to　get　up；　and　thinking　how　heavy　his

activities　were　and　how　he　went　through　with　them　patiently

notwithstanding；　he　sighed　heavily　and　after　a　few　seconds　of

silence；　said：



'Well；　bring　her　this　evening。　　I　will　pray　for　her；　but　now　I　am

tired　。　。　。'　and　he　closed　his　eyes。　　'I　will　send　for　you。'



The　merchant　went　away；　stepping　on　tiptoe；　which　only　made　his

boots　creak　the　louder；　and　Father　Sergius　remained　alone。



His　whole　life　was　filled　by　Church　services　and　by　people　who