[Pelagueya laughs.
SAVVA
Say, Pelagueya, has Kondraty inquired for me?
PELAGUEYA
Kondraty! What Kondraty?
SAVVA
Kondraty, the friar; he looks something like a sparrow.
PELAGUEYA
I didn't see any Kondraty. Like a sparrow! That's a funny way of putting it.
SAVVA
Tell Tony to come here, won't you?
PELAGUEYA
Tell him yourself.
SAVVA
Well, well!
PELAGUEYA (calls through the door before she goes out into the tavern) Anthony, Savva wants you.
LIPA
What do you want him for?
SAVVA
What a queer habit you have here of plying a person with questions all the time. Where, who, why, what for?
LIPA (slightly offended)
You needn't answer if you don't want to.
TONY (enters, speaking slowly and with difficulty)
Who wants me?
SAVVA
I am expecting Kondraty here—you know Kondraty, don't you? Send him in when he comes.
TONY
Who are you?
SAVVA
And send in two bottles of whiskey too, do you hear?
TONY
Maybe I do and maybe I don't. Maybe I'll send the whiskey and maybe I won't.
SAVVA
What a sceptic. You've grown silly, Tony.
LIPA
Leave him alone, Savva. He has got that from the seminary student, from Speransky. Anyhow, he is full of—
TONY (sitting down)
I didn't get it from anybody. I can understand everything myself. The blood has congealed in my heart.
SAVVA
That's from drink, Tony. Stop drinking.
TONY
The blood has congealed in my heart. You think I don't know what's what. A while ago you weren't here with us, and all of a sudden you came. Yes, I understand everything. I have visions.
SAVVA
What do you see? God?
TONY
There is no God.
SAVVA
How's that?
TONY
And no devil either. There's nothing, no people, no animals, nothing.
SAVVA
What is there then?
TONY
There are only faces, a whole lot of faces. It's faces, faces, faces. They are very funny, and I keep laughing all the time. I just sit still, and the faces come jumping and gliding past me, jumping and gliding. You've got a very funny face too, Savva. (Sadly) It's enough to make one die of laughter.
SAVVA (laughing gayly)
What kind of a face have I?
TONY
That's the kind of face you have. (Pointing his finger at him) She also has a face, and she. And father too. And then there are other faces. There are a lot of faces. I sit in the tavern and see everything. Nothing escapes me. You can't fool me. Some faces are small and some are large, and all of them glide and glide—Some are far away, and some are as close to me as if they wanted to kiss me or bite my nose. They have teeth.
SAVVA
All right, Tony, now you can go. We'll talk about the faces later.
Your own face is funny enough.
TONY
Yes, of course. I, too, have a face.
SAVVA
All right, all right. Go now. Don't forget to send in the whiskey.
TONY
As in the daytime so at night. A lot of faces. (From the door) And in regards to whiskey, maybe I'll send it and maybe I won't. I can't tell yet.
SAVVA (to Lipa)
Has he been that way a long time?
LIPA
I don't know. I think so. He drinks an awful lot.
PELAGUEYA (going)
No wonder. You're enough to drive a man to drink. Cranks. (Exit)
LIPA
My, how stifling! I don't know what to do with myself. Say, Savva, why aren't you nicer to Polya? She is such a wretched creature.
SAVVA
A slavish soul.
LIPA
It isn't her fault if she's that way.
SAVVA (coldly)
Nor mine either.
LIPA
Oh, Savva, if you only knew the terrible life people lead here. The men drink, and beat their wives, and the women—
SAVVA
I know.
LIPA
You say it so calmly. I have been waiting very much to have a talk with you.
SAVVA
Go ahead.
LIPA
You'll soon be leaving us, I suppose.
SAVVA
Yes.
LIPA
Then I won't have any chance to talk to you. You are scarcely ever at home. This is the first time, pretty nearly. It seems so strange that you should enjoy playing with the children, you a grown man, big as a bear.
SAVVA (merrily)
No, Lipa, they play very well. Misha is very good at the game, and I have a hard time holding up my end of it. I lost him three pairs yesterday.
LIPA
Why, he is only ten years old.—
SAVVA
Well, what of it? The children are the only human beings here. They are the wisest part of the—
LIPA (with a smile)
And I? How about me?
SAVVA (looking at her)
You? Why, you are like the rest.
[A pause. Being offended, Lipa's languor disappears to some extent.
LIPA
Maybe I bore you.
SAVVA
No, you make no difference to me one way or another. I am never bored.
LIPA (with a constrained smile)
Thank you, I am glad of that at least. Were you in the monastery to-day? You go there often, don't you?
SAVVA
Yes, I was there. Why?
LIPA