PARALYTIC (crying)

I can’t walk.

MAN IN OVERCOAT (fussily)

Oh, that’s it?  That’s what’s the matter with you, eh?  Come, I’ll give you a lift.  Get up.

PARALYTIC

I can’t.

PASSER-BY

Won’t his legs work?  What you want to do is to put him on his feet, and then he’ll hop away by himself.  Isn’t that right, old man?

MAN IN OVERCOAT

You take hold of him on that side, and I’ll take this one.  Well, old man, get a move on you.  You won’t have to suffer long now.

PASSER-BY

There he goes hop, hop.  That’s right.  Go it, go it, old man, and you won’t get left. (He goes away)

FRIAR (smiling happily)

They started him going all right.  Clever, isn’t it?  He is galloping away at a great rate too.  Good-bye, old gran’pa.

LIPA (crying)

Lord!  Lord!

FRIAR (pained)

What’s the matter?  Don’t cry, for pity’s sake.  What are you crying for?  There is no cause for crying.

LIPA

No cause do you say, Vassya?  I am crying for joy.  Why aren’t you glad, Vassya?  Don’t you believe in the miracle?

FRIAR

Yes, I do.  But I can’t bear to see all this.  They all behave like drunks, and shout and make a noise.  You can’t understand what they are talking about.  They crushed that woman. (With pain and disgust) They squeezed the life out of her.  Oh, Lord, I simply can’t!  And the whole business.  Father Kirill keeps grunting “Oui, oui, oui.” (Laughs sadly) Why is he grunting?

LIPA (sternly)

You learned that from Savva.

FRIAR

No, I didn’t.  Tell me, why is he grunting? (Laughs sadly) Why?

[Yegor Tropinin enters dressed in holiday attire, his beard and hair combed.  He looks extremely solemn and stern.

YEGOR

Why are you here, eh?  And in that kind of dress?  You’re a fine sight.

LIPA

I had no time to get dressed.

YEGOR

But you found time to get here.  What you have no business to do you have time for, but what you should do you have no time for.  Go home and get dressed.  It isn’t proper.  Who has ever seen such a thing?

LIPA

Oh, papa!

YEGOR