Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 18.djvu/287

. Oh, yes, Semén is the medium to-day!

. I will order him (Can't speak for laughter.) —will order him to choke anybody that gets into his hands, that he will not dare to do,—only not your papa,—and to choke them until the paper is signed.

(laughing). But that is not the way it is done. A medium does not do anything himself.

. Oh, that won't hurt,—maybe it will be all right.

(to Tánya). What are you doing here?

. My dear Fédor Iványch, I have come to see you—

. What is it?

. About what I have been asking you.

(laughing). I have made the match, I have. We have shaken hands, but we have not drunk anything.

(squeaking). Is it really so?

. I tell you it is. He said he would take counsel with the old woman, and God aid you!

. He did say that? (Squeaking.) Ah, my dear Fédor Iványch, I will pray all my life for you!

. All right, all right! I am busy now. I was told to fix things for the séance.

. Let me help you! How do you want to fix it?

. How? Like this: the table in the middle of the room, chairs, the guitar, the accordion. No lamps,—just candles.

(arranges things with Fédor Iványch). Is this right? The guitar here, the inkstand here— (Placing things.) Like this?

. Will they really put Semén down?