Page:John Feoktist Dudikoff - Beasts in Cassocks (1924).djvu/31

 Himself could not tell the difference, but you can't fool me. …" He transfixed me with his glance and added: "I want to have confidence in you, and you try your best not to forfeit it. You will regret to your dying day any lack of discretion on your part. … Yesterday you were ordered to see Father Slunin and you went home without seeing him. We ascribed this not to disobedience or negligence, but rather to forgetfulness. Today, after leaving me, you will call on Slunin and do the will of both Bishops. If you wish to be employed by the Mission, you must take an oath of allegiance. Priests take this oath on being ordained, and you, as an official, should have taken it before you were handed this parcel."

After having been thus reprimanded, in a very soft voice and in a friendly manner, I apologized stating that I was not familiar with the "law" and that I would make a faithful servant without an oath. To this Dobroff replied: "Every soldier takes an oath before joining the army and you have no right to dodge taking one. Here I have Pishchek, Branin, Kistar, and others among my men, and I assure you, with the exception of Mr. Pishchek, who is Bishop Alexander's trusted man and who is entrusted with the carrying out of confidential matters of secondary importance, no one else knows anything about secret matters. Be sure to call on Father Slunin right after you leave me." I did as I was bid and went to the Consistory where Father Slunin met me and said: "I have been waiting for you, Dobroff told me that you were ready. Come, let's go to the Cathedral." We went, and I took my oath.

The next day was Sunday. In accordance with the order of Archbishop Platon, conveyed to me by Father Slunin, I had to officiate as Assistant Deacon at Platon's services. After the liturgy, I went home to the apartment of Gorokhov's and the singers of the Cathedral Choir. At about three o'clock guests came to Gorokhov: Bishop Alexander Nemolovsky, Archpresbyter Slunin, Father Sergius