Page:Leskov - The Sentry and other Stories.djvu/228

 212 "What hour is he awaiting? What does he mean by this?"

"I don't know, Vladyko."

"Is it possible that none of you have been able to find it out from him? O, faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I suffer you? How is it that this thing that concerns all does not interest you? Remember the Lord said He would spew out of His mouth those that were neither cold nor hot; then what do you deserve who are absolutely cold?"

But my Ecclesiarch tried to justify himself:

"We tried to find out in every way, Vladyko, but he always only answered: 'No, my dear children, this work is no joke—it is terrible. I can't look on it.

"But when I asked what was 'terrible,' the Ecclesiarch was unable to answer me; he could only say they thought Father Kiriak had had a revelation while he was preaching. That provoked me. I must confess I am not fond of these 'hearers of voices,' who perform miracles while still alive and boast of having direct revelations, and I have my reasons for not liking them. I therefore ordered this refractory monk Kiriak to come to me at once, and not satisfied with being already considered stern and tyrannical, I