Page:Leskov - The Sentry and other Stories.djvu/229

 Rh frowned terribly and was prepared to wreak my anger upon him as soon as he appeared. But when I saw before my eyes a quiet little monk, there seemed nothing for my angry glances to crush. He was clad in a faded cotton cassock, with a coarse cloth cowl; he was dark and sharp featured, but he entered boldly, without any appearance of fear, and he was the first to greet me:

"Good morning, Vladyko!"

I did not reply to his greeting, but said sternly:

"What are these tricks you are playing here, friend?"

"What, Vladyko?" he answered. "Forgive me, be gracious. I am a little hard of hearing—I did not hear all."

I repeated my words still louder:

"Now then you understand?"

"No," he answered, "I can understand nothing."

"Why do you not want to go to preach, and refuse to baptize the natives?"

"I went and baptized, Vladyko, until I had experience."

"Yes, but when you had experience you stopped."

"I stopped."

"What was the reason?"

He sighed and answered:

"The reason thereof is in my heart, Vladyko,