Page:Leskov - The Sentry and other Stories.djvu/243

 Rh It is impossible to find words that they would understand to express martyr, baptist, forerunner, and if you translated the Holy Virgin into their language—"Shochmo Abya"—they would understand, not our Virgin Mary, but some sort of Shamonist female deity—in fact, a goddess. Of the merits of the Holy Blood, or of any other mysteries of our faith it is even more difficult to speak. You could not think of constructing for them any theological system, or of mentioning a child born of a Virgin—without a husband—they would either understand nothing, and that might be best, or else they would perhaps laugh in your face.

All this Kiriak communicated to me, and imparted it so admirably that when I had learned the spirit of the language, I could understand the whole spirit of this poor people; and what amused me more than anything about myself was that Kiriak had succeeded in the most imperceptible manner in removing all my assumed sternness: the pleasantest relations developed between us; they were so easy and so playful, that when I had finished my lessons, still retaining this playful tone, I ordered a pot of gruel to be prepared, placed upon it a silver rouble and a piece of black cloth for a cassock and, like a scholar, who has finished his studies, took it myself to Kiriak's cell.