Page:Leskov - The Sentry and other Stories.djvu/267

 Rh disgusting than these." The spirit hid himself and changed into such a lean and gaunt man that the veins stuck to his bones, and then appeared again to the travellers and said: "Have you such people?" "Of course," answered the Obushy, "there are even much thinner people than you are—they are all those who aspire to honours."

"H'm!" I interrupted Kiriak, "take care; does the moral not refer to us bishops?"

"God knows, Vladyko," and he continued: "After some time the spirit appeared in the form of a handsome youth and said: "Have you such as these?" "Of course," answered the Obushy. "Among men there are some incomparably handsomer than you—they are those who possess keen understanding and having purified their hearts, revere the three beatitudes: God, Faith and Holiness. These are so much more handsome than you are, that you would not even be found worthy to be compared with them." The spirit was enraged at this and began to test the Obushy in another way. He scooped up a handful of water. "Where is there more water," he asked, "in the sea or in my hand?" "There is more in your hand," answered the Obushy. "Prove it." "Well, I will prove it. If you judge by appearance, there certainly seems to be more