Page:Leskov - The Sentry and other Stories.djvu/279

 Rh "How can he, Bachka? He can't, Bachka: it will be untrue, Bachka, the faithless man, Bachka, will go everywhere."

So, so, you unwashed booby, I thought to myself, what fine arguments you have built up for yourself! and I continued to question him.

"And have you heard anything about our Lord Jesus Christ?"

"Certainly, Bachka—I have heard."

"What have you heard about Him?"

"He walked on the water, Bachka."

"H'm. Very well, He walked on the water; and what else?"

"He drowned the swine in the sea, Bachka."

"And more than that?"

"Nothing, Bachka. He was kind and compassionate, Bachka."

"Well, how was He compassionate? What did He do?"

"He spat in the blind man's eyes, Bachka—and the blind man saw; He fed the people with bread and fishes."

"I see, brother, you know much."

"Certainly, Bachka, I know much."

"Who told you all this?"

"People, Bachka, the people told me."

"Your people?"