The Light Shines in Darkness by graf Tolstoy Leo (the best novels to read .txt) đ
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LISA. True, quite true!
LYĂBA. If one lets oneself think about it, one can't live.
STYĂPA. Why? I don't see why the fact that people are poor should prevent one talking about Schumann. The one does not exclude the other. If one âŠ
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH [angrily] If one has no heart, if one is made of wood âŠ
STYĂPA. Well, I'll hold my tongue.
TĂNYA. It is a terrible problem; it is the problem of our day; and we should not be afraid of it, but look it straight in the face, in order to solve it.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. We cannot wait for the problem to be solved by public measures. Every one of us must dieâif not to-day, then to-morrow. How can I live without suffering from this internal discord?
BORĂS. Of course there is only one way; that is, not to take part in it at all.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. Well, forgive me if I have hurt you. I could not help saying what I felt. [Exit].
STYĂPA. Not take part in it? But our whole life is bound up with it.
BORĂS. That is why he says that the first step is to possess no property; to change our whole way of life and live so as not to be served by others but to serve others.
TĂNYA. Well, I see you have quite gone over to Nicholas IvĂĄnovich's side.
BORĂS. Yes, I now understand it for the first timeâafter what I saw in the village.⊠You need only take off the spectacles through which we are accustomed to look at the life of the people, to realise at once the connection between their sufferings and our pleasuresâthat is enough!
MITROFĂN ERMĂLYCH. Yes, but the remedy does not consist in ruining one's own life.
STYĂPA. It is surprising how MitrofĂĄn ErmĂlych and I, though we usually stand poles asunder, come to the same conclusion: those are my very words, ânot ruin one's own life.â
BORĂS. Naturally! You both of you wish to lead a pleasant life, and therefore want life arranged so as to ensure that pleasant life for you. [To StyĂłpa] You wish to maintain the present system, while MitrofĂĄn ErmĂlych wants to establish a new one.
LyĂșba and TĂłnya whisper together. TĂłnya goes to the piano and plays a nocturne by Chopin. General silence.
STYĂPA. That's splendid; that solves everything.
BORĂS. It obscures and postpones everything!
While TĂłnya is playing, Mary IvĂĄnovna and the Princess enter quietly and sit down to listen.
Before the end of the nocturne carriage bells are heard outside.
LYĂBA. It is Aunt. [Goes to meet her].
The music continues. Enter AlexĂĄndra IvĂĄnovna, Father GerĂĄsim (a priest with a cross round his neck) and a Notary. All rise.
FATHER GERĂSIM. Please go on, it is very pleasant.
The Princess approaches to receive his blessing, and the young Priest does the same.
ALEXĂNDRA IVĂNOVNA. I have done exactly what I said I would do. I found Father GerĂĄsim, and you see I have persuaded him to comeâhe was on his way to Kourskâso I have done my part; and here is the Notary. He has got the deed ready; it only needs signing.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. Won't you have some lunch?
Notary puts down his papers on the table, and exit.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. I am very grateful to Father GerĂĄsim.
FATHER GERĂSIM. What else could I doâthough it was out of my wayâyet as a Christian I considered it my duty to visit him.
AlexĂĄndra IvĂĄnovna whispers to the young people. They consult together and go out on to the verandah, all except BorĂs. The young Priest also wants to go.
FATHER GERĂSIM.[30] No. You as a pastor and spiritual father must remain here! You may benefit by it yourself, and may be of use to others. Stay here, if Mary IvĂĄnovna has no objection.
MARY IVĂNOVNA. No, I am as fond of Father VasĂly as if he were one of the family. I have even consulted him; but being so young he has not much authority.
FATHER GERĂSIM. Naturally, naturally.
ALEXĂNDRA IVĂNOVNA [approaching] Well, you see now, Father GerĂĄsim, that you are the only person who can help and can bring him to reason. He is a clever, well-read man, but learning, you know, can only do harm. He is suffering from some sort of delusion. He maintains that the Christian law forbids a man to own any property; but how is that possible?
FATHER GERĂSIM. Temptation, spiritual pride, self-will! The Fathers of the Church have answered the question satisfactorily. But how did this befall him?
MARY IVĂNOVNA. Well, to tell you everything ⊠when we married he was quite indifferent to religion, and we lived so, and lived happily, during our best yearsâthe first twenty years. Then he began to reflect. Perhaps he was influenced by his sister, or by what he read. Anyhow, he began thinking and reading the Gospels, and then suddenly he grew extremely religious, began going to church and visiting the monks. Then all at once he gave all this up and changed his way of life completely. He began doing manual labour, would not let the servants wait on him, and above all he is now giving away his property. He yesterday gave away a forestâboth the trees and land. It frightens me, for I have seven children. Do talk to him. I'll go and ask him whether he will see you. [Exit].
FATHER GERĂSIM. Nowadays many are falling away. And is the estate his or his wife's?
PRINCESS. His! That's what is so unfortunate.
FATHER GERĂSIM. And what is his official rank?
PRINCESS. His rank is not high. Only that of a cavalry captain, I believe. He was once in the army.
FATHER GERĂSIM. There are many who turn aside in that way. In Odessa there was a lady who was carried away by Spiritualism and began to do much harm. But all the same, God enabled us to lead her back to the Church.
PRINCESS. The chief thing, please understand, is that my son is about to marry his daughter. I have given my consent, but the girl is used to luxury and should therefore be provided for, and not have to depend entirely on my son. Though I admit he is a hard-working and an exceptional young man.
Enter Mary IvĂĄnovna and Nicholas IvĂĄnovich.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. How d'you do, Princess? How d'you do? [To Father GerĂĄsim] I beg your pardon. I don't know your name.[31]
FATHER GERĂSIM. Do you not wish to receive my blessing?
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. No, I don't.
FATHER GERĂSIM. My name is GerĂĄsim SĂ©dorovitch. Very pleased to meet you.
Men-servants bring lunch and wine.
FATHER GERĂSIM. Pleasant weather, and good for the harvest.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. I suppose you came, at AlexĂĄndra IvĂĄnovna's invitation, to divert me from my errors and direct me in the path of truth. If that is so, don't let us beat about the bush, but let us get to business at once. I do not deny that I disagree with the teaching of the Church. I used to agree with it, and then left off doing so. But with my whole heart I wish to be in the truth and will at once accept it if you show it to me.
FATHER GERĂSIM. How is it you say you don't believe the teaching of the Church? What is there to believe in, if not the Church?
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. God and His law, given to us in the Gospels.
FATHER GERĂSIM. The Church teaches that very law.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. If it did so, I should believe in the Church, but unfortunately it teaches the contrary.
FATHER GERĂSIM. The Church cannot teach the contrary, because it was established by the Lord himself. It is written, âI give you power,â and, âUpon this rock I will build my Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.â
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. That was not said in this connection at all, and proves nothing. But even if we were to admit that Christ established the Church, how do I know that it was your Church?
FATHER GERĂSIM. Because it is said, âWhere two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.â
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. That, too, was not said in this connection, and proves nothing.
FATHER GERĂSIM. How can one deny the Church? It alone provides salvation.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. I did not deny the Church until I found it supported everything that is contrary to Christianity.
FATHER GERĂSIM. It can make no mistakes, for it alone has the truth. Those who leave it go astray, but the Church is sacred.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. I have already told you that I do not accept that. I do not accept it because, as is said in the Gospels, âBy their deeds shall ye know them, by their fruit shall ye know them.â I have found out that the Church blesses oaths, murders and executions.
FATHER GERĂSIM. The Church acknowledges and sanctifies the Powers ordained by God.
During the conversation, StyĂłpa, LyĂșba, Lisa and TĂłnya at different times enter the room and sit or stand listening.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. I know that the Gospels say, not only âDo not kill,â but âDo not be angry,â yet the Church blesses the army. The Gospel says, âSwear not at all,â yet the Church administers oaths. The Gospel says âŠ
FATHER GERĂSIM. Excuse me. When Pilate[32] said, âI adjure thee by the living God,â Christ accepted his oath by replying âI am.â
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. Dear me! What are you saying? That is really absurd.
FATHER GERĂSIM. That is why the Church does not permit everyone to interpret the Gospel, lest he should go astray, but like a mother caring for her child gives him an interpretation suitable to his strength. No, let me finish! The Church does not lay on its children burdens too heavy for them to bear, but demands that they should keep the Commandments: love, do no murder, do not steal, do not commit adultery.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. Yes! Do not kill me, do not steal from me my stolen goods. We have all robbed the people, we have stolen their land and have then made a law forbidding them to steal it back; and the Church sanctions all these things.
FATHER GERĂSIM. Heresy and spiritual pride are speaking through you. You ought to conquer your intellectual pride.
NICHOLAS IVĂNOVICH. It is not pride. I am only asking you what should I do according to Christ's law, when I have become conscious of the sin of robbing the people and enslaving them by means of the land. How am I to act? Continue to own land and to profit by the labour of starving men: putting them to this kind of work [points to Servant who is bringing in the lunch and some wine], or am I to return the land to those from whom my ancestors stole it?
FATHER GERĂSIM. You must act as behoves a son of the Church. You have a family and children,
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