here; we shall get something here. (To the Monks.)

Who are you?

VARLAAM. We - are two old clerics, humble monks; we are

going from village to village, and collecting Christian

alms for the monastery.

OFFICER. (To GREGORY.) And thou?

MISSAIL. Our comrade.

GREGORY. A layman from the suburb; I have conducted the

old men as far as the frontier; from here I am going to

my own home.

MISSAIL. So you have changed your mind?

GREGORY. (Sotto voce.) Be silent.

OFFICER. Hostess, bring some more wine, and we will

drink here a little and talk a little with these old men.

2ND OFFICER. (Sotto voce.) Yon lad, it appears, is poor;

there's nothing to be got out of him; on the other hand

the old men -

1ST OFFICER. Be silent; we shall come to them presently.

- Well, my fathers, how are you getting on?

VARLAAM. Badly, my sons, badly! The Christians have

now turned stingy; they love their money; they hide

their money. They give little to God. The people of

the world have become great sinners. They have all

devoted themselves to commerce, to earthly cares; they

think of worldly wealth, not of the salvation of the soul.

You walk and walk; you beg and beg; sometimes in

three days begging will not bring you three half-pence.

What a sin! A week goes by; another week; you look

into your bag, and there is so little in it that you are

ashamed to show yourself at the monastery. What are

you to do? From very sorrow you drink away what is

left; a real calamity! Ah, it is bad! It seems our last

days have come -

HOSTESS. (Weeps.) God pardon and save you!

(During the course of VARLAAM'S speech the 1st

OFFICER watches MISSAIL significantly.)