“All…”

“So—so, so we, too, shall die out?”

“There will come a time when we also shall die out,” said the teacher placidly.

“And to what tribe of Israel do we belong?”

The teacher looked up at him, thought for a moment, and began telling him about Scythians and Slavs and Cimmerians.

The old man bent lower and lower down and glanced into his face, with frightened eyes.

“Lies, all of it!” he said scornfully. when the teacher had finished.

“What do you mean?” the latter said in amazement.

“You speak of tribes that are not mentioned in the Bible.”

He got up and walked away, muttering to himself angrily.

“You’re going crazy, Tyapa,” called the teacher after him with conviction.

Then the old man came back again and threatened him with his crooked and dirty finger.

“Adam came from God—from Adam descended the Jews, that means that all people come from the Jews…and we do too.”

“Well?”

“Tartars come from Ishmael, but he also came from a Jew.”

“What are you telling me all this for?”

“Nothing! Only why tell lies?”

And he walked away, leaving his companion in perplexity. But two days later he came again and sat by him.

“You are learned.…Tell me, then, who are we?”

“We are Slavs, Tyapa,” said the teacher.

“Quote the Bible to me. There are no such men there. Are we Babylonians?”

Then the teacher started pulling the Bible to pieces. The old man listened for a long while and interrupted him.

“Stop.…Wait! That means that among the people known to God there are no Russians? We are not known to God? Is it so? God knew all those who are mentioned in the Bible.…He destroyed them by sword and fire. He destroyed their cities; but He also sent prophets to teach them. That means that He also pitied them. He scattered the Jews and the Tartars, but protected them as well.…But what about us? Why have we no prophets?”

“Well, I don’t know!” replied the teacher, trying to understand what the old man was saying. But the latter put his hand on the teacher’s shoulder, slowly pushed him backwards and forwards, and there was a hoarse rattle in his throat as if he were swallowing something.…