And when the thunders stopped a great silence ensued, and through the stillness sounded a voice more quiet than the stillness:—
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. I am alive and was dead and shall live from eternity to eternity. Amen.”
“Amen,” repeated John, the Son of Thunder.
“Amen,” repeated Tichon, the first Son of the new Church of the Spirit. He fell upon his face as one dead. He was struck dumb for ever.
He recovered in the cell of Father Sergius. The hermit had been troubled about Tichon the whole day. He had a vague presentiment that some evil would befall him. Again and again he came out of his cell, calling, “Tichon, Tichon,” but no one replied, the echo alone broke the hush which precedes thunderstorms.
When the cloud spread over the sky it grew dark as night in the cell. A lighted lamp shone dimly at the far end where both monks were praying.
Father Hilarion was chanting the psalm:—
“The voice of the Lord is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the Lord is upon many waters.
“The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.”