“You believe in God?” Nikolai Vsevolodovich suddenly burst out.
“I do.”
“It is said, if you believe and bid a mountain move, it will move ... though, pardon me this nonsense. Yet I am curious to know: could you move a mountain or not?”
“If God will, I could,” Tikhon uttered quickly and calmly, again beginning to look down at the ground.
“Well, it’s just the same as saying that God Himself could move it. But you, you, as a reward for your belief in God?”
“Perhaps I could move it.”
“‘Perhaps.’[[16]] Well, that is not bad, either. But you are still doubtful?”
“Through the imperfection of my belief I have doubts.”
“Why, do you believe incompletely?”
“Yes ... perhaps; I do believe and not perfectly,” Tikhon replied.