MARY IVÁNOVNA. He has gone to town, but will be back soon.
ALEXÁNDRA IVÁNOVNA. What book are you returning?
PRIEST. Oh, it's Mr. Renan's Life of Jesus.
PETER SEMYÓNOVICH. Dear me! What books you read!
PRIEST [much agitated, lights a cigarette] It was Nicholas Ivánovich gave it to me to read.
ALEXÁNDRA IVÁNOVNA [contemptuously] Nicholas Ivánovich gave it you! And do you agree with Nicholas Ivánovich and Mr. Renan?
PRIEST. No, of course not. If I really did agree, I should not, in fact, be what is called a servant of the Church.
ALEXÁNDRA IVÁNOVNA. But if you are, as it is called, a faithful servant of the Church, why don't you convert Nicholas Ivánovich?
PRIEST. Everyone, in fact, has his own views on these matters, and Nicholas Ivánovich really maintains much that is quite true, only he goes astray, in fact, on the main point, the Church.
ALEXÁNDRA IVÁNOVNA [contemptuously] And what are the many things that Nicholas Ivánovich maintains that are quite true? Is it true that the Sermon on the Mount bids us give our property away to strangers and let our own families go begging?