“What does that lead to, Mark!”
“If you don’t believe me, look around you. You have spent your whole life in the woods and fields, and do you learn nothing from what you see in all directions?” he asked, pointing to a swarm of flying pigeons, and to the nesting swallows. “Learn from them; they deal in no subtleties!”
“Yes, they circle round their nests. One has flown away, probably in search of food.”
“When winter comes they will all separate.”
“And return in spring to the same nest.”
“I believe you when you talk reasonably, Vera. You felt injured by my rough manners, and I am making every effort. I have transformed myself to the old-fashioned pattern, and shall soon shift my feet and smile when I make my bow like Tiet Nikonich. I don’t give way to the desire to abuse or to quarrel with anybody, and draw no attention to my doings. I shall next be making up my mind to attend Mass, what else should I do?”
“You are in the mood for joking, but joking is not what I wanted,” sighed Vera.
“What do you want me to do?”
“So far I have not even been able to persuade you to spare yourself for my sake, to cease your baptisms, to live like other people.”
“But if I act in accordance with my convictions?”