"There's a comparison to make! A scoop is a small thing, nothing to speak of."
When I spoke of Smouri and his books they regarded me with contempt. The old lady said that only fools and heretics wrote books.
"What about the Psalms and King David?"
"The Psalms are sacred writings, and King David prayed God to forgive him for writing the Psalms."
"Where does it say so?"
"In the palms of my hands; that's where! When I get hold of you by the neck you will learn where."
She knew everything; she spoke on all subjects with conviction and always savagely.
"A Tatar died on the Pechorka, and his soul came out of his mouth as black as tar."
"Soul? Spirit?" I said, but she cried contemptuously:
"Of a Tatar! Fool!"