"The shadow?"
"It is the shadow of your body," he said, "and your thoughts are the shadow of our soul. What are you afraid of?"
"I am afraid of nothing."
"You are lying. If you are not afraid, your thoughts would be bold. Unhappiness gives birth to fear, and fear comes from lack of faith. That is the way it is. Drink some tea."
He poured tea into the cups and spoke without interruption:
"It seems to me that I have seen you before. Were you ever in Valaan?"
"I was."
"When? No, it was not there. It seems to me that you were red-headed when I saw you there. You have a striking face. It must have been in Solofki that I saw you."
"I was never in Solofki."
"You were never there? That is too bad. It is an ancient monastery and very beautiful. You ought to go there."