[CHAPTER IV]
The people about me began to notice me, and I took notice of them, too.
On holidays when I walked through the streets I was stared at with much curiosity. Some greeted me earnestly while others mocked, but all looked after me.
"Here goes our prayer-book," was heard. "Say, Matvei, are you going to become a saint?"
"Don't laugh at him, friends; he is not a priest and he does not believe in God for the sake of the money."
"Have there not been peasants who became saints?"
"Oh, we have all kinds of men, but that does not help us much."
"Who said he is a peasant? He has got gentleman's blood in him—but that's a secret."
And thus they calked, and some praised and some jeered.