Suddenly something startling and unexpected happened. Ivan had just seized the miner who was nearest to him by the hand, and pointed into the darkness. When the miner saw the dilated pupils of the old man's eyes, he staggered with astonishment.
"Look at him! He is going mad!" they whispered.
"Here I am!" cried Ivan, as though answering a call.
The crowd fell back from him.
"Here I am! Here I am!" repeated Ivan.
The overseer approached him with his torch uplifted. Ivan turned his face toward him radiant with an inner light.
"Look! There He is Jesus! It is sixty years since He came, and now—there He is. He is calling us!"
"But what do you see? Who is calling us?"
"Jesus, I tell you. Stop! Look! There He is standing, in a white robe. He signs to us to follow Him.... Here I am, Lord! Here I am!"
Suddenly, when no one was expecting it, old Ivan snatched the torch from the overseer's hand, and held it above his head.