son heard
of it, and was in despair over this lavish expenditure of ten roubles.
Why, he demanded, could not his father be content with a second-class
place, like so many of their neighbours?

The dispute was brought into the courts, and the old man loudly
lamented the criminal indifference of his son.

"In my poor old age," he cried, "after having worked so hard, am I to
be condemned to sit for ever on a footstool for the sake of five
roubles?"

Then, addressing his offspring--"And you, my son, are you not ashamed
so to disregard the future life of your parent, who maintained you
throughout your childhood? It is a great sin with which you are
burdening your soul."

Places in Paradise were promised not only to the living, but also to
those who had omitted to secure them before departing on their eternal
journey. The relatives would apply to the prophet, who fixed the price
according to the fortune left by the deceased.

A curious ceremonial always accompanied the payment of money to
Konovaloff. It was first placed upon the ground; Konovaloff would lift
it with his teeth and lay it on the table; and it was finally put in
his pocket by his son, Andrew. He was also assisted in his operations
by two old women.

CHAPTER XIV

THE JUMPERS AND THE HOLY BROTHERS

The Jumpers, or _sopouny_, founded by one Petroff, considered it their
duty to blow upon one another during Divine Service. This arose from a
misinterpretation of the ninth verse of the fortieth psalm. It was
also their custom to pile benches one upon another and pray from the
top of them, until some hysterical female fell to the ground in a
religious paroxysm. One of those present would then lean over her and
act the scene of the resurrection. Petroff was a great admirer of King
David, and would sing his psalms to the accompaniment of dancing, like
the psalmist before the Ark. His successor, Roudometkin, reorganised
the Jumpers, and gave their performances a rhythmic basis. Foreseeing
the near advent of the Saviour, he caused himself to be crowned king of
the "spiritual Christians" in 1887, and married a "spiritual" wife,
though without discarding his "material" one. His successors all
called themselves "Kings of the spiritual Christians," but they had not
the authority of poor Roudometkin, who had been removed to prison in
Solovetzk.

We may class with the Jumpers the Holy Brothers, or _chalapouts_, who
believed in the indwelling presenc