GUEYA _(calls through the door before she goes out into the
tavern)_ Anthony, Savva wants you.

LIPA

What do you want him for?

SAVVA

What a queer habit you have here of plying a person with questions all
the time. Where, who, why, what for?

LIPA _(slightly offended)_

You needn't answer if you don't want to.

TONY _(enters, speaking slowly and with difficulty)_

Who wants me?

SAVVA

I am expecting Kondraty here--you know Kondraty, don't you? Send him
in when he comes.

TONY

Who are you?

SAVVA

And send in two bottles of whiskey too, do you hear?

TONY

Maybe I do and maybe I don't. Maybe I'll send the whiskey and maybe I
won't.

SAVVA

What a sceptic. You've grown silly, Tony.

LIPA

Leave him alone, Savva. He has got that from the seminary student,
from Speransky. Anyhow, he is full of--

TONY _(sitting down)_

I didn't get it from anybody. I can understand everything myself. The
blood has congealed in my heart.

SAVVA

That's from drink, Tony. Stop drinking.

TONY

The blood has congealed in my heart. You think I don't know what's
what. A while ago you weren't here with us, and all of a sudden you
came. Yes, I understand everything. I have visions.

SAVVA

What do you see? God?

TONY

There is no God.

SAVVA

How's that?

TONY

And no devil either. There's nothing, no people, no animals, nothing.

SAVVA

What is there then?

TONY

There are only faces, a whole lot of faces. It's faces, faces, faces.
They are very funny, and I keep laughing all the time. I just sit
still, and the faces come jumping and gliding past me, jumping and
gliding. You've got a very funny face too, Savva. _(Sadly)_ It's
enough to make one die of laughter.

SAVVA _(laughing gayly)_

What kind of a face have I?

TONY

That's the kind of face you have. _(Pointing his finger at him)_ She
also has a face, and she. And father too. And then there are
other faces. There are a lot of faces. I sit in the tavern and see
everything. Nothing escapes me. You can't fool me. Some faces are
small and some are large, and all of them glide and glide--Some are
far away, and some are as close to me as if they wanted to kiss me or
bite my nose. They have teeth.

SAVVA

All right, Tony, now you can go. We'll talk about the faces later.
Your own face is funny enough.

TONY

Yes, of course. I, too, have a face.

SAVVA

All right, all right. Go now. Don't forget to send in the whiskey.