es his long, straight hair, which is hanging in two
mournful strands over his long, pale face. He holds his legs together
speaks in a low, sad tone, and gesticulates with extended forefinger.
The Friar, young, round-faced, and vigorous, pays no attention to the
conversation, but is smiling continually, as if at his own thoughts._

SAVVA _(preoccupied, looking aside)_

Yes. What kind of work do you do here?

SPERANSKY

None at all, Mr. Savva. How can a man in my condition do any work?
Once a man begins to doubt his own existence, the obligation to work
naturally ceases to exist for him. But the deacon's wife does
not understand it. She is a very stupid woman, utterly lacking in
education, and, moreover, of an unlovely, cruel disposition. She
insists on making me work. But you can imagine the sort of work I
do under the circumstances. You see, the situation is this. I have a
splendid appetite. That appetite began to develop while I was yet a
student in the seminary. Now this deaconess, if you please, makes a
fuss about every piece of bread I eat. She doesn't understand, the
ignorant woman, the possibility of the non-existence of this piece of
bread. If I had a real existence like the rest of you, I should feel
very bad, but in my present condition her attacks don't affect me in
the least. Nothing affects me, Mr. Savva, nothing in the wide world.

SAVVA _(smiling at the Friar's unconscious joy, but still
preoccupied)_ How long have you been in this condition?

SPERANSKY

It began in the seminary while I was studying philosophy. It is a
dreadful condition, Mr. Savva. I have grown somewhat accustomed to it
now, but at first it was unendurable. I tried to hang myself once,
and they cut me down. Then I tried a second time, and they cut me down
again. Then they turned me out of the seminary. "Go hang yourself in
some other place, you madman," they said. As if there were any other
place! As if all places were not the same!

THE FRIAR

Mr. Savva, let's go fishing to-morrow at the mill.

SAVVA

I don't like fishing. It bores me.

FRIAR

I'm sorry. Well then, let's go into the woods and knock down the dry
branches of trees. It's fine sport to walk about in the forest and
knock off the branches with a stick. And when you shout "Ho-ho-ho!"
the echo from the ravine answers back "Ho-ho-ho!" Do you like
swimming?

SAVVA

Yes, I like it. I am a good swimmer.

FRIAR

I like it too.

SPERANSKY _(with a deep sig