The Island Page #3

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Why didn't you just say it?

Why those charred logs?

l'm an ordinary man,

l don't understand your signs.

lf you are slandered

for Christ's sake,

Then the Spirit of God

dwells in you.

Answer me!

l am your superior!

Blessed are ye

who are persecuted

and slandered for my sake...

Say no more.

Through your prayers, Father,

we have put out the fire.

Your cell is burnt a bit

but we saved the hen.

Enough!

Cackling like a hen.

You are not in your office,

but in the house of God!

Let's not discuss

worldly matters here.

Temples love prayer.

Holy Father!

Forgive me, brother Job.

l went too far.

lt was your lay brother, Amvrosy.

He filled a lamp with oil,

struck a match

- and dropped it.

- Got it.

We'll fix it in no time.

l'll tell you what, Father Anatoly,

l never wanted to be

a Father Superior.

l wanted to live in the wilderness

as a recluse

l take the fire as a sign for me

to become a hermit.

What do you think?

l'm not a learned man.

l don't think anything.

l'm here to share your cell with you

while mine is being restored.

Will you accept me?

lt's up to you to decide.

- Where do you sleep?

- Right here.

- Here? On the coals?

- Yes. On the coals.

You can sleep next to me.

Good.

We'll save ourselves together

and pray jointly.

And think about God

and life eternal.

Mind you, l'm a troublesome bedfellow.

l have coughing fits.

Sometimes l suddenly want to sing

in the dead of night.

You won't mind?

l've long wanted to ask you,

prankster--

why do you behave improperly

during the service?

You should pray

in the prescribed way.

lf everyone starts praying

in his own way,

where will we be?

What will be left of the church?

Father Filaret,

you've got nice boots.

You like them?

Very. Soft, ain't they?

Oh yes. The only boots

l can wear.

His Beatitude gave them to me

out of kindness.

He knows l have bad feet.

And your blanket's even better.

His Beatitude too?

No, l got it in Greece

when the Metropolitan and l

were on a pilgrimage to Athos.

Well... let's go to sleep.

What are you doing,

Father Anatoly?

l'm reading the book of human sins.

When l'm through,

l'll shove it in the stove--

and sin will be no more.

What the hell are you doing?

l'm going to read the second page.

Page? lt's my boots.

Another one gone.

Didn't you know

most sins nest

in bishops' boot tops?

Clown!

Why is it locked?

- We are going to drive demons out.

- What demons?

They are all around us,

don't you see?

Open up immediately.

Demons don't like smoke.

We're gonna smoke them out.

Look where that one got to.

And another one.

You are the demon.

A breeding nest...

Look! Here they are.

Damn them.

Out, out with you!

- But we're going to suffocate.

- lt's almost over.

We'll get rid of them all.

We're going to suffocate.

Just wait a second.

Why'd you shut the air vent?

You want me dead!

- Wait.

- Air, air!

They're almost all gone.

Go over there.

We did it.

Oh, l forgot the chief demon.

There!

l got ya.

Small but so vicious.

Drown him!

Why are you looking at me?

Mean, ain't l?

That's what l am.

l bear you no grudge, brother.

l am grateful to you, brother.

l really am.

You've delivered me from things

superficial and unnecessary.

l was really attached

to those boots and that blanket,

and you removed them from me.

Thank you.

And you've shown me

there's little faith in me.

l got really scared.

l'm going to meet death

in his stokehole, l thought.

l feared death

because l had little faith.

lt means l am not ready

to meet Our Lord.

l was afraid to face death

unrepented.

There's little virtue in me

but much sin.

Virtue?

My virtues stink

before the Lord.

l can really smell the stench.

Yes, smell it and through that

you'll be saved.

l wonder

why me.

Why has God chosen me

to lead the community?

l should be hanged for my sins

lnstead l was made almost a saint.

What is there saintly in me?

There's no peace in my heart.

Tikhon!

Tikhon Petrovich,

can you hear me?

You know all my life.

l'm suffering torments.

l can't live and l can't die.

Brother,

you are my last hope.

My spirit was frail.

l've been carrying

this sin for years.

lt never releases me,

not even for one second.

l know you forgave me.

Pray that God

takes this burden off my chest.

The spoon's clanging.

Yes, we are moving.

l don't want your tea.

l do.

Why'd you give me that look, Dad?

l didn't.

Yes, you did.

Don't you love me at all?

Why, l do love you, my little girl.

You're lying. You don't.

l can't sit here.

l don't want to sit here.

What's wrong, little girl?

Why do you keep me under lock?

- What?

- Comrade Admiral, l--

- What do you want?

- l'm sorry...

You think l'm sick?

Of course not.

You are tired.

You need a good rest.

But l am sick.

Very sick.

O Lord Jesus Christ,

have mercy on us.

Amen.

Why did you send me that incense?

There'll be a funeral on Wednesday.

- Whose funeral?

- His whom the Lord has chosen.

What are you talking about?

The waves of death

have washed over me

and deadly nets have enmeshed me.

Do you really

want to die?

l'll get you a coffin.

Oak? Pine? You name it.

lt doesn't matter.

lt's not necessary.

l have one already.

Where is it?

On the porch.

See that box over there?

You can't even die like

a human being.

Why don't we order a proper coffin?

l want the box, Father. The box.

That's my will.

What kind of person are you?

You even can't die without tricks.

All men lie in coffins,

even the venerable saints.

But he wants a box with ropes.

That's vanity.

Vanity!

You actually like me, Father Job,

don't you?

l can't stomach you,

old fogy.

You asked me

why Cain killed Abel.

l'll tell you.

l tried to help others like you

but the Lord wouldn't accept

my sacrifice.

Oh, why am l talking to you?

Wait.

When l die will you weep for me?

What's with you, Nastya?

Having fun, Father Anatoly?

l hear you prankster

are preparing to die.

So they've told you.

l don't want to lose you.

l am wondering

whether l should tonsure you?

What do you mean?

l've lived an earthly life

l avoided the Law

and should l now give up everything?

Father, forget it.

That's out of the question.

What are you talking about?

Sins. Burning sins.

They've burnt my heart out.

You are speaking in riddles

again, brother.

There is no sin

the Lord cannot pardon,

for nothing is impossible

for Him.

That's enough.

There there.

You didn't come on your own, right?

My dad's... over there.

- And the name is--

- Nastya.

Not yours, your father's.

Tikhon Petrovich.

He's an admiral.

Admiral?

l'm glad he's an admiral.

You can go

hang around here.

l'm sorry, she is sick.

What's wrong with you?

Can l help you?

No, thanks. Angels are singing

in my heart.

Sorry, she is not quite herself.

l've taken her to doctors.

We even went to Moscow.

Nothing's helped.

l hear there's a holy man here

at the monastery.

lf he can't help

l don't know who can.

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