Yes, that’s the word.  That’s it.  Savva, dear, I am not afraid of bodily suffering either.  Burn me on a slow fire.  Cut me to pieces.  I won’t cry.  I’ll laugh.  I know I will.  But there is another thing I am afraid of.  I am afraid of people’s suffering, of the misery from which they cannot escape.  When in the stillness of the night, broken only by the striking of the hours, I think of how much suffering there is all around us—­aimless, needless suffering; suffering one doesn’t even know of—­when I think of that, I am chilled with terror.  I go down on my knees and pray.  I pray to God, saying to Him:  “Oh, Lord, if there has to be a victim, take me, but give the people joy, give them peace, give them forgetfulness.  Oh, Lord, all powerful as Thou art—­”

SAVVA

Yes.

LIPA

I have read about a man who was eaten by an eagle, and his flesh grew again overnight.  If my body could turn into bread and joy for the people, I would consent to live in eternal torture in order to feed the unfortunate.  There’ll soon be a holiday here in the monastery—­

SAVVA

I know.

LIPA

There is an ikon of the Saviour there with the touching inscription:  “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden—­

SAVVA

And I will give you rest.”  I know.

LIPA

It is regarded as a wonder-working ikon.  Go there on the feast-day.  It’s like a torrent pouring into the monastery, an ocean rolling toward its walls; and this whole ocean is made up entirely of human tears, of human sorrow and misery.  Such monstrosities, such cripples.  After witnessing one of those scenes, I walk about as in a dream.  There are faces with such a depth of misery in them that one can never forget them as long as one lives.  Why, Savva, I was a gay young thing before I saw all that.  There is one man who comes here every year—­they have nicknamed him King Herod—­

SAVVA

He is here already.  I’ve seen him.

LIPA

Have you?

SAVVA

Yes, he has got a tragic face.

LIPA

Long ago, when still a young man, he killed his son by accident, and from that day he keeps coming here.  He has an awful face.  And all of them are waiting for a miracle.

SAVVA

Yes.  There is something worse than inescapable human suffering, however.

LIPA