But he talked so kindly, so humbly, and so wisely, I suppose.

I sat and listened.

'Do you understand ?' he asked.

'No,' I said, 'I don't understand a word, but leave me quite alone.' Ever since then they've left me in peace, Shatushka.

And at that time an old woman who was living in the convent doing penance for prophesying the future, whispered to me as she was coming out of church, 'What is the mother of God?
What do you think ?' 'The great mother,' I answer, 'the hope of the human race.' 'Yes,' she answered, 'the mother of God is the great mother--the damp earth, and therein lies great joy for men.