"Professor, thy speech is truthful. I have seen such things too, and the devils will take us all." Vaskovski fixed his mystic eyes on the frosty window-panes, and said,-- "No; some one else will take us all. That hotness of blood, that capacity for accepting an idea, are the great basis of the mission which Christ has designed for the Slavs." Here Vaskovski pointed to a manuscript stained by the birds, and said mysteriously,-- "I am going with that; that is the labor of my life. Dost wish I will read from it?" "As God lives, I haven't time; it is late already." "True. It is growing dark. Then I will tell thee in brief words. Not only do I think, but I believe most profoundly, that the Slavs have a great mission." Here Vaskovski halted, began to rub his forehead, and said,-- "What a wonderful number,--'three.' There is some mystery in it." "Thou wert going to speak of a mission," said Pan Stanislav, disquieted. "Never fear; the one has connection with the other. There are three worlds in Europe: the Roman, the German, and the Slav. The first and second accomplished what they had to do. The future is for that third." "And what has that third to do?" "Social conditions, justice, the relations of man to man, the life of individuals, and that which is called private life, are founded on Christian science, no matter what comes. The incoherence of men has deformed this science, but still everything stands on it. Only the first half of the problem is solved,--the first epoch. There are people who think that Christianity is nearing its end. No; the second epoch is about to begin. Christ is in the life of individuals, but not in history. Dost understand? To bring Him into history, to found on Him the relations of peoples, to create the love of our neighbor in the historical sense,--that is the mission which the Slav world has to accomplish. But the Slavs are deficient in knowledge yet; and the need is to open their eyes to this mission." Pan Stanislav was silent, for he had nothing to answer. Vaskovski continued: "This is what I have been pondering over a lifetime, and have explained in this work." Here he pointed to a manuscript. "This is the labor of my life. Here _this_ mission is outlined." "On which meanwhile the buntings are--" thought Pan Stanislav. "And surely it will be that way a long time." But aloud he said, "And it is thy hope, Professor, that when such a work is printed--"