NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. Yes, the children's too. And not only our bread, but ourselves. Therein lies the whole teaching of Christ. One must strive with one's whole strength to give oneself away. STYÓPA. That means to die. NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. Yes, even if you gave your life for your friends, that would be splendid both for you and for others. But the fact is that man is not solely a spirit, but a spirit within a body; and the flesh draws him to live for itself, while the spirit of light draws him to live for God and for others: and the life in each of us is not solely animal, but is equipoised between the two. But the more it is a life for God, the better; and the animal will not fail to take care of itself. STYÓPA. Why choose a middle course: an equipoise between the two? If it is right to do so--why not give away everything and die? NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. That would be splendid. Try to do it, and it will be well both for you and for others. ALEXÁNDRA IVÁNOVNA. No, that is not clear, not simple. _C'est tiré par les cheveux._[25] [25] It's too fine spun. NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. Well, I can't help it, and it can't be explained by argument. However, that is enough. STYÓPA. Yes, quite enough, and I also don't understand it. [Exit]. NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH [turns to Priest] Well, what impression did the book make on you? PRIEST [agitated] How shall I put it? Well, the historic part is insufficiently worked out, and it is not fully convincing, or let us say, quite reliable; because the materials are, as a matter of fact, insufficient. Neither the Divinity of Christ, nor His lack of Divinity, can be proved historically; there is but one irrefragable proof.... During this conversation first the ladies and then Peter Semyónovich go out. NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. You mean the Church? PRIEST. Well, of course, the Church, and the evidence, let's say, of reliable men--the Saints for instance. NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. Of course, it would be excellent if there existed a set of infallible people to confide in. It would be very desirable; but its desirability does not prove that they exist! PRIEST. And I believe that just _that is_ the proof. The Lord could not in fact have exposed His law to the possibility of mutilation or misinterpretation, but must in fact have left a guardian of His truth to prevent that truth being mutilated. NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. Very well; but we first tried to prove the truth itself, and now we are trying to prove the reliability of the guardian of the truth. PRIEST. Well here, as a matter of fact, we require faith. NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. Faith--yes, we need faith. We can't do without faith. Not, however, faith in what other people tell us, but faith in what we arrive at ourselves, by our own thought, our own reason ... faith in God, and in true and everlasting life. PRIEST. Reason may deceive. Each of us has a different mind.