"The title's torn out," answered Jakov, sinking his voice, "but it's all about the very beginning of things. It's difficult, and so horrible. It says that Thales, of Miletus, first of all said: 'All life proceeds from the water, and God dwells in matter as the power of life.' And then there was a wicked man called Diagoras, who taught that there were more gods than one, and he didn't believe in God properly. And Epicurus is talked about, and he said that there is a God, but He troubles about no one, and cares for no one. That's to say that if there is a God, men have nothing to do with Him; at least, that's how I understand it. Live just as you please, there's no one who takes any heed what you do." Ilya got up out of his chair with wrinkled brow, and interrupted his friend's discourse. "It'd be a good thing to take that book and thump you on the head with it." "Whatever for?" cried Jakov, hurt at Ilya's comment. "So's you won't read any more, stupid! And the man who wrote that book's a stupid too." He went round the table, bent over his friend, full of anger, shouting at Jakov, as though hammering his big head with the words. "There is a God! He sees everything. He knows everything. There's no one beside Him. Life is given to you to try you, and sin to prove you. Can you stand firm or no? If you can't then comes the punishment, be sure of it. Not from men; from Him, d'you see? It'll come; it won't fail." "Stop!" cried Jakov. "Did I say anything about that?" "I don't care. Your punishment'll come. How can you judge me, eh?" cried Ilya, pale with excitement, mastered by a quite incomprehensible passion that had caught him all of a sudden. "Not a hair falls from your head, except by His will, d'you hear? And if I have fallen into sin, it was by His will, you fool!" "Are you crazy or what is it?" cried Jakov, terrified, and leaning against the wall. "What sin have you fallen into?" Ilya heard the question through the buzzing and roaring in his ears, and it was like a cold breath blowing upon him. He looked suspiciously at Jakov and at Masha, who was also disturbed by his excitement and outcry. "I was only speaking by way of example," he said, in a dull way, and sat down again. "You don't seem well," remarked Masha shyly. "Your eyes are so heavy," added Jakov, and examined him attentively. Ilya passed his hand involuntarily over his eyes and said, quietly: "It's nothing; it'll pass off."