'God the All-powerful doth arise
And judgeth in the congregation of the mighty!. . .
How long, how long, saith the Lord,
Will ye have mercy on the wicked?
"Ye have to keep the laws. . ."'
'Sit down!' Baburin said to him. Punin sat down, but continued:
'To save the guiltless and needy,
To give shelter to the afflicted,
To defend the weak from the oppressors.'
Punin at the word 'oppressors' pointed to the seignorial abode, and then poked the driver in the back.
'To deliver the poor out of bondage!
They know not! neither will they understand!. . .'
Nikolai Antonov running out of the seignorial abode, shouted at the top of his voice to the coachman: 'Get away with you! owl! go along! don't stay lingering here!' and the cart rolled away. Only in the distance could still be heard:
'Arise, O Lord God of righteousness!. . .
Come forth to judge the unjust—
And be Thou the only Ruler of the nations!'
'What a clown!' remarked Nikolai Antonov.
'He didn't get enough of the rod in his young days,' observed the deacon, appearing on the steps. He had come to inquire what hour it would please the mistress to fix for the night service.
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