At six o'clock in the evening the bell rang out.
Phanis went into the church and stayed in a corner, near a column.
Then the other children came there too. Mr Stephan sat down in a stall. The church was dark and there was a scent like laurel.
Phanis saw large paintings of saints on the walls and domed ceiling. The figures were blackened with time, but the halo around their heads still shone.
The oldest monk, father Joseph, entered first, his back bent and his legs trembling. Despite his age he passed in front of all the icons and kissed them, one after the other, in the order of the saints, whispering the praises of each one. After which he dragged himself to the stall of the cantor on the left and sat down with great difficulty.
Father Gabriel, who officiated, discreetly opened the Holy Door on the right on which was painted the archangel with the starred sword, and went inside. He wore his stole and said: “Glory to our God, now and forever and for centuries and centuries”.
Then vespers began.
At regular intervals a monk came into the church very slowly, as if he were just a shadow, and sat in a stall. There he remained standing, still, only moving his hand from time to time to make the sign of the cross.
Father Ambroise, the Hagiorite, with his delicate voice was a fine connaisseur of song thanks to ancient books, psalmodied without moving either his head or hand. He was singing immobile, like a pillar in the church, because that's how they do it on Mount Athos. On his left father Joseph responded. We could hardly hear his voice.
As soon as the pope had said the last vow, the monks came out of their stalls, made the sign of the cross and went out of the church, one by one.
Father Joseph was the last and began again to greet the icons in order, on trembling legs. After kissing them for a long time, he left slowly, murmuring the psalms through half-closed lips.
From the church he then crossed the garden, found his white goat attached to the fence and gave him some fresh grass to eat. Then he went and retreated to his cell.