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Updated: May 20, 2025
Some time after Ivan suddenly appeared among them carrying in his hand the bag, which was now filled. "Shall I divide this with you?" he said. "Yes; divide!" they sang in chorus. So Ivan put his hand into the bag and drew it out full of gold coins, which he scattered among them. "Batiushka," they cried as they ran to gather up the precious pieces.
"Now, if I address one of these men, he will call me batiushka, and he will call you matushka."* * A respectfully affectionate diminutive, equivalent to dear little father, dear little mother. We began to price shoes, new and old, and so forth, with the result which the count had predicted.
Wildly clutching at his hair, he exclaimed: "Batiushka! What will I do now? What will become of me?" At the same time he realized that he was near his neighbors' house and could be seen by them; so he turned the mare around, and, pulling his hat down securely upon his head, he rode quickly back in search of his lost treasure.
But come, drink this, then you can go up and see for yourself." So saying she handed him a tumbler of champagne well dashed with brandy. He drank it down at a gulp, like the Russian that he was, and said as he put the glass down "That's better. I feel a new man. Now give me a kiss, batiushka, and I'll be off."
When we beheld this, we modestly stood aside, and allowed our companions, the other four Russian men, to receive anointment in like manner, and pass on after the monk, who was in haste to return to his bank vault. As I approached the priest, he raised his brush. "We are not Orthodox Christians, batiushka,"* I said. "But pray give us your blessing." * Little father.
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