He knew that they were speaking of him. He heard them and, as always
at moments of temptation, he repeated the words, 'Lead us not into
temptation,' and bowing his head and lowering his eyes went past the
ambo and in by the north door, avoiding the canons in their cassocks who
were just then passing the altar-screen. On entering the sanctuary he
bowed, crossing himself as usual and bending double before the icons.
Then, raising his head but without turning, he glanced out of the corner
of his eye at the Abbot, whom he saw standing beside another glittering
figure.

The Abbot was standing by the wall in his vestments. Having freed his
short plump hands from beneath his chasuble he had folded them over
his fat body and protruding stomach, and fingering the cords of his
vestments was smilingly saying something to a military man in the
uniform of a general of the Imperial suite, with its insignia
and shoulder-knots which Father Sergius's experienced eye at once
recognized. This general had been the commander of the regiment in which
Sergius had served. He now evidently occupied an important position, and
Father Sergius at once noticed that the Abbot was aware of this and that
his red face and bald head beamed with satisfaction and pleasure. This
vexed and disgusted Father Sergius, the more so when he heard that the
Abbot had only sent for him to satisfy the general's curiosity to see a
man who had formerly served with him, as he expressed it.

'Very pleased to see you in your angelic guise,' said the general,
holding out his hand. 'I hope you have not forgotten an old comrade.'

The whole thing--the Abbot's red, smiling face amid its fringe of grey,
the general's words, his well-cared-for face with its self-satisfied