DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. It’s coming from Kotelnikov.
KOTELNIKOV. That’s a lie.
VOLGIN. Ssh!
FR. IVAN. O Lord our God, may they be crowned with honor and glory! O Lord our God, may they be crowned with honor and glory! O Lord our God, may they be crowned with honor and glory!
KOKOSHKINA (to her husband). Doesn’t Vera look pretty today? I can’t take my eyes off her. And she isn’t nervous at all.
KOKOSHKIN. She’s an old hand at this. After all, she’s getting married for the second time.
KOKOSHKINA. Yes, that’s true. (Sighs.) I wish her joy with all my soul! She has such a kind heart!
SACRISTAN (walking out into the middle of the church). The Prokimenon4 chapter eight. Thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head; He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest it him.
DIOCESAN CHOIR (sings). Thou settest on his head . . .
PATRONNIKOV. I’d like a smoke.
SACRISTAN. A reading from the Apostle Paul.5
DEACON. Let us hearken!
SACRISTAN (intoning in a low bass). Brethren, give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let wives be to their husbands in everything . . .
SABININ (to Kotelnikov). You’re crushing my head with the crown.
KOTELNIKOV. You’re imagining it. I’m holding the crown a good six inches away from your head.
SABININ. I’m telling you, you’re crushing me!
SACRISTAN. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, having neither spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
VOLGIN. That’s a good bass voice . . . (To Kotelnikov.) You want me to take over for you?
KOTELNIKOV. I’m not tired yet.
SACRISTAN. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church, for we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. For this reason shall a man leave his father and mother . . .
SABININ. Hold the crown higher. You’re crushing me.
KOTELNIKOV. Don’t be silly!
SACRISTAN. . . . and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh . . .
KOKOSHKIN. The Governor’s here.
KOKOSHKINA. Where do you see him?
KOKOSHKIN. He’s standing over near the choir on the right, next to Altukhov. He’s incognito.
KOKOSHKINA. I see ‘im, I see ‘im. He’s talking to Mashenka Hansen. He’s got a crush on her.
SACRISTAN. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband!
CATHEDRAL CHOIR (sings). Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah . . .
IN THE CROWD. You hear that, Nataliya Sergeevna? The wife should reverence her husband.
— Leave me out of it!
Laughter.
— Ssh! People, it’s impolite!
SACRISTAN. Ask for wisdom, let us hear the Holy Gospel!
FR. IVAN. Peace be with you!
DIOCESAN CHOIR (sings). And with Thy Spirit!
IN THE CROWD. The Acts of the Apostles, the Gospels . . . how long this all takes! It’s high time they left our soul in peace.
—It’s impossible to breathe. I’m leaving.
— Don’t go. Wait, it’ll be over soon.
FR. IVAN. A reading from the Holy Gospel of St. John!6
DEACON. Let us hearken.
FR. IVAN (removes his kamelaukion). And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come . . .
SABININ (to Kotelnikov). Will it be over soon?
KOTELNIKOV. I don’t know, I’m an ignoramus about this stuff. I suppose it’ll be soon.
VOLGIN. The procession is still to come.
FR. IVAN. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast . . .
A groan is heard.
VOLGIN. Kes keh say?7 Did somebody get trampled or what?
IN THE CROWD. Sssh! Quiet!
Groan.
FR. IVAN. . . . and they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made into wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called for the bridegroom, and saith unto him . . .
SABININ (to Kotelnikov). Who’s groaning now?
KOTELNIKOV (staring into the crowd). Something’s moving . . . Some lady in black . . . I suppose she fainted . . . They’re taking her away . . .
SABININ (staring). Hold it higher, the crown . . .
FR. IVAN. . . . every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse; but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory; and His disciples believed on Him —
IN THE CROWD. I can’t understand why they let hysterics in here!
DIOCESAN CHOIR. Glory unto Thee, O Lord, glory unto Thee!
PATRONNIKOV. Stop humming like a bee, David Solomonovich. And don’t turn your back on the altar. It’s not right.
SONNENSTEIN. It’s that young lady who’s humming like a bee, not me . . . heh, heh, heh.
SACRISTAN. Let all of us say with all our soul and with all our mind . . .
CATHEDRAL CHOIR (sings). Lord, have mercy . . .
DEACON. Lord Almighty, God our Father, we pray, hear us and be merciful.
IN THE CROWD. Ssh! Quiet!
— But I’m the one being pushed!
CHOIR (sings). O Lord, have mercy!
IN THE CROWD. Ssh! Quiet!
—Who fainted?
DEACON. Have mercy on us, God, in Thy great loving kindness, we pray Thee, hear us and be merciful.