CHOIR (sings). Grant it, O Lord.
IN THE CROWD. This deacon never ends . . . First it’s Lord have mercy, then it’s grant it O Lord.
— I’m sick and tired of standing.
DEACON. Forgiveness and respite of our sins and trespasses we pray the Lord.
CHOIR (sings). Grant it, O Lord!
DEACON. Goodness and prosperity to our souls and peace to the world we pray the Lord.
IN THE CROWD. They’re starting to make noise again! Hey, people!
CHOIR (sings). Grant it, O Lord!
OLENINA. Pyotr, you’re trembling all over and breathing hard . . . Are you feeling faint?
SABININ. The lady in black . . . she . . . It’s all our fault . . .
OLENINA. What lady?
A groan.
SABININ. Repina is groaning . . . I’ll be brave, I’ll be brave . . . Kotelnikov is crushing my head with that crown . . . Never mind, never mind . . .
DEACON. That the remaining days of our life end in peace and repentance, we pray to the Lord.
CHOIR. Grant it, O Lord.
KOKOSHKIN. Vera’s as pale as death. Look, I think there are tears in her eyes. And he, he . . . look!
KOKOSHKINA. I already told her that the public would behave badly! I don’t understand why she decided to get married here. She should have gone to the country.
DEACON. A Christian end to our life, without sickness, without shame, in peace and with a clear conscience on the Day of Judgment, we pray to Christ.
CHOIR (sings). Grant it, O Lord!
KOKOSHKINA. We ought to ask Father Ivan to speed things up. She looks awful.
VOLGIN. Allow me, I’ll change places with you! (Changes places with Kotelnikov.)
DEACON. Having prayed for the unity of the faith and communion of the Holy Spirit both for ourselves and for each other, we dedicate our whole lives to Christ!
CHOIR (sings). To Thee, O Lord!
SABININ. Be brave, Vera, like me . . . Yes . . . Anyway, the service will be over soon. We’ll go away at once . . . It’s her . . .
VOLGIN. Ssh!
FR. IVAN. And vouchsafe us, Master, boldly and with impunity to dare to call upon Thee, our heavenly father God, and make utterance!
DIOCESAN CHOIR (sings). Our Father, Which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come . . .
MATVEEV (to the actors). Make a little room, kids, I want to kneel down. (Kneels and bows to the ground.) Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses . . .
DIOCESAN CHOIR. . . . Thy will be done, as it is in heaven . . . in heaven . . . our daily bread . . . daily!
MATVEEV. Remember, O Lord, Thy deceased handmaid Tatyana, and forgive her her sins both of commission and omission, and forgive us and have mercy upon us . . . (Getting up.) It’s hot!
DIOCESAN CHOIR. . . . give us this day and forgive . . . forgive us our trespasses . . . as we forgive those who trespass against us . . . our . . .
IN THE CROWD. Well, they’re really dragging out the notes!
DIOCESAN CHOIR. . . . and lead us not . . . us . . . us! into temptation, but deliver us from e-e-e-vil!
KOTELNIKOV (to the Deputy District Attorney). The groom’s got ants in his pants. Look at how he’s trembling!
DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. What’s come over him?
KOTELNIKOV. The lady in black who just had hysterics he thinks is Tatyana. He’s hallucinating.
FR. IVAN. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever, world without end.
CHOIR. Amen.
DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. Watch out that he doesn’t pull some kind of stunt!
KOTELNIKOV. He’ll kee-eep it together! He’s not that sort!
DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. Yes, he’s been through the wringer.
FR. IVAN. Peace be unto you.
CHOIR. And to Thy spirit.
DEACON. Bow your heads before the Lord!
CHOIR. Before Thee, O Lord!
IN THE CROWD. I think they’ll have the procession now. Sssh!
—Was there an inquest on the doctor’s wife?
— Not yet. They say her husband ran out on her. But after all Sabinin ran out on Repina! Didn’t he?
—Yes indeed . . .
— I remember the inquest on Repina . . .
DEACON. Pray to the Lord!
CHOIR. O Lord, have mercy!
FR. IVAN (reads). God, who by Thy might createst all things and upholdest the universe and adornest the crown of all things created by Thee, bless this common cup provided for the communion of the couple conjoined in matrimony with the blessing of Thy spirit. For blessèd is Thy name and glorified Thy kingdom, now and forever, world without end. (Gives Sabinin and Olenina a sip of wine.)
CHOIR. Amen.
DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. Look out, he’s about to faint.
KOTELNIKOV. He’s a tough customer. He’ll hold up.
IN THE CROWD. Don’t split up, people. We’ll all leave together. Is Zipunov here?
— He’s around somewhere. Just have to block the carriage and hiss for five minutes or so.
FR. IVAN. Please give me your hands. (Binds the hands of Sabinin and Olenina with a handkerchief.) Not too tight?
DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY (to the student). Give me the crown, young man, and you carry her train.
DIOCESAN CHOIR (sings). Rejoice, Esais, the virgin is with child . . .
FR. IVAN walks around the analogion; followed by the YOUNG COUPLE and the GROOM’S MEN.
IN THE CROWD. That student’s got tangled up in her train.
DIOCESAN CHOIR. . . . and bringeth forth a son, Emmanuel, God and man; the Orient is His name . . .
SABININ (to Volgin). Is it over?
DIOCESAN CHOIR. . . . whom magnifying we call the Virgin blest.
FR. IVAN walks around the lectern a second time.
CATHEDRAL CHOIR (sings). Holy martyrs, who suffered mightily for our salvation and are crowned, pray to the Lord our God to have mercy on our souls.
FR. IVAN (goes around for the third time and intones). . . . our so-ouls.
SABININ. My God, this goes on forever.
DIOCESAN CHOIR (sings). Glory unto Thee, Christ our God, apostle’s praise and martyrs’ joy, who preached the consubstantial Trinity.
OFFICER IN THE CROWD (to Kotelnikov). Warn Sabinin that the high-school boys and university students are planning to hiss him in the street.
KOTELNIKOV. Thank you. (To the Deputy District Attorney.) Honestly, how long does this stuff go on! This service will never be over!
DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. Now your hands are starting to tremble . . . What a lot of lightweights you all are!