What is your name? – He strictly asked Grisha.
Grisha, – the young man wasn’t confused and answered with a smile.
Krishna? – Sai Baba asked again even more strictly, but his eyes were laughing.
No, I’m Russian and my name is Grisha, – the translator answered as if continuing some game.
And why are you here with Englishmen, Krishna? Do you ant to translate my words on Russian for them? You should not; Russians understand everything well even without them. – He finished talking to Grisha with this strange phrase and only after it paid his attention to Holmes and his friend. – What has led you to me?
I would like to understand the “picnics”, – Holmes decided to go straight forth.
Yes, the picnics are easy, – Sai Baba told as of something well known – you have seen how it is made, – he nodded at the women on his left and continued immediately becoming serious. – Even if I wanted it I would not be able to explain you how the picnics were made. One should feel everything himself. And what are you doing? – And without waiting for an answer he declared for everybody. – He tries to understand how to make a “picnic” though he has never done them himself.
Faces of the presents showed that they completely didn’t realize what did the matter concerned of. But Sai Baba talked via eyes and words at different levels. That old and wise man knew much more that he could tell his visitors. Holmes understood that he would tell nothing by words. So he was just to read that, what was going in some unclear images from Sai Baba’s eyes. And his eyes wonderfully young and vivid read his visitor and told at once. But how hard was to read unfamiliar images from ancient ages; and even more difficult was to translate those images on any common language. Holmes remembered what Verov had told about concepts as of united systems of images and words in Spain. But that time even Verov was powerless.
And you, – Sai Baba strictly asked Prakash, – why are you here? You are not an Englishmen but like everything English. It is not good.
I help Mr. Holmes, – Kumar answered joining his hands like a prayer and his face changed its colour from swarthy to grey.
I know whom do you help and how, – Sai Baba smiled once again, – but why do you help little to your brother?
He lives in Russia and is doing well.
But he has more deals that he does not consider to be his deals. But they mean much for Russia and India. And you must help him, but for this you must understand that, what your brother has not understood yet. And Krishna understands something about these deals. – And he gave a conspiratorial wink to Grisha. – Help me, – he addressed to Prakash, and it was a sigh of a peculiar favour.
Prakash with prayerfully joined hands on his knees crept to the armchair. Sai Baba rose leaning on his shoulder showing thus that the audience was finished. Everybody stood up and went to exit. The huge space of the temple was lighted by the morning Sun and … empty. The conversation lasted for an hour but the crowd of five thousands had time to go away; and it perplexed Holmes a little. Pilgrims were going for breakfast and Holmes with his “escort” went to canteen too. After the breakfast Grisha offered to show the sights of ashram. During short walk Holmes saw the Museum of All Religions and the sacred tree. It was told, that sitting on it Sai Baba even in his childhood created exotic fruits for his neighbours. It was only about ten o’clock but the Sun burned unmercifully. Holmes asked Grisha to guide him to the local “post-office” to call to London. Audibility was fine and Watson told that he was ready to discuss the “picnics”. After phoning Holmes suggested returning to the hotel. Prakash alleged the need of solving a problem of leaving Puttaparthi and disappeared somewhere. Grisha went for his folder. Holmes waiting for Grisha stood near the hotel building called “NORD, 4”. His eyes fell on big tree near the stonewall fencing the whole ashram in. At that moment Grisha appeared.
Grisha, say me please, where did those Russians live?
Here, – Grisha pointed at the building “NORD, 4”, – they liked walking around this area and being amused by a family of monkeys living at this tree. Would you like to watch?
Holmes approached the tree attracted his attention and indeed saw sly snouts of young marmosets and their parents between bushes.
And how long have they been living here?
Oh, for long time, pilgrims feed them and consider being their good old friends.
Holmes accompanied by Grisha returned to his room and asked to tell in details of the Russians’ last year visit to the temple.
Everything had started as it was today with you, Mr. Holmes. But the Russians asked many questions to Swami at the first meeting. And their group of five men and six women didn’t seem to be unified. I’ve already told that I hadn’t been at their first meeting and know it only from descriptions. Swami for some purpose didn’t answer at once but postponed the meeting on the next day. However he wanted to talk only with three Russians, who had just come from Petersburg. Other eight had waited for eight months but Swami refused to see them again after the first time. Moreover he demanded talking without women and with a good translator. Thus the sign was given to me that my presence at the expecting conversation was desired because there weren’t other translators from Russian.
Grisha, and why did Sai Baba call you Krishna? – Holmes.
It is a kind of “game”, – Grisha smiled, – he calls me so every time in new guests’ presence.
And how do you think, does Sai Baba really create things I’ve seen from nothing?
Yes, and he says that everybody can do so. But I think he realizes that not everybody can. Look, he presented me this ring, – Grisha showed the ring with big a diamond on his right hand, – and I believe that he had created it himself, though outwardly all this is indistinguishable from illusionism. One of the Russians explained it from position of idea that the Universe is a process of triunity of matter, information and measure.
Tell it in more detail, Grisha. It seems to me that “creating” practise of Sai Baba directly refers to the “picnics” solution.