`I have doubted - I doubt everything,' said Levin in a voice that jarred on himself, and he ceased speaking.

The priest waited a few seconds to see if he would not say more, and closing his eyes he said quickly, with a broad, Vladimirsky accent:

`Doubt is natural to the weakness of mankind, but we must pray that God in His mercy will strengthen us. What are your special sins?' he added, without the slightest interval, as though anxious not to waste time.

`My chief sin is doubt. I have doubts of everything, and for the most part I am in doubt.'

`Doubt is natural to the weakness of mankind,' the priest repeated the same words. `What do you doubt about principally?'

`I doubt everything. I sometimes even have doubts of the existence of God,' Levin could not help saying, and he was horrified at the impropriety of what he was saying. But Levin's words did not, it seemed, make much impression on the priest.

`What sort of doubt can there be of the existence of God?' he said hurriedly, with a barely perceptible smile.

Levin did not speak.

`What doubt can you have of the Creator when you behold His creation?' the priest went on in the rapid customary recitative. `Who has decked the heavenly firmament with its lights? Who has clothed the earth in its beauty? How explain it without the Creator?' he said, looking inquiringly at Levin.

Levin felt that it would be improper to enter upon a metaphysical discussion with the priest, and so he said in reply merely what was a direct answer to the question.

`I don't know,' he said.

`You don't know! Then how can you doubt that God created all?' the priest said, with good-humored perplexity.

`I don't understand it at all,' said Levin, blushing, and feeling that his words were stupid, and that they could not be anything but stupid in such a position.

`Pray to God and beseech Him. Even the holy fathers had doubts, and prayed to God to strengthen their faith. The devil has great power, and we must resist him. Pray to God, beseech Him. Pray to God,' he repeated hurriedly.

The priest paused for some time, as though meditating.

`You, I hear, are about to marry the daughter of my parishioner and son in the spirit, Prince Shcherbatsky?' he resumed, with a smile. `An excellent young lady.'

`Yes,' answered Levin, blushing for the priest. `What does he want to ask me about this at confession for?' he thought.

And, as though answering his thought, the priest said to him:

`You are about to enter into holy matrimony, and God may bless you with offspring. Are you? - Well, what sort of bringing-up can you give your babes if you do not overcome the temptation of the devil, enticing you to infidelity?' he said, with gentle reproachfulness. `If you love your child as a good father, you will not desire only wealth, luxury, honor for your infant; you will be anxious for his salvation, his