impossible to praise him for it. In all he had painted and repainted he saw faults that hurt his eyes, coming from want of care in taking off the wrappings — faults he could not correct now without spoiling the whole. And in almost all the figures and faces he saw, too, remnants of the wrappings not perfectly removed that spoiled the picture.

“One thing might be said, if you will allow me to make the remark...” observed Golenishtchev.

“Oh, I shall be delighted, I beg you,” said Mihailov with a forced smile.

“That is, that you make Him the man-god, and not the God-man. But I know that was what you meant to do.”

“I cannot paint a Christ that is not in my heart,” said Mihailov gloomily.