“Is that really your conviction as to the consequences of the disappearance of the faith in immortality?” the elder asked Ivan suddenly. “Yes. That was my contention. There is no virtue if there is no immortality.” “You are blessed in believing that, or else most unhappy.” “Why unhappy?” Ivan asked smiling. “Because, in all probability you don’t believe yourself in the immortality of your soul, nor in what you have written yourself in your article on Church jurisdiction.” “Perhaps you are right! . . . But I wasn’t altogether joking,” Ivan suddenly and strangely confessed, flushing quickly.
