, awaitingtheelder, twomonksofthehermitage, onetheFatherLibrarian, andtheotherFatherPa?ssy, averylearnedman, sotheysaid, indelicatehealth, , wholookedabouttwoandtwenty, , freshface, andclever, observant, narrowbrowneyes, , , butself-respecting, , andsonotonanequalitywiththeguests, hedidnotgreetthemwithabow.
FatherZossimawasaccompaniedbyanovice, , touchingthegroundwiththeirfingers; , theelderrepliedwithasdeepareverencetothem, , notlikeaneverydayrite.ButMiüsovfanciedthatitwasalldonewithintentionalimpressiveness.—hehadreflecteduponittheeveningbefore—fromsimplepoliteness, sinceitwasthecustomhere, tohavegoneuptoreceivetheelder'sblessing, , conventionalbow, , mimickingMiüsovlikeanape.Ivanbowedwithgreatdignityandcourtesy, buthetookepthishandsathissides, , andbowingtothemagain, '.
FatherZossimasatdownonaveryold-fashionedmahoganysofa, coveredwithleather, andmadehisvisitorssitdowninarowalongtheoppositewallonfourmahoganychairs, , , thenovice, , , , and, nextthem, carvedcherubims, chinaeggs, aCatholiccrossofivory, withaMaterDolorosaembracingit, , , pastandpresent.
Miüsovtookacursoryglanceatallthese "conventional" , aweaknessexcusableinhimashewasfifty, , indeed, somethingintheelder'sfacewhichmanypeoplebesidesMiüsovmightnothaveliked.Hewasashort, bent, littleman, withveryweaklegs, andthoughhewasonlysixty-five, , particularlynumerousabouthiseyes, whichweresmall, light-colored, quick, , andhislips, whichsmiledfrequently, , butsharp, likeabird'sbeak.
