IX
The chapter opens with the description of the grand indulgence of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a feast that doubles the workload for the seminarians. Because of his remarkable singing voice, Liudas Vasaris is taken away from his assistant duties by the choir professor and director, who deem him an indispensable chorister. The choir, freed from many liturgical obligations, spends the days before the feast rehearsing new pieces. On Saturday evening, families of clergymen arrive; the parlatorium buzzes with women’s laughter and the sound of new voices, which makes Liudas feel lonely and melancholy.
Liudas walks alone in the seminary garden, recalling a playful encounter with Liucė in Petryla’s garden. He feels a sudden emptiness and a yearning for a new, extraordinary encounter. Snow falls, the cathedral towers turn silver‑blue, and Liudas drifts into a dreamy reverie, imagining an idealized, unattainable lover.
The next morning, the choristers, including Liudas, rehearse for the upcoming mass. The liturgy begins with elaborate processions, candles, incense, and a richly decorated altar. As the mass proceeds, Liudas watches the congregation and, at the edge of the choir stalls, spots a young woman in a dark robe with a white silk shawl, dark hair tied in a wreath, and distant, sad eyes. He interprets her as a vision of an unknown, perfect feminine ideal, projecting his youthful longing onto her. He feels a surge of poetic love and a sense of communion with the whole church.
During the singing of the psalms, Liukas’s voice grows fuller, and his friends notice his sudden cheerfulness. They tease him about having guests, and Liudas laughs, enjoying the newfound attention. The evening’s dinner is noisy and jovial; the refectory is filled with clamor, and Liudas is among the first to join the singing. After Vespers, he spends the last half‑hour of the night with his friends, confident that the rector and inspector will not inspect the seminary that night.
Later, Petryla approaches Liudas in the garden and tells him that Liucė has written a letter and will soon come to the seminary. He jokes about her coming “with a suitcase” and teases Liudas about the upcoming meeting. Liudas feels a mixture of excitement and anxiety, but his longing for the mysterious woman he saw in the mass overshadows the practical anticipation of Liucė’s visit.
The chapter returns to the mass, now with the choir and clergy in full procession, incense thick, and the celebrant bearing a heavy cap. Liudas again steals glances toward the pillar where the unknown woman stands, feeling his chest warm and his resolve steady. After the mass, a solemn procession carries the monstrance; Liudas moves deliberately toward the pillar, hoping to glimpse her closer, but he only feels the brush of her silk as he passes. He falls asleep in his cold “labirintas” bed, dreaming of the woman’s face, while the festive day fades into night.