Merezhkovsky's article on the popular writer Leonid Andreev (the first one in his book "В тихом омуте," 1908) is entitled "В обезьяньих лапах" ("In the Simian Paws"). In the second sentence/paragraph the author mentions Andreev's friend Maxim Gorky (Troshcheykin's namesake Aleksei Maksimovich Peshkov), the author of "Дед Архип и Лёнька" ("Grandfather Arkhip and Lyon'ka," 1894):

Когда я думаю о судьбе таких русских писателей, как Максим Горький и Леонид Андреев, заласканных, задушенных славою, то мне вспоминается ребёнок в обезьяньих лапах.

The devil is also mentioned in Merezhkovsky's article:

Я не боюсь того, чем Андреев меня пугает;* но боюсь, чтоб он сам не испугался, как дети, которым однажды, во время игры в чёрта, явился чёрт.

On the other hand, Merezhkovsky quotes Christ's words that we should love our enemies:

Христос говорит: «Любите врагов ваших».

In VN's play (Act Three) Barboshin says that one day former enemies will embrace each other, and the enemies of their enemies, and the enemies of their children, and the children of their enemies.

Troshcheykin slapped Barbashin (after the latter was disarmed by Mikhail Ivanovich, Troshcheykin's brother-in-law) in the face. Leonid Andreev is the author of the play "Тот, кто получает пощёчины" ("The One who is Slapped in the Face," 1915). Its characters include Alfred Bezano, a circus jockey. Alfred is Barboshin's first name.

Speaking of the devils, Leonid Andreev (1871-1919) is the author of "Дневник Сатаны" ("Satan's Diary," 1919). The Satan in it appears in disguise of the American millionaire Henry Vandergood.

*Tolstoy, too, said that Andreev tries to frighten him but he is not scared.

Alexey Sklyarenko