The Lower Depths

KVASHNYA. Well – my love-sick garrison – ? Bubnoff! He came up to me again on the marketplace and started pestering me about marrying him.

BUBNOFF. Go to it! Why not? He has money and he’s still a husky fellow.

MIEDVIEDIEFF. Me – ? I should say so!

KVASHNYA. You ruffian! Don’t you dare touch my sore spot! I’ve gone through it once already, darling. Marriage to a woman is just like jumping through a hole in the ice in winter. You do it once, and you remember it the rest of your life.

MIEDVIEDIEFF. Wait! There are different breeds of husbands.

KVASHNYA. But there’s only one of me! When my beloved husband kicked the bucket, I spent the whole day all by my lonely – just bursting with joy. I sat and simply couldn’t believe it was true..

MIEDVIEDIEFF. If your husband beat you without cause, you should have complained to the police.

KVASHNYA. I complained to God for eight years – and he didn’t help.

MIEDVIEDIEFF. Nowadays the law forbids to beat your wife.. all is very strict these days – there’s law and order everywhere. You can’t beat up people without due cause. If you beat them to maintain discipline – all right.

LUKA [comes in with Anna] Well – we finally managed to get here after all. Oh, you! Why do you, weak as you are, walk about alone? Where’s your bunk?

ANNA [pointing] Thank you, grand-dad.

KVASHNYA. There – she’s married – look at her!

LUKA. The little woman is in very bad shape.. she was creeping along the hallway, clinging to the wall and moaning – why do you leave her by herself?

KVASHNYA. Oh, pure carelessness on our part, little father – forgive us! Her maid, it appears, went out for a walk.

LUKA. Go on – poke fun at me.. but, all the same, how can you neglect a human being like that? No matter who or what, every human life has its worth.

MIEDVIEDIEFF. There should be supervision! Suppose she died suddenly – ? That would cause a lot of bother.. we must look after her!

LUKA. True, sergeant!

MIEDVIEDIEFF. Well – yes – though I’m not a sergeant – ah – yet!

LUKA. No! But you carry yourself most martially!

[Noise of shuffling feet is heard in the hallway. Muffled cries.]

MIEDVIEDIEFF. What now – a row?

BUBNOFF. Sounds like it?

KVASHNYA. I’ll go and see.

MIEDVIEDIEFF. I’ll go, too. It is my duty! Why separate people when they fight? They’ll stop sooner or later of their own accord. One gets tired of fighting. Why not let them fight all they want to – freely? They wouldn’t fight half as often – if they’d remember former beatings.

BUBNOFF [climbing down from his bunk] Why don’t you speak to your superiors about it?

KOSTILYOFF [throws open the door and shouts] Abram! Come quick – Vassilisa is killing Natasha – come quick!

[Kvashnya, Miedviedieff, and Bubnoff rush into hallway; Luka looks after them, shaking his head.]

ANNA. Oh God – poor little Natasha.

LUKA. Who’s fighting out there?

ANNA. Our landladies – they’re sisters.

LUKA [crossing to Anna] Why?

ANNA. Oh – for no reason – except that they’re both fat and healthy.

LUKA. What’s your name?

ANNA. Anna.. I look at you.. you’re like my father – my dear father.. you’re as gentle as he was – and as soft..

LUKA. Soft! Yes! They pounded me till I got soft! [Laughs tremulously]

CURTAIN

ACT TWO

Same as Act I – Night.

On the bunks near the stove Satine, the Baron, Krivoy Zob, and the Tartar play cards. Kleshtch and the Actor watch them. Bubnoff, on his bunk, is playing checkers with Miedviedieff. Luka sits on a stool by Anna’s bedside. The place is lit by two lamps, one on the wall near the card players, the other is on Bubnoff’s bunk.

THE TARTAR. I’ll play one more game – then I’ll stop.

BUBNOFF. Zob! Sing! [He sings]

“The sun rises and sets.”

ZOB [joining in]

“But my prison is dark, dark.”

THE TARTAR [to Satine] Shuffle the cards – and shuffle them well. We know your kind —

ZOB AND BUBNOFF [together]

“Day and night the wardens
Watch beneath my window.”

ANNA. Blows – insults – I’ve had nothing but that all my life long.

LUKA. Don’t worry, little mother!