The Lower Depths

PEPEL. May my hand wither if ever I touch you!

LUKA. Don’t doubt him, dear! He needs you more than you need him!

VASSILISA [from the window] So now they’re engaged! Love and advice!

NATASHA. They’ve come back – oh, God – they saw – oh, Vassily.

PEPEL. Why are you frightened? Nobody’ll dare touch you now!

VASSILISA. Don’t be afraid, Natalia! He won’t beat you.. he don’t know how to love or how to beat.. I know!

LUKA [in a low voice] Rotten old hag – like a snake in the grass.

VASSILISA. He dares only with the word!

KOSTILYOFF [enters] Natashka! What are you doing here, you parasite? Gossiping? Kicking about your family? And the samovar not ready? And the table not cleared?

NATASHA [going out] I thought you were going to church.. ?

KOSTILYOFF. None of your business what we intended doing! Mind your own affairs – and do what you’re told!

PEPEL. Shut up, you! She’s no longer your servant! Don’t go, Natalia – don’t do a thing!

NATASHA. Stop ordering me about – you’re commencing too soon! [Leaves]

PEPEL [to Kostilyoff] That’s enough. You’ve used her long enough – now she’s mine!

KOSTILYOFF. Yours? When did you buy her – and for how much?

[Vassilisa roars with laughter.]

LUKA. Go away, Vasya!

PEPEL. Don’t laugh, you fools – or first thing you know I’ll make you cry!

VASSILISA. Oh, how terrible! Oh – how you frighten me!

LUKA. Vassily – go away! Don’t you see – she’s goading you on.. ridiculing you, don’t you understand.. ?

PEPEL. Yes.. You lie, lie! You won’t get what you want!

VASSILISA. Nor will I get what I don’t want, Vasya!

PEPEL [shaking his fist at her] We’ll see.. [Exit]

VASSILISA [disappearing through window] I’ll arrange some wedding for you.

KOSTILYOFF [crossing to Luka] Well, old man, how’s everything?

LUKA. All right!

KOSTILYOFF. You’re going away, they say – ?

LUKA. Soon.

KOSTILYOFF. Where to?

LUKA. I’ll follow my nose.

KOSTILYOFF. Tramping, eh? Don’t like stopping in one place all the time, do you?

LUKA. Even water won’t pass beneath a stone that’s sunk too firmly in the ground, they say.

KOSTILYOFF. That’s true for a stone. But man must settle in one place. Men can’t live like cockroaches, crawling about wherever they want… A man must stick to one place – and not wander about aimlessly.

LUKA. But suppose his home is wherever he hangs his hat?

KOSTILYOFF. Why, then – he’s a vagabond, – useless.. a human being must be of some sort of use – he must work.

LUKA. That’s what you think, eh?

KOSTILYOFF. Yes – sure.. just look! What’s a vagabond? A strange fellow.. unlike all others. If he’s a real pilgrim then he’s some good in the world.. perhaps he discovered a new truth. Well – but not every truth is worth while. Let him keep it to himself and shut up about it! Or else – let him speak in a way which no one can understand.. don’t let him interfere.. don’t let him stir up people without cause! It’s none of his business how other people live! Let him follow his own righteous path.. in the woods – or in a monastery – away from everybody! He mustn’t interfere – nor condemn other people – but pray – pray for all of us – for all the world’s sins – for mine – for yours – for everybody’s. To pray – that’s why he forsakes the world’s turmoil! That’s so! [Pause] But you – what sort of a pilgrim are you – ? An honest person must have a passport.. all honest people have passports.. yes.. !

LUKA. In this world there are people – and also just plain men.

KOSTILYOFF. Don’t coin wise sayings! Don’t give me riddles! I’m as clever as you.. what’s the difference – people and men?

LUKA. What riddle is there? I say – there’s sterile and there’s fertile ground.. whatever you sow in it, grows.. that’s all.

KOSTILYOFF. What do you mean?

LUKA. Take yourself for instance.. if the Lord God himself said to you: “Mikhailo, be a man!” – it would be useless – nothing would come of it – you’re doomed to remain just as you are.

KOSTILYOFF. Oh – but do you realize that my wife’s uncle is a policeman, and that if I.

VASSILISA [coming in] Mikhail Ivanitch – come and have your tea.

KOSTILYOFF [to Luka] You listen! Get out! You leave this place – hear?

VASSILISA. Yes – get out, old man! Your tongue’s too long! And – who knows – you may be an escaped convict.

KOSTILYOFF. If I ever see sign of you again after to-day – well – I’ve warned you!

LUKA. You’ll call your uncle, eh? Go on – call him! Tell him you’ve caught an escaped convict – and maybe uncle’ll get a reward – perhaps all of three kopecks.

BUBNOFF [in the window] What are you bargaining about? Three kopecks – for what?

LUKA. They’re threatening to sell me.