The Lower Depths

VASSILISA [rises and cries out triumphantly] Killed – my husband’s killed! Vaska killed him! I saw him! Brothers, I saw him! Well – Vasya – the police!

PEPEL [moves away from Natasha] Let me alone. [Looks at Kostilyoff; to Vassilisa] Well – are you glad? [Touches the corpse with his foot] The old bastard is dead! Your wish has been granted! Why not do the same to you? [Throws himself at her]

[Satine and Zob quickly overpower him, and Vassilisa disappears in the passage.]

SATINE. Come to your senses!

ZOB. Hold on! Not so fast!

VASSILISA [appearing] Well, Vaska, dear friend? You can’t escape your fate… Police – Abram – whistle!

MIEDVIEDIEFF. Those devils tore my whistle off!

ALYOSHKA. Here it is! [Whistles, Miedviedieff runs after him]

SATINE [leading Pepel to Natasha] Don’t be afraid, Vaska! Killed in a row! That’s nonsense – only manslaughter – you won’t have to serve a long term.

VASSILISA. Hold Vaska – he killed him – I saw it!

SATINE. I, too, gave the old man a couple of blows – he was easily fixed.. you call me as witness, Vaska!

PEPEL. I don’t need to defend myself.. I want to drag Vassilisa into this mess – and I’ll do it – she was the one who wanted it.. she was the one who urged me to kill him – she goaded me on.

NATASHA [sudden and loud] Oh – I understand – so that’s it, Vassily? Good people! They’re both guilty – my sister and he – they’re both guilty! They had it all planned! So, Vassily, that’s why you spoke to me a while ago – so that she should overhear everything – ? Good people! She’s his mistress – you know it – everybody knows it – they’re both guilty! She – she urged him to kill her husband – he was in their way – and so was I! And now they’ve maimed me.

PEPEL. Natalia! What’s the matter with you? What are you saying?

SATINE. Oh – hell!

VASSILISA. You lie. She lies. He – Vaska killed him.

NATASHA. They’re both guilty! God damn you both!

SATINE. What a mix-up! Hold on, Vassily – or they’ll ruin you between them!

ZOB. I can’t understand it – oh – what a mess!

PEPEL. Natalia! It can’t be true! Surely you don’t believe that I – with her —

SATINE. So help me God, Natasha! Just think.

VASSILISA [in the passage] They’ve killed my husband – Your Excellency! Vaska Pepel, the thief, killed him. Captain! I saw it – everybody saw it.

NATASHA [tossing about in agony; her mind wandering] Good people – my sister and Vaska killed him! The police – listen – this sister of mine – here – she urged, coaxed her lover – there he stands – the scoundrel! They both killed him! Put them in jail! Bring them before the judge! Take me along, too! To prison! Christ Almighty – take me to prison, too!

CURTAIN

ACT FOUR

Same as Act I. But Pepel’s room is no longer there, and the partition has been removed. Furthermore, there is no anvil at the place where Kleshtch used to sit and work. In the corner, where Pepel’s room used to be, the Tartar lies stretched out, rather restless, and groaning from time to time. Kleshtch sits at one end of the table, repairing a concertina and now and then testing the stops. At the other end of the table sit Satine, the Baron, and Nastya. In front of them stand a bottle of vodka, three bottles of beer, and a large loaf of black bread. The Actor lies on top of the stove, shifting about and coughing. It is night. The stage is lit by a lamp in the middle of the table. Outside the wind howls.

KLESHTCH. Yes.. he disappeared during the confusion and noise.

THE BARON. He vanished under the very eyes of the police – just like a puff of smoke.

SATINE. That’s how sinners flee from the company of the righteous!

NASTYA. He was a dear old soul! But you – you aren’t men – you’re just – oh – like rust on iron!

THE BARON [drinks] Here’s to you, my lady!

SATINE. He was an inquisitive old fellow – yes! Nastenka here fell in love with him.

NASTYA. Yes! I did! Madly! It’s true! He saw everything – understood everything.

SATINE [laughing] Yes, generally speaking, I would say that he was – oh – like mush to those who can’t chew..

THE BARON [laughing] Right! Like plaster on a boil!

KLESHTCH. He was merciful – you people don’t know what pity means.

SATINE. What good can I do you by pitying you?

KLESHTCH. You needn’t have pity – but you needn’t harm or offend your fellow-beings, either!

THE TARTAR [sits up on his bunk, nursing his wounded hand carefully] He was a fine old man. The law of life was the law of his heart.. and he who obeys this law, is good, while he who disregards it, perishes.

THE BARON. What law, Prince?

THE TARTAR. There are a number – different ones – you know.

THE BARON. Proceed!

THE TARTAR. Do not do harm unto others – such is the law!

SATINE. Oh – you mean the Penal Code, criminal and correctional, eh?

THE BARON. And also the Code of Penalties inflicted by Justices of the Peace!

THE TARTAR. No. I mean the Koran. It is the supreme law – and your own soul ought to be the Koran – yes!

KLESHTCH [testing his concertina] It wheezes like all hell! But the Prince speaks the truth – one must live abiding by the law – by the teachings of the Gospels.

SATINE. Well – go ahead and do it!

THE BARON. Just try it!

THE TARTAR. The Prophet Mohammed gave to us the law. He said: “Here is the law! Do as it is written therein!” Later on a time will arrive when the Koran will have outlived its purpose – and time will bring forth its own laws – every generation will create its own.