LUKA. In other words--I don't sing well?
PEPEL. Evidently!
LUKA. Well, well--and I thought I sang well. That's always the way: a
man imagines there's one thing he can do well, and suddenly he finds
out that other people don't think so . . .
PEPEL [_laughs_] That's right . . .
BUBNOFF. First you say you feel dreary--and then you laugh!
PEPEL. None of your business, raven!
LUKA. Who do they say feels dreary?
PEPEL. I do.
[_The Baron enters._]
LUKA. Well, well--out there in the kitchen there's a girl reading and
crying! That's so! Her eyes are wet with tears . . . I say to her:
"What's the matter, darling?" And she says: "It's so sad!" "What's so
sad?" say I. "The book!" says she.--And that's how people spend their
time. Just because they're bored . . .
THE BARON. She's a fool!
PEPEL. Have you had tea, Baron?
THE BARON. Yes. Go on!
PEPEL. Well--want me to open a bottle?
THE BARON. Of course. Go on!
PEPEL. Drop on all fours, and bark like a dog!
THE BARON. Fool! What's the matter with you? Are you drunk?
PEPEL. Go on--bark a little! It'll amuse me. You're an aristocrat. You
didn't even consider us human formerly, did you?
THE BARON. Go on!
PEPEL. Well--and now I am making you bark like a dog--and you will
bark, won't you?
THE BARON. All right. I will. You jackass! What pleasure can you
derive from it since I myself know that I have sunk almost lower than
you. You should have made me drop on all fours in the days when I was
still above you.
BUBNOFF. That's right . . .
LUKA. I say so, too!
BUBNOFF. What's over, is over. Remain only trivialities. We know no
class distinctions here. We've shed all pride and self-respect. Blood
and bone--man--just plain man--that's what we are!
LUKA. In other words, we're all equal . . . and you, friend, were you
really a Baron?
THE BARON. Who are you? A ghost?
LUKA [_laughing_] I've seen counts and princes in my day--this is the
first time I meet a baron--and one who's decaying--at that!
PEPEL [_laughing_] Baron, I blush for you!
THE BARON. It's time you knew better, Vassily . . .
LUKA. Hey-hey--I look at you, brothers--the life you're leading . . .
BUBNOFF. Such a life! As soon as the sun rises, our voices rise,
too--in quarrels!
THE BARON. We've all seen better days--yes! I used to wake up in the
morning and drink my coffee in bed--coffee--with cream! Yes--
LUKA. And yet we're all human beings. Pretend all you want to, put on
all the airs you wish, but man you were born, and man you must die.
And as I watch I see that the wiser people get, the busier they
get--and though from bad to worse, they still strive to
improve--stubbornly--
THE BARON. Who are you, old fellow? Where do you come from?