SATINE. He'll get used to it. What could I do?
LUKA [_softly_] Look--here he comes!
[_Kleshtch walks in slowly, his head bowed low._]
SATINE. Hey, widower! Why are you so down in the mouth? What are you
thinking?
KLESHTCH. I'm thinking--what'll I do? I've no food--nothing--the
funeral ate up all . . .
SATINE. I'll give you a bit of advice . . . do nothing! Just be a
burden to the world at large!
KLESHTCH. Go on--talk--I'd be ashamed of myself . . .
SATINE. Why--people aren't ashamed to let you live worse than a dog.
Just think . . . you stop work--so do I--so do hundreds, thousands of
others--everybody--understand?--everybody'll quit working . . .
nobody'll do a damned thing--and then what'll happen?
KLESHTCH. They'll all starve to death . . .
LUKA [_to Satine_] If those are your notions, you ought to join the
order of Begunes--you know--there's some such organization . . .
SATINE. I know--grandfather--and they're no fools . . .
[_Natasha is heard screaming behind Kostilyoff's window: "What for?
Stop! What have I done?"_]
LUKA [_worried_] Natasha! That was she crying--oh, God . . .
[_From Kostilyoff's room is heard noise, shuffling, breaking of
crockery, and Kostilyoff's shrill cry: "Ah! Heretic! Bitch!"_]
VASSILISA. Wait, wait--I'll teach her--there, there!
NATASHA. They're beating me--killing me . . .
SATINE [_shouts through the window_] Hey--you there--. . .
LUKA [_trembling_] Where's Vassily--? Call Vaska--oh, God--listen,
brothers . . .
THE ACTOR [_running out_] I'll find him at once!
BUBNOFF. They beat her a lot these days . . .
SATINE. Come on, old man--we'll be witnesses . . .
LUKA [_following Satine_] Oh--witnesses--what for? Vassily--he should
be called at once!
NATASHA. Sister--sister dear! Va-a-a . . .
BUBNOFF. They've gagged her--I'll go and see . . .
[_The noise in Kostilyoff's room dies down gradually as if they had
gone into the hallway. The old man's cry: "Stop!" is heard. A door is
slammed noisily, and the latter sound cuts off all the other noises
sharply. Quiet on the stage. Twilight._]
KLESHTCH [_seated on the sledge, indifferently, rubbing his hands;
mutters at first indistinguishably, then:_] What then? One must live.
[_Louder_] Must have shelter--well? There's no shelter, no
roof--nothing . . . there's only man--man alone--no hope . . . no
help . . .
[_Exit slowly, his head bent. A few moments of ominous silence, then
somewhere in the hallway a mass of sounds, which grows in volume and
comes nearer. Individual voices are heard._]
VASSILISA. I'm her sister--let go . . .
KOSTILYOFF. What right have you . . . ?
VASSILISA. Jail-bird!
SATINE. Call Vaska--quickly! Zob--hit him!
[_A police whistle. The Tartar runs in, his right hand in a sling._]
THE TARTAR. There's a new law for you--kill only in daytime!
[_Enter Zob, followed by Miedviedieff._]
ZOB. I handed him a good one!
MIEDVIEDIEFF. You--how dare you fight?
THE TARTAR. What about yourself? What's your duty?
MIEDVIEDIEFF [_running after_] Stop--give back my whistle!
KOSTILYOFF [_runs in_] Abram! Stop him! Hold him! He's a murderer--he
. . .
[_Enter Kvashnya and Nastya supporting Natasha who is disheveled.
Satine backs away, pushing away Vassilisa who is trying to attack her
sister, while, near her, Alyoshka jumps up and down like a madman,
whistles into her ear, shrieking, roaring. Also other ragged men and
women._]
SATINE [_to Vassilisa_] Well--you damned bitch!
VASSILISA. Let go, you jail-bird! I'll tear you to pieces--if I have
to pay for it with my own life!
KVASHNYA [_leading Natasha aside_] You--Karpovna--that's enough--stand
back--aren't you ashamed? Or are you crazy?
MIEDVIEDIEFF [_seizes Satine_] Aha--caught at last!
SATINE. Zob--beat them up! Vaska--Vaska . . .
[_They all, in a chaotic mass, struggle near the brick wall. They lead
Natasha to the right, and set her on a pile of wood. Pepel rushes in
from the hallway and, silently, with powerful movements, pushes the
crowd aside._]
PEPEL. Natalia, where are you . . . you . . .
KOSTILYOFF [_disappearing behind a corner_] Abram! Seize Vaska!
Comrades--help us get him! The thief! The robber!
PEPEL. You--you old bastard! [_Aiming a terrific blow at Kostilyoff.
Kostilyoff falls so that only the upper part of his body is seen.
Pepel rushes to Natasha_]
VASSILISA. Beat Vaska! Brothers! Beat the thief!
MIEDVIEDIEFF [_yells to Satine_] Keep out of this--it's a family
affair . . . they're relatives--and who are you . . .
PEPEL [_to Natasha_] What did she do to you? She used a knife?
KVASHNYA. God--what beasts! They've scalded the child's feet with
boiling water!
NASTYA. They overturned the samovar . . .
THE TARTAR. Maybe an accident--you must make sure--you can't exactly
tell . . .