VASSILISA. Good people! Come! Look! He's dead! Murdered!
[_All crowd into the hallway near Kostilyoff. Bubnoff leaves the crowd
and crosses to Pepel._]
BUBNOFF [_in a low voice, to Pepel_] Vaska--the old man is done for!
PEPEL [_looks at him, as though he does not understand_] Go--for
help--she must be taken to the hospital . . . I'll settle with
them . . .
BUBNOFF. I say--the old man--somebody's killed him . . .
[_The noise on the stage dies out like a fire under water. Distinct,
whispered exclamations: "Not really?" "Well--let's go away, brothers!"
"The devil!" "Hold on now!" "Let's get away before the police comes!"
The crowd disappears. Bubnoff, the Tartar, Nastya, and Kvashnya, rush
up to Kostilyoff's body._]
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!