The Lower Depths. Максим Горький

become our boss —

      PEPEL. Heavenly bliss! And you’d smash up my household and, because I’m a soft-hearted fool, you’ll drink up everything I possess. [Sits on a bunk] Old devil – woke me up – I was having such a pleasant dream. I dreamed I was fishing – and I caught an enormous trout – such a trout as you only see in dreams! I was playing him – and I was so afraid the line would snap. I had just got out the gaff – and I thought to myself – in a moment —

      SATINE. It wasn’t a trout, it was Vassilisa —

      THE ACTOR. He caught Vassilisa a long time ago.

      PEPEL [angrily] You can all go to the devil – and Vassilisa with you —

      [Kleshtch comes from the hall.]

      KLESHTCH. Devilishly cold!

      THE ACTOR. Why didn’t you bring Anna back? She’ll freeze, out there —

      KLESHTCH. Natasha took her into the kitchen —

      THE ACTOR. The old man will kick her out —

      KLESHTCH [sitting down to his work] Well – Natasha will bring her in here —

      SATINE. Vassily – give me five kopecks!

      THE ACTOR [to Satine] Oh, you – always five kopecks – Vassya – give us twenty kopecks —

      PEPEL. I’d better give it to them now before they ask for a ruble. Here you are!

      SATINE. Gibraltar! There are no kindlier people in the world than thieves!

      KLESHTCH [morosely] They earn their money easily – they don’t work —

      SATINE. Many earn it easily, but not many part with it so easily. Work? Make work pleasant – and maybe I’ll work too. Yes – maybe. When work’s a pleasure, life’s, too. When it’s toil, then life is a drudge. [To the Actor] You, Sardanapalus! Come on!

      THE ACTOR. Let’s go, Nebuchadnezzar! I’ll get as drunk as forty thousand topers!

      [They leave.]

      PEPEL [yawning] Well, how’s your wife?

      KLESHTCH. It seems as if soon – [Pause.]

      PEPEL. Now I look at you – seems to me all that filing and scraping of yours is useless.

      KLESHTCH. Well – what else can I do?

      PEPEL. Nothing.

      KLESHTCH. How can I live?

      PEPEL. People manage, somehow.

      KLESHTCH. Them? Call them people? Muck and dregs – that’s what they are! I’m a workman – I’m ashamed even to look at them. I’ve slaved since I was a child… D’you think I shan’t be able to tear myself away from here? I’ll crawl out of here, even if I have to leave my skin behind – but crawl out I will! Just wait.. my wife’ll die.. I’ve lived here six months, and it seems like six years.

      PEPEL. Nobody here’s any worse off than you.. say what you like.

      KLESHTCH. No worse is right. They’ve neither honor nor conscience.

      PEPEL [indifferently] What good does it do – honor or conscience? Can you get them on their feet instead of on their uppers – through honor and conscience? Honor and conscience are needed only by those who have power and energy.

      BUBNOFF [coming back] Oh – I’m frozen.

      PEPEL. Bubnoff! Got a conscience?

      BUBNOFF. What? A conscience?

      PEPEL. Exactly!

      BUBNOFF. What do I need a conscience for? I’m not rich.

      PEPEL. Just what I said: honor and conscience are for the rich – right! And Kleshtch is upbraiding us because we haven’t any!

      BUBNOFF. Why – did he want to borrow some of it?

      PEPEL. No – he has plenty of his own.

      BUBNOFF. Oh – are you selling it? You won’t sell much around here. But if you had some old boxes, I’d buy them – on credit.

      PEPEL [didactically] You’re a jackass, Andrushka! On the subject of conscience you ought to hear Satine – or the Baron.

      KLESHTCH. I’ve nothing to talk to them about!

      PEPEL. They have more brains than you – even if they’re drunkards.

      BUBNOFF. He who can be drunk and wise at the same time is doubly blessed.

      PEPEL. Satine says every man expects his neighbor to have a conscience, but – you see – it isn’t to any one’s advantage to have one – that’s a fact.

      [Natasha enters, followed by Luka who carries a stick in his hand, a bundle on his back, a kettle and a teapot slung from his belt.]

      LUKA. How are you, honest folks?

      PEPEL [twisting his mustache] Aha – Natasha!

      BUBNOFF [to Luka] I was honest – up to spring before last.

      NATASHA. Here’s a new lodger.

      LUKA. Oh, it’s all the same to me. Crooks – I don’t mind them, either. For my part there’s no bad flea – they’re all black – and they all jump – .. Well, dearie, show me where I can stow myself.

      NATASHA [pointing to kitchen door] Go in there, grand-dad.

      LUKA. Thanks, girlie! One place is like another – as long as an old fellow keeps warm, he keeps happy.

      PEPEL. What an amusing old codger you brought in, Natasha!

      NATASHA. A hanged sight more interesting than you!.. Andrei, your wife’s in the kitchen with us – come and fetch her after a while.

      KLESHTCH. All right – I will.

      NATASHA. And be a little more kind to her – you know she won’t last much longer.

      KLESHTCH. I know.

      NATASHA. Knowing won’t do any good – it’s terrible – dying – don’t you understand?

      PEPEL. Well – look at me – I’m not afraid.

      NATASHA. Oh – you’re a wonder, aren’t you?

      BUBNOFF [whistling] Oh – this thread’s rotten.

      PEPEL. Honestly, I’m not afraid! I’m ready to die right now. Knife me to the heart – and I’ll die without making a sound.. even gladly – from such a pure hand.

      NATASHA [going out] Spin that yarn for some one else!

      BUBNOFF. Oh – that thread is rotten – rotten —

      NATASHA [at hallway door] Don’t forget your wife, Andrei!

      KLESHTCH. All right.

      PEPEL. She’s a wonderful girl!

      BUBNOFF. She’s all right.

      PEPEL. What makes her so curt with me? Anyway – she’ll come to no good here.

      BUBNOFF. Through you – sure!

      PEPEL. Why through me? I feel sorry for her.

      BUBNOFF. As the wolf for the lamb!

      PEPEL. You lie! I feel very sorry for her.. very.. very sorry! She has a tough life here – I can see that.

      KLESHTCH. Just wait till Vassilisa catches you talking to her!

      BUBNOFF. Vassilisa? She won’t give up so easily what belongs to her – she’s a cruel woman!

      PEPEL [stretching himself on the bunk] You two prophets can go to hell!

      KLESHTCH. Just wait – you’ll see!

      LUKA [singing in the kitchen] “In the dark of the night the way is black.”

      KLESHTCH. Another one who yelps!

      PEPEL. It’s dreary!