NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. It is easy to say boldly, but I can't manage it.
CARPENTER. But why should your honour trouble to learn to be a carpenter? There are such a lot of us nowadays that we can hardly get a living as it is.
NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH [at work again] I'm ashamed to lead an idle life.
CARPENTER. Yours is that kind of position. God has given you property.
NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. That's just where it is. I don't believe that God gave it, but that some of us have taken it, and taken it from our brother men.
CARPENTER [taken aback] That's so! But still you've no need to do this.
NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. I understand that it must seem strange to you that while living in this house where there is such superfluity, I should wish to earn something.
CARPENTER [laughs] No. Everybody knows that gentlefolk want to master everything. Well, now go over it again with the smoothing plane.
NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. You won't believe me and will laugh, but still I must tell you that formerly I was not ashamed to live in this way, but now that I believe in Christ's law, which tells us we are all brothers—I am ashamed to live so.
CARPENTER. If you are ashamed of it, give away your property.