NATASHA. Yes—you love me—but how about my sister . . . ?
PEPEL [confused] Well, what of her? There are plenty like her . . .
LUKA. You’ll be all right, girl! If there’s no bread, you have to eat weeds . . .
PEPEL [gloomily] Please—feel a little sorry for me! My life isn’t all roses—it’s a hell of a life . . . little happiness in it . . . I feel as if a swamp were sucking me under . . . and whatever I try to catch and hold on to, is rotten . . . it breaks . . . Your sister—oh—I thought she was different . . . if she weren’t so greedy after money . . . I’d have done anything for her sake, if she were only all mine . . . but she must have someone else . . . and she has to have money—and freedom . . . because she doesn’t like the straight and narrow . . . she can’t help me. But you’re like a young fir-tree . . . you bend, but you don’t break . . .
LUKA. Yes—go with him, girl, go! He’s a good lad—he’s all right! Only tell him every now and then that he’s a good lad so that he won’t forget it—and he’ll believe you. Just you keep on telling him “Vasya, you’re a good man—don’t you forget it!” Just think, dear, where else could you go except with him? Your sister is a savage beast . . . and as for her husband, there’s little to say of him? He’s rotten beyond words . . . and all this life here, where will it get you? But this lad is strong . . .
NATASHA. Nowhere to go—I know—I thought of it. The only thing is—I’ve no faith in anybody—and there’s no place for me to turn to . . .
PEPEL. Yes, there is! But I won’t let you go that way—I’d rather cut your throat!
NATASHA [smiling] There—I’m not his wife yet—and he talks already of killing me!
PEPEL [puts his arms around her] Come, Natasha! Say yes!
NATASHA [holding him close] But I’ll tell you one thing, Vassily—I swear it before God . . . the first time you strike me or hurt me any other way, I’ll have no pity on myself . . . I’ll either hang myself . . . or . . .