PEPEL. Drop on all fours, and bark like a dog!
THE BARON. Fool! What’s the matter with you? Are you drunk?
PEPEL. Go on—bark a little! It’ll amuse me. You’re an aristocrat. You didn’t even consider us human formerly, did you?
THE BARON. Go on!
PEPEL. Well—and now I am making you bark like a dog—and you will bark, won’t you?
THE BARON. All right. I will. You jackass! What pleasure can you derive from it since I myself know that I have sunk almost lower than you. You should have made me drop on all fours in the days when I was still above you.
BUBNOFF. That’s right . . .
LUKA. I say so, too!
BUBNOFF. What’s over, is over. Remain only trivialities. We know no class distinctions here. We’ve shed all pride and self-respect. Blood and bone—man—just plain man—that’s what we are!
LUKA. In other words, we’re all equal . . . and you, friend, were you really a Baron?