LUKA. What is it, brother?

KLESHTCH [quietly] Nothing . . .

[Crosses slowly to hallway door, stands on the threshold for a few seconds, and exit.]

LUKA [looking after him] Hard on your man, isn’t it?

ANNA. He doesn’t concern me much . . .

LUKA. Did he beat you?

ANNA. Worse than that—it’s he who’s killed me—

BUBNOFF. My wife used to have a lover—the scoundrel—how clever he was at checkers!

MIEDVIEDIEFF. Hm-hm—