PEPEL. It’s all one to me! If that—let it be that!
LUKA. Oh—what a madman! Why should you kill yourself?
BUBNOFF. What are you two jawing about, anyway? I don’t understand. What kind of truth do you want, Vaska? And what for? You know the truth about yourself—and so does everybody else . . .
PEPEL. Just a moment! Don’t crow! Let him tell me! Listen, old man! Is there a God?
[Luka smiles silently.]
BUBNOFF. People just drift along—like shavings on a stream. When a house is built—the shavings are thrown away!
PEPEL. Well? Is there a God? Tell me.
LUKA [in a low voice] If you have faith, there is; if you haven’t, there isn’t . . . whatever you believe in, exists . . .
[Pepel looks at Luka in staring surprise.]