LUKA. Because I was getting warm . . . it was your good luck . . . I thought if only the boy wouldn’t make a mistake and choke the old man . . .
PEPEL. Yes—I might have done it . . . how terrible . . .
LUKA. Small wonder! It isn’t difficult to make a mistake of that sort.
PEPEL [smiling] What’s the matter? Did you make the same sort of mistake once upon a time?
LUKA. Boy, listen to me. Send that woman out of your life! Don’t let her near you! Her husband—she’ll get rid of him herself—and in a shrewder way than you could—yes! Don’t you listen to that devil! Look at me! I am bald-headed—know why? Because of all these women. . . . Perhaps I knew more women than I had hair on the top of my head—but this Vassilisa—she’s worse than the plague. . . .
PEPEL. I don’t understand . . . I don’t know whether to thank you—or—well . . .
LUKA. Don’t say a word! You won’t improve on what I said. Listen: take the one you like by the arm, and march out of here—get out of here—clean out . . .
PEPEL [sadly] I can’t understand people. Who is kind and who isn’t? It’s all a mystery to me . . .
LUKA. What’s there to understand? There’s all breeds of men . . . they all live as their hearts tell them . . . good to-day, bad to-morrow! But if you really care for that girl . . . take her away from here and that’s all there is to it. Otherwise go away alone . . . you’re young—you’re in no hurry for a wife . . .
PEPEL [taking him by the shoulder] Tell me! Why do you say all this?