Leo Tolstoy

“ NIKÍTA (catches it) . It's alive! Gracious me, it's moving! It's alive! What am I to....
ANÍSYA (snatches the baby from him and throws it into the cellar) . Be quick and smother it, and then it won't be alive! (Pushes NIKÍTA down.) It's your doing, and you must finish it.
MATRYÓNA (sits on the doorstep of the hut) . He's tender-hearted. It's hard on him, poor dear. Well, what of that? Isn't it also his sin?
ANÍSYA stands by the cellar.
MATRYÓNA (sits looking at her and discourses) . Oh, oh, oh! How frightened he was: well, but what of that? If it is hard, it's the only thing to be done. ”

“ NIKÍTA. Is it dead then?
MATRYÓNA. Of course it is. Only you must be quick, or else people will notice! They'll see or they'll hear! The rascals must needs know everything. And the policeman went by this evening. Well then, you see (gives him the spade) , you get down into the cellar and dig a hole right in the corner; the earth is soft there, and you'll smooth it over. Mother earth will not blab to any one; she'll keep it close. Go then; go, dear.
NIKÍTA. You'll get me into a mess, bother you! I'll go away! You do it alone as best you can!
ANÍSYA (through the doorway) . Well? ”

“ Re-enter NIKÍTA from cellar, trembling all over.
NIKÍTA. It's still alive! I can't! It's alive!
ANÍSYA. If it's alive, where are you off to?
Tries to stop him.
NIKÍTA (rushes at her) . Go away! I'll kill you! (Catches hold of her arms; she escapes, he runs after her with the spade. MATRYÓNA runs towards him and stops him. ANÍSYA runs into the porch. MATRYÓNA tries to wrench the spade from him. To his mother.) I'll kill you! I'll kill you! Go away! (MATRYÓNA runs to ANÍSYA in the porch. NIKÍTA stops.) I'll kill you! I'll kill you all! ”

“ When the day breaks, you know, and one day and another passes, you'll forget even to think of it. Wait a bit; when the girl's married we'll even forget to think of it. But you go and have a drink; have a drink! I'll go and put things straight in the cellar myself.
NIKÍTA (rouses himself) . Is there any drink left? Perhaps I can drink it off!
Exit.
ANÍSYA, who has stood all the time by the door, silently makes way for him.
MATRYÓNA. Go, go, honey, and I'll set to work! I'll go down myself and dig! Where has he thrown the spade to? (Finds the spade, and goes down into the cellar.) ”

“ As she grows up, so she dies! Never sees anything; never hears anything. A peasant,--he may learn something at the pub, or maybe in prison, or in the army,--as I did. But a woman? Let alone about God, she doesn't even know rightly what Friday it is! Friday! Friday! But ask her what's Friday? She don't know! They're like blind puppies, creeping about and poking their noses into the dungheap.... All they know are their silly songs. Ho, ho, ho, ho! But what they mean by ho-ho, they don't know themselves!
NAN. But I, daddy, I do know half the Lord's Prayer! ”

“ MÍTRITCH. Frightful? Don't be afraid and then it won't be frightful. Look at her, she's afraid, and then says it's frightful. How can it help being frightful if you are afraid? Eh, what a stupid little girl!
Silence. The cricket chirps.
NAN (whispers) . Daddy! I say, daddy! Are you asleep?
MÍTRITCH. Now then, what d'you want?
NAN. What's the bogey like?
MÍTRITCH. Why, like this! When he finds such a one as you, who won't sleep, he comes with a sack and pops the girl into it, then in he gets himself, head and all, lifts her dress, and gives her a fine whipping! ”

“ NAN. Daddy, there's some one coming! Who is it? Oh gracious goodness! Who can it be?
MÍTRITCH. Well, if some one's coming, let them come! What's the matter with you? I suppose it's your mother!
Enter ANÍSYA.
ANÍSYA (NAN pretends to be asleep) . Mítritch!
MÍTRITCH. What?
ANÍSYA. What's the lamp burning for? We are going to sleep in the summer-hut.
MÍTRITCH. Why, you see I've only just got straight. I'll put the light out all right.
ANÍSYA (rummages in her box and grumbles) . When a thing's wanted one never can find it! ”

“ How should the likes of you not go to the bad? Who teaches you? What do you see? What do you hear? Only vileness! I, though I've not been taught much, still know a thing or two. I'm not quite like a peasant woman. A peasant woman, what is she? ”