Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 18.djvu/147

 snatches it up,—pea-pie choke them, and skins the people with that money. It's a clever thing.

(sighing). As I look at it, so to speak, there is trouble without money, so to speak, and with money the trouble is double, so to speak. God has commanded to work. But you put the money in the bank, so to speak, and lie down to sleep, and the money will feed you, so to speak, while you are lying. This is bad,—not according to the Law, so to speak.

. Not according to the Law? The Law does not trouble people nowadays, my friend. All they think about is how to clean out a fellow. That's what!

(sighing). The time is coming near, so to speak. I have seen water-closets, so to speak, in the city. What have they come to? They are nice and clean, so to speak, like an inn. What does it all lead to, what does it lead to? Oh, they have forgotten God! They have forgotten Him, so to speak. We have forgotten God, yes, we have forgotten Him. Thank you, my dear, I have had enough,—I am satisfied. (Comes out from behind the table. Mítrich climbs upon the oven.)

(taking away the dishes, and eating). Father might talk to him, but I am ashamed to mention it to him.

. What?

. Nothing, I was just speaking to myself.

. Ah, clever girl! Still flying around? You are frozen, I suppose.

. I am dreadfully frozen. Good evening, grandfather!

. Well? Is he there?

. No. Andrián, who has come back from town, says that he is still in town, in an inn. Father, he says, is dead drunk.