Pilgrim Luka tells a story
LUKA.
(Reflectively to BOOBNOFF.) Now see . . . you say truth . . .it's not always a good treatment for man . . . can't always heal the soul with the truth. . . . For instance, now 'ere's a case : I knew a man 'oo believed in a land of righteousness.
BOOBNOFF.
In wha-at?
LUKA.
In a land of righteousness. " There must," 'e said, " on the earth be a land of righteousness . . . and there must be dwelling in that land an exceptional kind of people ... good people ! they respect one another, and it's just natural to them
to help one another . . . and all about them is wonderfully good ! " And there was that man . . . 'oo was always wantin' to go and seek the land of righteousness. 'E was poor, lived miserably . . . and when it got so bad with 'im that even lyin' down didn't 'elp 'im still 'e didn't lose 'eart, he'd only just smile and 'e'd say : " Never mind ! I can bear it! A little more waiting and I've done with all this life and I shall go
off to the land of righteousness." ... It was his one delight, was that land. . . .
PEPEL.
Well? Did 'e go?
BOOBNOFF.
Where ? Ho, ho !
LUKA.
And then to this place all this was in Siberia there came an exile, 'e was a scholar . . .
books and plans 'e 'ad, that scholar 'ad, and every sort of thing. . . . Then the man says to the scholar : " Show me, if you will be so kind, where does the land of righteousness lie, and which is the way there?" At once the scholar opens 'is books, undoes 'is plans . . . 'e looked looked no, there's nowhere no land of righteousness. It's quite true, the countries there are all marked, but for a righteousness one there isn't such! . . .
PEPEL.
What ? None ?
(BOOBNOFF laughs.)
NATASHA .
Stop now. . . . Well, uncle?
LUKA.
The man won't believe. . . . " There must be," 'e says ..." look well! If not," 'e says, " yer books and yer plans they're no use : if there isn't any land of righteousness." . . . The scholar was offended. " My plans," 'e says, " are the very latest, and there isn't nowhere not any land of righteousness at all." Well, and then the man grew angry. " Can't be! I've lived and lived and suffered and suffered and always believed there
is! and your plan says that there's not! Robbery! " Then 'e says to the scholar : " Ah,
you . . . you scum ! You're a swindler, not a scholar "... and gives 'im one whack on 'is ear! Then another! ...
(Silence.')
And after that 'e went 'ome and 'anged 'imself!
(All are silent, LUKA, with a smile, looks at PEPEL and NATASHA.)
PEPEL.
(In low tones.) Oh, the devil! ... that's not a cheerful tale.
NATASHA .
'E couldn't stand the deceit. . . .
BOOBNOFF.
(Sullen.) All of it's made up.
PEPEL.
M-yes ... so much for your land of righteousness ... it wasn't to be found. . . .
NATASHA.
I'm sorry for that man. . . .
from: Maxim Gorki: The Lower Depths (1902)