LUKA

A wandering old pilgrim explains why a kind lie is worth more to a dying soul than a hard truth.

1:20Warm50s+Intermediate

The speech173 words · 3 beats

0:00 / 1:20

Off-book

Exactly! Thieves creeping in! I took my gun — I went out. I looked and saw two of them opening a window — and so busy that they didn't even see me.

I yell: "Hey there — get out of here! " And they turn on me with their axes — I warn them to stand back, or I'd shoot — and as I speak, I keep on covering them with my gun, first the one, then the other — they go down on their knees, as if to implore me for mercy. And by that time I was furious — because of those axes, you see — and so I say to them: "I was chasing you, you scoundrels — and you didn't go. Now you go and break off some stout branches!

" — and they did so — and I say: "Now — one of you lie down and let the other one flog him! " So they obey me and flog each other — and then they begin to implore me again.

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LUKA

The Lower Depths · Maxim Gorky · 1:20 · 173 words

Exactly! Thieves creeping in! I took my gun — I went out. I looked and saw two of them opening a window — and so busy that they didn't even see me. I yell: "Hey there — get out of here! " And they turn on me with their axes — I warn them to stand back, or I'd shoot — and as I speak, I keep on covering them with my gun, first the one, then the other — they go down on their knees, as if to implore me for mercy. And by that time I was furious — because of those axes, you see — and so I say to them: "I was chasing you, you scoundrels — and you didn't go. Now you go and break off some stout branches! " — and they did so — and I say: "Now — one of you lie down and let the other one flog him! " So they obey me and flog each other — and then they begin to implore me again.

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