JJ^|y•:^w^ ' -'jaa/Mnii jv-v^ -'JiJji"(VMir ^^^HIBRARY/?^ ^^.0 ^OFCAIIFO^. ^\MM'NI\^ fifr. #' 'oaj/vii"!! -11^' f\p nF.rAKPriD. JK)JI \i\MI J\ PLAYS BY ALEXANDER OSTROVSKY PLAYS BY ALEXANDER OSTROVSKY A PROTEGEE OF THE MISTRESS POVERTY IS NO CRIME SIN AND SORROW ARE COMMON TO ALL it's a family affair we'll SETTLE IT OURSELVES V A TRANSLATION FROM THE RUSSIAN, EDITED BY GEORGE RAPALL NOYES NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1917 COPTRIOHT, 1917, BY CHARLES SCRIBNERS SONS Published September, 1917 10 30 3337 , 1317 PREFATORY NOTE The following persons have co-operated in preparing the present volume: Leonard Bacon (verses in "Poverty Is No Crime)," Florence Noyes (suggestions on the style of all the plays), George Rapall Noyes (introduction, revision of the translation, and suggestions on the style of all the plays), Jane W. Robertson ("Poverty Is No Crime"), Minnie Eline Sadicoff ("Sin and Sorrow Are Common to AH"), John Laurence Seymour ("It's a Family Affair — We'll Settle It Ourselves" and "A Protegee of the Mistress"). The system of transliteration for Russian names used in the book is with very small variations that recommended for "popular" use by the School of Russian Studies in the University of Liver- pool. 1 "74852 CONTENTS PAGE Introduction 3 A Protegee of the Mistress 11 Poverty Is No Crime 67 Sin and Sorrow Are Common to All .... 137 It's a Family Affair — We'll Settle It Ourselves 215 INTRODUCTION INTRQDUCTION Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky (1823-86) is the great Russian dramatist of the central decades of the nine- teenth century, of the years when the reahstic school was all- powerful in Russian literature, of the period when Turgenev, ^' Dostoyevsky, and Tolstoy created a literature of prose fiction ^x that has had no superior in the world's history. His work ^ in the drama takes its place beside theirs in the novel. Ob- N^ viously inferior as it is in certain ways, it yet sheds light on an important side of Russian life that they left practically v,,^ untouched. Turgenev and Tolstoy were gentlemen by birth, fNJ and wrote of the fortunes of the Russian nobility or of the d^ peasants whose villages bordered on the nobles' estates. Dostoyevsky, though not of this landed-proprietor school, still dealt with the nobility, albeit with its waifs and strays. None of these masters more than touched the Russian mer- |I^ chants, that homespun moneyed class, crude and coarse, grasping and mean, without the idealism of their educated neighbors in the cities or the homely charm of the peasants from whom they themselves sprang, yet gifted with a rough force and determination not often found among the culti- vated aristocracy. This was the field that Ostrovsky made peculiarly liis own. With this merchant class Ostrovsky was familiar from his childhood. Born in 1823, he was the son of a lawyer doing business among the Moscow tradesmen. After finishing his course at the gymnasium and spending three years at the University of Moscow, he entered the civil service in 1843 as an employee of the Court of Conscience in Moscow, from 3 4 INTRODUCTION which he transferred two years later to the Court of Com- merce, where he continued until he was discharged from the service in 1851. Hence both by his home life and l)y his pro- fessional training he was brought into contact with types such as Bolshov and Rizpolozhensky in "It's a Family Affair — We'll Settle It Ourselves." As a boy of seventeen Ostrovsky had already developed a passion for the theatre. His literary career began in the year 1847, when he read to a group of Moscow men of letters his first experiments in dramatic composition. In this same year he printed one scene of "A Family Affair," which ap- peared in complete form three years later, in 1850, and estab- lished its author's reputation as a dramatist of undoubted talent. Unfortunately, by its mordant but true picture of commercial morals, it aroused against him the most bitter feelings among the Moscow merchants. Discussion of the play in the press was prohibited, and representation of it on the stage was out of the question. It was reprinted only in 1859, and then, at the instance of the censorship, in an al- tered form, in which a police officer appears at the end of the play as a deus ex machina, arrests Podkhalyuzin, and an- nounces that he will be sent to Siberia. In this mangled version the play was acted in 1861; in its original text it did not appear on the stage until 1881. Besides all this, the drama was the cause of the dismissal of Ostrovskj' from the civil service, in 1851. The whole episode illustrates the diffi- culties under which the great writers of Russia have con- stantly labored under a despotic government. Beginning with 1852 Ostrovsky gave his whole strength to literary work. He is exceptional among Russian authors in devoting himself almost exclusively to the theatre. The lat- est edition of his works contains forty-eight pieces written entirely by him, and six produced in collaboration with INTRODUCTION 5 other authors. It omits his translations from foreign dram- atists, which were of considerable importance, including, for example, a version of Shakespeare's "Taming of the Slu-ew." The plays of Ostrovsky are of varied character, including dramatic chronicles based on early Russian history, and a fairy drama, "Little Snowdrop." His real strength lay, however, in the drama of manners, giving realistic pictures of Russian life among the Russian city classes and the minor nobility. Here he was recognized, from the time of the ap- pearance on the stage of his first pieces, in 1853 and the fol- lowing years, as without a rival among Russian authors for the theatre. Of this realistic drama the present volume gives four characteristic examples. The tone of "Poverty Is No Crime" (1854), written only four years after "A Family Affair," is in sharp contrast with that of its predecessor. In the earlier play Ostrovsky had adopted a satiric tone that proved him a worthy disciple of Gogol, the great founder of Russian realism. Not one lova- ble character appears in that gloomy picture of merchant life in Moscow ; even the old mother repels us by her stupidity more than she attracts us by her kindliness. No ray of light penetrates the "realm of darkness" — to borrow a famous phrase from a Russian critic — conjured up before us by the young dramatist. In "Poverty Is No Crime" we see the other side of the medal. Ostrovsky had now been affected by the Slavophile school of writers and thinkers, who found in the traditions of Russian society treasures of kindliness and love that they contrasted with the superficial glitter of Western civilization. Life in Russia is varied as elsewhere, and Ostrovsky could change his tone without doing violence to realistic truth. The tradesmen had not wholly lost the patriarchal charm of their peasant fathers. A poor appren- 6 INTRODUCTION lice is the hero of "Poverty Is No Crime," and a wealthy maiuifacturer the vilhiiii of the pieec. Goocl-hearte(hiess is the touchstone by which Ostrovsky tries cliaracter, and this may be hidden beneath even a drunken and degraded exte- rior. The scapegrace, Lyubim Tortsov, has a sound Russian soul, and at tlie end of the play rouses his hard, gras])ing brother, who has been infatuated by a passion for aping foreign fasliions, to his native Russian worth. Just as "Poverty Is No Crime" shows the influence of the Slavophile movement, "A Protegee of the Mistress" (1859) was inspired by the great liberal movement that bore fruit in the emancipation of the serfs in 1861. Ostrovsky here departed from town to a typical coimtry manor, and pro- duced a work kindred in spirit to Turgenev's "Sportsman's Sketches," or "Mumu." In a short play, instinct with sim- ple poetry, he shows the suffering brought about by serf- dom: the petty tyranny of the landed proprietor, which is the more galling because it is practised with a full conviction of virtue on the part of the tyant; and the crushed natures of the human cattle under his charge. The master grim, the lowly serf that tills his lands; With lordly pride the first sends forth commands. The second cringes like a slave. — Nekrasov. Despite the unvarying success of his dramas on the stage, Ostrovsky for a long time derived little financial benefit from them. Discouragement and overwork wrecked his health, and were undoubtedly responsible for the gloomy tone of a series of plays written in the years following 1860, of which "Sin and Sorrow Are Common to All" (1863) is a typical example. Here the dramatist sketches a tragic inci- dent arising from the conflict of two social classes, the petty INTRODUCTION 7 tradesmen and the nobility. From the coarse environment of the first emerge honest, upright natures Hke Krasnov; from the superficial, dawdling culture of the second come weak-willed triflers like Babtiyev. The sordid plot sweeps on to its inevitable conclusion with true tragic force. Towards the end of his life Ostrovsky gained the material prosperity that was liis due. "There was no theatre in Russia in which his plays were not acted" (Skabichevsky). From 1874 to his death he was the president of the Society of Russian Dramatic Authors. In 1885 he received the im- portant post of artistic director of the Moscow government theatres; the harassing duties of the position proved too severe for his weak constitution, and he passed away in the next year. As a dramatist, Ostrovsky is above all else a realist; no more thoroughly natural dramas than his were ever com- posed. Yet as a master of realistic technique he must not be compared with Ibsen, or evt with many less noted men among modern dramatists. His plays have not the neat, concise construction that we prize to-day. Pages of dialogue sometimes serve no purpose except to make a trifle clearer the character of the actors, or perhaps slightly to heighten the impression of commonplace reality. Even in "Sin and Sorrow" and "A Protegee" whole passages merely illustrate the background against wliich the plot is set rather than help forward the action itself. Many plays, such as "A Family Affair," end with relatively unimportant pieces of dialogue. Of others we are left to guess even the conclusion of the main action: will Nadya in "A Protegee" submit to her degrading fate, or will she seek refuge in the pond? Ostrovsky rarely uses the drama to treat of great moral or social problems. He is not a revolutionary thinker or an 8 INTRODUCTION opponent of existing society; liis ideal, like that of his pred- ecessor Gogol, is of honesty, kindliness, generosity, and loyalty in a broad, general way to the traditions of the past. He attacks serfdom not as an isolated leader of a forlorn hope, but as an adherent of a great party of moderate re- formers. Thus Ostrovsky's strength lies in a sedate, rather common- place realism. One of the most national of authors, he loses much in translation.' His style is racy, smacking of the street or the counting-liouse; he is one of the greatest mas- ters of the Russian vernacular. To translate his Moscow slang into the equivalent dialect of New York would be merely to transfer Broadway associations to the Ilyinka. A translator can only strive to be colloquial and familiar, giving up the effort to render the var^nng atmosphere of the different plays. And Ostrovsky's characters are as natural as his language. Pig-headed merchants; apprentices, knavish or honest as the case may be; young girls with a touch of poetry in their natures, who sober down into kindly housewives; tyrannical serf-owners and weak-willed sons of noble families: such is the material of which he builds his entertaining, wholesome, mildly thoughtful dramas. Men and women live and love, trade and cheat in Ostrovsky as they do in the world around us. Now and then a murder or a suicide appears in his pages as it does in those of the daily papers, but hardly more frequently. In him we can study the life of Russia as he knew it, crude and coarse and at times cruel, yet full of homely virtue and aspiration. Of liis complex panorama the present volume gives a brief glimpse. ■Ostr6vsky it inay Ix- remarked, has been singularly neglected by translators from the Russian. The only previous versions of complete plays in P^ngUsh known to the present writer are "The Storm." by Constance Garnett (Loudon and Chi- cago, 1899, and since reprinted), and "Incompatibility of Temper" and "A Domestic Picture" (in "The Humour of Russia." oy E. L. Voynich, London and New York, 1895). A PROTEGEE OF THE MISTRESS SCENES FROM VILLAGE LIFE IX FOUR PICTURES CHARACTERS Madam I^lanbkkov,^ an old iroman of nearly sixty, tall, thin, with a large nose, and thick, black eyebrows; of an Eastern type of face, with a small mustache. She is poicdcred and rouged, and dressed richly in black. She is otvner of two thousand serfs. LEONio, her son, eighteen years old, very handsome, resembling his mother slightly. Wears summer dress. Is studying in Petersburg. Vasilisa Peregrinovna, a toady of Madam Ulanbekov's, an old maid of forty. Scanty hair, parted slantingly, combed high, and held by a large comb. She w continually smiling with a wily expression, and she suffers from toothacJie; about her throat is a yellow shawl fastened by a brooch. PoTAPYCH, the old steward. Tie and vest, ivhite; coat black. Has an air of importance. Nadezhda 2 (called Nadya), seventeen years old, favorite protS- gSe of IVIadam Ulanbekov; dressed like a young lady. Gaatrilovna, the housekeeper; an elderly woman, plump, with an open countenance. Grisha, a boy of nineteen, a favorite of the mistress, dandified in dress, wearing a watch with a gold chain. He is handsome, curly-headed, ivith a foolish expression. Negligentov, a clerk in a government office; a very disrepu- table young man. Liza, a housemaid, not bad-looking, but very stout and snub- nosed; in a white dress, of tvhich the bodice is short and ill- ff,tting. About her neck is a little red kerchief; her hair is very much pomaded. A peasant girl, a footman, and a housemaid : mute personages. The action takes place in the springtime, at the suburban estate of Madam Ulanbekov ' The name hints at a Circassian origin and a tyrannical disposition. Ostr6v9ky frequently gives to the persons in his plays names that suggest their characteristics. '' Hope. A PROTEGEE OF THE MISTRESS Part of a densely grown garden; ott the right benches; at the back a rail fence, separating the garden from a field SCENE I Enter Nadya and Liza Nadya. No, Liza, don't say that: what comparison could there be between country and city hfe ! Liza. What is there so specially fine about city life? Nadya. Well, everything is different there; the people themselves, and even the whole social order are entirely different. [She sits down on a bench] When I was in Peters- burg with the mistress, one had only to take a look at the sort of people who came to see us, and at the way our rooms were decorated; besides, the mistress took me with her everywhere; we even went on the steamer to Peter hof, and to Tsarskoe Selo. Liza. That was pretty fine, I suppose. Nadya. Yes indeed, it was so splendid that words can't describe it ! Because, no matter how much I may tell you about it, if you haven't seen it yourself, you'll never under- stand. And when a young lady, the mistress's niece, was visiting us, I used to chat with her the whole evening, and sometimes we even sat through the night. Liza. What in the world did you talk about with her? 11 U A PROTfiGfiE ACTi Nadya. Well, naturally, for the most part about the ways of hip;li society, about her dancing partners, and about the officers of the guard. And as she was often at l)alls, she told me what they talked about there, and whom she had liked best. Only how fine those young ladies are ! Liza. What do you mean ? Nadya. They're very gay. And where dicl they learn all that? Afterwards we lived a whole winter in Moscow. Seeing all this, my dear, you try to act like a born lady yourself. Your very manners change, and you try to have a way of talking of your own. Liza. But why should we try to be fine ladies.'' Much good it does ! Nadya. Much good, you say ? Well, you see the ladies promised to marry me off, so I am trying to educate myself, so that no one' 11 be ashamed to take me. You know what sort of wives our officials have; well, what a lot they are! And I understand life and society ten tirties better than they do. Now I have just one hope: to marry a good man, so I may be the mistress of my ox'n household. You just watch then how I'll manage the hov. e; it will be no worse at my house than at any fine lady's. Liza. God grant your wish ! But do you notice how the young master is running after you ? Nadya. Much good it'll do him ! Of course, he's a pretty fellow, you might even say, a beauty; only he has nothing to expect from me; because I am decidedly not of that sort; and on the other hand, I'm trying now in every way that there may be no scandal of any sort about me. I have but one thing in mind: to get married. Liza. Even married life is sometimes no joy ! You may get such a husband that .... God help you ! Nadya. What a joy it would be to me to marry a really SCENE II A PROTEGEE 13 fine man ! I, thank Gofl, am able to distinguish between people: who is good, who bad. That's easy to see at once from their manners and conversation. But the mistress is so unreasonable in holding us in so strictly, and in keeping everlasting watch over us ! Indeed, it's insulting to me ! I'm a girl that knows how to take care of herself without any watching. Liza. It looks as if the master were coming. Nadya. Then let's go. [They rise and go out. Leonid comes in with a gun, SCENE II Leonid and then Potapych Leonid. Wait a bit ! Hey, you, where are you going .'' Why are they always running away from me? You can't catch them anyhow ! [He stands musing. Silence. A Girl sings behind the rail fence : "No man may hope to flee the sting Of cruel affliction's pain; New love within the heart may sing — Regret still in its train." Leonid. [Running up to the fence] What a pretty girl you are! Girl. Pretty, but not yours ! Leonid. Come here ! Girl. Where .-^ Leonid. To me in the garden. Girl. Why go to you ? Leonid. I'll go to town and buy you earrings. Girl. You're only a kid ! She laughs loudly and goes out. Leonid stands with 14 A PROTEGEE act i hoived head musing. Potapycii enters in hunting- dress, ivilh a gun. Potapycii. One can't keep up with you, sir; you have young legs. Leonid. [All the lehile lost in thought] All this, Potapych, will be mine. Potapycii. All yours, sir, and we shall all be yours. . . . Just as we served the old master, so we must serve you .... Because you're of the same blood. . . . That's the right way. Of course, may God prolong your dear mamma's days. . . . Leonid. Then I shan't enter the service, Potapych; I shall come directly to the country, and here I shall live. Potapych. You must enter the service, sir. Leonid. What's that you say ? Much I must ! They'll make me a copying clerk ! [He sits down upon a bench. Potapych. No, sir, why should you work yourself.^ That's not the way to do things ! They'll find a position for you — of the most gentlemanly, delicate sort; your clerks will work, but you'll be their chief, over all of them. And promotions will come to you of themselves. Leonid. Perhaps they will make me vice-governor, or elect me marshal of the nobility. Potapych. It's not improbable. Leonid. Well, and when I'm vice-governor, shall you be afraid of me? Potapych. Why should I be afraid ? Let others cringe, but for us it's all the same. You are our master: that's honor enough for us. Leonid. [Not hearing] Tell me, Potapych, have we many pretty girls here.'' Potapycii. Why, really, sir, if you think it over, why shouldn't there be girls? There are some on the estate. SCENE U A PROTfiGEE 15 and among tlie house servants; only it must be said that in these matters the household is very strictly run. Our mis- tress, owing to her strict life and her piety, looks after that very carefully. Now just take this: she herself marries off the protegees and housemaids whom she likes. If a man pleases her, she marries the girl off to him, and even gives her a dowry, not a big one — needless to say. There are always two or three protegees on the place. The mistress takes a little girl from some one or other and brings her up; and when she is seventeen or eighteen years old, then, with- out any talk, she marries her off to some clerk or towns- man, just as she takes a notion, and sometimes even to a nobleman. Ah, yes, sir ! Only what an existence for these protegees, sir ! Misery ! Leonid. But whj'.^ PoTAPYCH. They have a hard time. The lady says: "I have found you a prospective husband, and now," she says, "the wedding will be on such and such a day, and that's an end to it; and don't one of you dare to argue about it !" It's a case of get along with you to the man you're told to. Be- cause, sir, I reason this way: who wants to see disobedience in a person he's brought up ? And sometimes it happens that the bride doesn't like the groom, nor the groom the bride: then the lady falls into a great rage. She even goes out of her head. She took a notion to marry one protegee to a petty shopkeeper in town; but he, an unpolished indi- vidual, was going to resist. "The bride doesn't please me," he said, "and, besides, I don't want to get married yet." So the mistress complained at once to the town bailiff and to the priest: well, they brought the blockhead round. Leonid. You don't say. PoTAPYCH. Yes, sir. And even if the mistress sees a girl at one of her acquaintances', she immediately looks up a hus- 16 A PROTF.GfiE ACT I hand for her. Our mistress reasons this way: llial they are sliii)i(l; tliat if she doesn't look after them elosely now, they'll just waste their life and never amount to anything. That's the way, sir. Some people, because of their stupidity, hide girls from the mistress, so that she may never set eyes on them; because if she does, it's all up with the girls. Leonid. And so she treats other people's girls the same way ? PoTAPYCH. Other people's, too. She extends her care to everybody. She has such a kind heart that she worries about everybody. She even gets angry if they do anything without her permission. And the way she looks after her protegees is just a wonder. She dresses them as if they were her own daughters. Sometimes she has them eat with her; and she doesn't make them do any work. "Let everybody look," says the mistress, "and see how my protegees live; I want every one to envy them," she says. Leonid. Well, now, that's fine, Potapych. PoTAPYCH. And what a touching little sermon she reads ihem when they're married ! "You," she says, "have lived with me in wealth and luxury, and have had nothing to do; now you are marrying a poor man, and will live your life in poverty, and will work, and will do your duty. And now forget," she says, "how you lived here, because not for you I did all this; I was merely diAcrting myself, but you must never even think of such a life; always remember your in- significance, and of what station you are." And all this so feelingly that tlicre are tears in her own eyes. Leonid. Well, now, tiiat's fine. Potapych. I don't know how to describe it, sir. Some- how they all get tired of married life later; they mostly pine away. Leonid. Why do they pine away, Potapych.'' SCENE II A PROTfiGfiE 17 PoTAPYCH. Must be they don't like it, if they pine away. Leonid. That's queer. PoTAPYCH. The husbands mostly turn out ruffians. Leonid. Is that so.^ PoTAPYCH. Everybody hopes to get one of our protegees, because the mistress right away becomes his patroness. Now in the case of these she marries to government clerks, there's a good living for the husband; because if they want to drive him out of the court, or have done so, he goes at once to our mistress with a complaint, and she's a regular bulwark for him; she'll bother the governor liimself. And then the gov- ernment clerk can get drunk or anything else, and not be afraid of anybody, unless he is insubordinate or steals a lot Leonid. But, say, Potapych, why is it that the girls run away from me.'' Potapych. How can they help running ? They must run, sir Leonid. Why must they ? Potapych. Hm ! Why ? Why, because, as you are still under age, the mistress wants to watch over you as she ought to; well, and she watches over them, too. Leonid. She watches us, ha, ha, ha ! Potapych. Yes, sir. That's the truth ! She was talking about that. You're a child, just like a dove, but, well — the girls are foolish. [Silence] What next, sir? It's your mamma's business to be strict, because she is a lady. But why should you mind her ! You ought to act for yourself, as all yoimg gentlemen do. You don't have to suffer because she's strict. Why should jou let others get ahead of you.'' That'd disgrace you. Leonid. Well, well, but I don't know how to talk to the girls. 18 A PROTfiGfiE ACT I PoTAPYCH. But what's the use of talking to them a long time? What al)()ut? Wluit kind of sciences would you talk about witli them? Much thej^ understand such stuflf! You're just the master, and that's all. Leonid. [Glances to one side] Who's this coming? That's Nadya, evidently. Ah, Potapych, how pretty she is ! PoTAPYCH. She is related to me, sir, my niece. Her father was set free by the late master; he was employed in a confectioner's in Moscow. When her mother died, her mistress took and brought her up, and is awful fond of her. And because her father is dead, why, now, she's an orphan. She's a good girl. Leonid. Looks as if they were coming this way. PoTAPYCH. Well, let 'em. Gavrilovna and Nadya enter. SCENE III The same, Gavrilovna and Nadya Gavrilovna. How do you do, good master? Leonid. [Bows] How do you do? Gavrilovna. Well, master, I suppose you're bored in the country ? Leonid. No, not at all. Gavrilovna. What, not bored yet ! Why, you see it's like a monastery here; they look after you with a hundred eyes. Well, as for you, it goes without saying, you're a young gentleman, you ought to have some amusement; but you can't. It's no great joy to shoot ducks ! [She laughs. Leonid. [Going up to Gavrilovna] Yes, yes, Gavrilovna. Nadya. [To Gavrilovna] Let's go. SCENE IV A PROTEGEE 19 Gavrilovna. Where do you want to go? Now, seeing that the mistress isn't at home, you ought to have a little fun with the young master. That's what young folks need. And what a clever girl she is, master ! In talking, and in everything. Nadya. Gome, what's the use ! Gavrilovna. Well, there's no harm in it ! I was young once. I didn't run away from the gentlemen, and you see they didn't eat me. Perhaps even he won't bite you. Quit playing the prude, and stay here! But I'm going to get the tea ready ! Good-by, good master ! [She goes out. Leonid. Why did you not wish to remain with me.'' PoTAPYCH. Wliat's this, sir ! You talk to her as if she were a young lady ! Call her Nadya ! Leonid. What are you afraid of, Nadya.'' Nadya is silent. PoTAPYCH. Talk ! What are you keeping still for .'' And I'm going, sir; I must get dressed for tea, too.. [He goes out. SCENE IV Leonid, Nadya, and then Liza Nadya. Of course I'm a girl of humble position, but, indeed, even we do not want anybody to speak evil of us. Pray consider yourself, after such talk, who would marry me.'' Leonid. Are you going to get married ? Nadya. Yes, sir. Every girl hopes to get maiTied some time. Leonid. But have you a suitor.'' Nadya. Not yet, sir. 20 A PROTEGEE act i Leonid. [Timidly] If you have no suitor, tlien, niayhe you're in love with somebody? Nadya. You want to know a lot! Well, no, I needn't fib about it, I'm not in love with anybody, sir. Leonid. [With great joy] Then love me! Nadya. It's impossible to force the heart, sir. Leonid. Why ? Don't you like me ? Nadya. Well, how could I help liking you ? But I'm not your equal ! What sort of love is that .'* Clean ruin ! Here comes Liza running after me, I suppose. Good-by. Gootl luck to you ! [She goes away. Liza comes in. Liza. Master, if you please ! Your mamma has come. Leonid. Liza ! Liza. [Approaching] What is it, please.^ Leonid. [He embraces Liza; she trembles icith pleasure] ^Vlly won't Nadya love me.^ Liza. [Affectedly] What are you talking about, master ! Girls of our sort must look out for themselves ! Leonid. Look out for yourselves how .'' Liza. [Looks him in the face and smiles] Why, everybody knows. What are you talking like a child for? Leonid. [Sadly] What shall I do now? Indeed, I don't know. They all run away from me. Liza. But don't lose courage; just make love a little bit. Heavens, our hearts aren't of stone ! Leonid. But see here! I asked her: she said she didn't love me. Liza. Well, if you aren't a queer one ! Whoever asked girls right out whether they were in love or not ! Even if one of us girls was in love, she wouldn't say so. Leonid. Why? SCENE V A PROTfiGfiE 21 Liza. Because she's bashful. Ouly let me go, sir ! [She gets free] There goes the old fury ! Leonid. Come out here into the garden after supper, when mamma goes to bed. Liza. You don't lose any time ! Leonid. Please come. Liza. Well, we'll see later. [Vasilisa Peregrinovna enters] Master, please come to tea^ your mamma is waiting. Leonid. All right, I'm coming. SCENE V The same and Vasilisa Peregrinovna Vasilisa Peregrinovna. I saw you, my dear, I saw you. Liza. There was nothing to see. [She goes out. Leonid. Well, what did you see ? What are you going to complain about .^ I shall simply say that you lie. Whom are they going to believe quicker, you or me? [He makes a grimace and goes out. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. There, that's the way they all treat me. I can't stand it ! My heart is just sick. I'm a martyr in this world. [She plucks a flower viciously and pulls off its petals] I believe that if I had the power I'd do this to all of you ! I'd do this to all of you ! I'd do this to all of you ! You just wait, you young scamp ! I'll catch you. My heart boils, it boils, it boils over ! And now I must smirk before the mistress as if I were a fool. What a life ! What a life ! The sinners in hell do not suffer as I suffer in this house ! [She goes out. II A parlor. R''ar centre, a door opening into the garden. Doors at the sides; in tJw centre a round table. SCENE I From a side door there enter a footman with a samovar and a maid icith a tea-service ; they place both on the table and go out. Gavrilovna and Potapych enter after them. Gavrilovna prepares the tea. Vasilisa Peregrinovna enters from the garden. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. My dear, you always serve me only water. Gavrilovna. It isn't good for you to drink strong tea, madam. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. It's not your business to worry about me ! Gavrilovna. It dries up the chest, and you're all dried up as it is. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. What a life ! What a life ! I am not dried up from tea-drinking, my dear, but from the insults of the world. Gavrilovna. Insults ! You insult everybody yourself, as if something were stirring you up ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Don't you dare talk to me like that ! Just remember who you are. I once owned serfs myself; at my place, such people as you didn't dare peep, they walked the chalk. I didn't let your sort get high- headed ! 22 SCENE II A PROTfiGEE 23 Gavrilovna. That time's gone by. God gives a vicious cow no horns. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Oh, you monsters, wretches ! You want me to die. Soon I shall die, soon; my soul feels its fast approaching end ! [Raising her eyes heavemvard] Shelter me from men, O lid of my coffin ! Take me to thee, moist earth ! Then you'll be happy; then you'll be joyful ! Potapych. We .^ What's it to us .'.... Tend to your own business. GAVRiLO\TSfA. While God is patient with your sins. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. For my sins I have already been tortured here. I mourn now the sins of others. Gavrilovna. It would be better for you not to bother with other people's sins. Now you're getting ready to die, yet you talk about the sins of others. Aren't you afraid ? Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Afraid of what ? Why should I be afraid .'' Gavrilovna. Of that little black man with the hook. He's waiting for you now, I guess. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Where am I? Where am I.'' My God ! Just as if I were in a slough ; monsters .... From the left side Madam Ulanbekov, Nadya, Liza, and Grisha corne in. SCENE II The same and Madam Ulanbekov, Grisha, Nadya, and Liza. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Did our benefactress deign to attend prayer service.'' Madam Ulanbekov. Yes, I went to vespers in town; to-day is a holiday there. 24 A PROTEgEE act II Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Did you distribute generous alms among tlie people present ? Mauam Ulanbekov. No, I only called in Pustaya Street at old man Negligentov's. He asked me to set up his nephew; you see, the nephew is my godson. I'm sorry for these people ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. And you, dear soul, are a bene- factress to all. To all alike, to all ! You do favors to people who aren't even worth your looking at. Madam Ulanbekov. [Sits down] Never mind, my dear. One must do good to his neighbor. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. But do they feel that good .' Can they understand, heartless creatures, how great is your condescension to them.'' Madam Ulanbekov. It's all the same to me, my dear ! One must do good for his own sake, for his own soul. Then I stopped in to see the chief of police, and asked him to make Negligentov head-clerk. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. But, my benefactress, is he worthy ? Madam Ulanbekov. Don't interrupt ! A strange man, our chief of police! I ask him, and he says: "There's no job!" I say to him: "You evitlently don't understand who's asking you?" "Well!" says he, "do you expect me to drive out a good man for your godson ? " Churlish fellow ! However, he promised ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. To think of his hesitating ! I cannot understand how he could even talk back to you. Here his ill-breeding shows up at once. Maybe Negligentov, because of his life, isn't worth saying much about; never- theless, the chief ought to do everything in the world for him for your sake, no matter how worthless a scamp Negli- gentov might be. A PROTEGEE 25 Madam Ulanbekov. Don't you forget that he's my god- son Vasilisa Peregrinovna. And for that very reason, benefactress, I add: he is your godson; well, and that's all there is to it; the chief of police ought not to listen to any kind of gossip. And, besides, what things they do say ! They say that he's utterly worthless, that his uncle got him a court job, but he won't stay with it. He was gone a whole week, they say, somewhere or other about three miles down the highroad, near the tavern, fishing. Yes, and that he is a drunkard beyond his years. But whose business is it? He must be worthy of it, since you ask it. Madam Ulanbekov. I've never heard that. I've never seen him drunk; but I spoke to the chief of police on his behalf, because he's my godson. I take his mother's place. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. I know, benefactress, I know; every one knows that if you take a notion, you, my bene- factress, can make a man out of mud; but if you don't take a notion to do so, he'll fall into insignificance no matter how brainy he may be. He's to blame himself, because he didn't deserve it ! Madam Ulanbekov. I'm sure I never did any one any harm. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Harm.'' You, who because of your angelic heart wouldn't hurt even a fly ! Of course all we mortals are not without sins; you have done many things; you can't please everybody. Indeed, to tell the truth, my dear benefactress, there are people enough who complain about you. Madam Ulanbekov. Who complains about me ? What a lie! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. It's impossible for you to know everything, dear benefactress. And it's not worth while for you, in your gentility, to trouble yourself about every low- 26 A PROTfiGfiE act ii lived person. And though they do complain, what's the use of {)aying attention; are they worth your notice? Since you do so many good deeds for others, God will forgive you, our benefactress. Madam Ulanbekov. All the same, I want to know whom I have offended ? Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Well, there are some persons, benefactress. Madam Ulanbekov. [Forcibly] But who ? Speak ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Don't be angry, benefactress ! I spoke as I did because you yourself know how touchy people are nowadays — never satisfied. Madam Ulanbekov. You spoke as you did in order to cause me some unpleasantness. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. May my eyes burst if I did. IVIadam Ulanbekov. Well, I know you. You're never at rest in j'our own soul unless you're about to say something mean. You will please be more careful; otherwise you'll drive me out of patience one of these days; it'll be all the worse for you. [Silence] Serve the tea. Gavrilovna. Right away, mistress. She fours out two cups. Potapych hands them to Madam Ulanbekov and to Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Madam Ulanbekov. Pour Grisha a cup, too; he went with me to-day, and he's tired out. Gavrilov:na. Yes, mistress. [She pours out a cup and hands it to Grisha. Grisha. Why didn't you put more milk in it? Are you stingy, eh? Gavrilovna. [Adding milk] As it is, you're fattened on milk, like a calf. Grisha takes the cup and goes out through the door into the garden. _ _ ,. SCENE a A PROTfiGfiE 27 Madam Ulanbekov. I have thought of marrying Nadya to Negligentov — ^with a (iecent settlement, of course. You say that he leads a bad life; consequently we must hasten the wedding. She is a girl of good principles, she'll hold him back, otherwise he'll ruin himself with his bachelor habits. Bachelor life is very bad for young men. Nadya. [To Liza] Do you hear, Liza.'' What's this? My God ! Liza. You just have to listen, and you can't say a word. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. It's high time she was married, benefactress; why should she be hanging around here .'' And now your young son, the angel, has come. Madam Ulanbekov. Oh, be still ! What are you think- ing up now ? Why, he's only a child ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. A child, benefactress ! Well, there's notlting more to be said; God gave you a son as a joy and a consolation. And we can never feast our eyes enough on him. It's just as if the sunshine had come into our house. So good-natured, so merry, so gentle with every one! But he's already running after the girls so; he never lets one pass; and they, silly things, are tickled to death; they fairly snort with delight. Madam Ulanbekov. You're lying. He never has a chance to see the girls anywhere, I think; all day long they are in their own side of the house, and, besides, they never go anywhere. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Ah, benefactress, there are no locks to keep a girl in, once she takes a notion to do some- thing. Madam Ulanbekov. You hear, Gavrilovna ! Look after my girls. You know I won't have any loose conduct. You tell them that so they'll know I mean it. [To Vasilisa Pere- grinovna] But no, there can't be anything like that. You're 28 A PROTEGEE act ii merely disturbing me with your silly notions. What a dirty tongue you have ! What business had you to chatter ? And now I can't get the stuff out of my head ! Keep watch, Gavrilovna ! Gavrilovna. What's the use of listening to her, mistress ? Vasilisa Peregrinovna. But really, benefactress, am I saying anything bad ? Would I dare to think any harm about him, that little angel ? Of course he's still a child, he wants to frisk a little; but here he hasn't any companions, so he plays with the girls. Madam Ulanbekov. There's poison on your tongue. [iSfie reflects. Potapych takes the cups. Gavrilovna fills them and gives them back. Grisha comes in from the garden, gives Gavrilovna a push, and makes a sign ivith his head that she is to pour him another cup. Gavrilovna does so. Grisha goes out] However, I must marry off Nadya. Nadya. [Almost weeping] Mistress, you have show-n me such kindness that I can't even express it. Forgive me for daring to speak to you now; but, because of your attitude towards me, I expected quite a different favor from you. In what respect have I displeased you now, mistress, that you wish to marry me to a drunkard? Madam Ulanbekov. My dear, it's not for you to argue about that; you're just a girl. You ought to rely in all tilings upon me, your patroness. I brought you up, and I am even bound to establish you in life. And again, you ought not to forget this: that he is my godson. Rather, you ought to be thankful for the honor. And now I tell you once and for all : 1 do not like it when my girls argue, I simply do not like it, and that's all there is to it. That's a thing I cannot permit anybody. I've been accustomed, from my youth, to having people obey my every word; it's time you knew that ! And it's very strange to me, my dear, that you SCENE III A PROTEGEE 29 should presume to oppose me. I see that I have spoiled you; and you at once get conceited. [Nadya weeps. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Benefactress, one must have feeling for his fellow creature, one must have feeling. But what kind of feelings can such as they have, save ingrati- tude ? Madam Ulanbekov. No one's talking to you ! What are you mixing into everything for.'' [To Nadya, sternly] What new tale is this ? Still crying ! Let's have no more tears ! [Nadya weeps] I'm talking to you. [Rising slightly] Your tears mean absolutely nothing to me ! When I make up my mind to do a thing, I take a firm stand, and listen to no one on earth ! [She sits down] And know, first of all, that your obstinacy will lead to nothing; you will simply anger me. Nadya. [Weeping] I'm an orphan, mistress ! Your will must be obeyed ! Madam Ulanbekov. Well, I should say ! Of course it must; because I brought you up; that's equal to giving you life itself. Leonid enters. SCENE III The same and Leonid Leonid. How are you, mamma.'' Madam Ulanbekov. How are you, my dear.'' Where have you been.^ Leonid. I went hunting with Potapych. I killed two ducks, mamma. Madam Ulanbekov. You don't spare your mother; the idea, going hunting in your state of health ! You'll fall sick 30 A PROTEGEE act n again, God forbid ! and then you'll simply kill nie ! Ah, my God, how I have suffiTcd with that child ! [She muses. Gavkilovna. Some tea, master? Leonid. No, thanks. Madam Ulanbekov. [To Vasilisa Peregrinovna] When he was born, I was ill a very long time. Then he was al- ways sickly, and he grew up puny. How many tears have I shed over him ! Sometimes I would just look at him, and my tears would flow; no, it will never be my lot to see him in the uniform of the guardsmen ! But it was most distress- ing of all for me when his father, owing to the boy's poor health, was unable to send him to a military school. How much it cost me to renounce the thought that he might be- come a soldier ! For half a year I was ill. Just imagine to yourself, my dear, when he finishes his course, they will give him some rank or other, such as they give to any priest's son clerking in a government office ! Isn't it awful ? In the military service, especially in the cavalry, all ranks are aris- tocratic; one knows at once that even a junker is from the nobility. But what is a provincial secretary, or a titular councillor ! Any one can be a titular councillor — even a merchant, a church-school graduate, a low-class townsman, if you please. You have only to study, then serve awhile. Why, one of the petty townsmen who is apt at learning will get a rank higher than his ! That's the way of the world ! That's the way of the world ! Oh, dear ! [She turns away with a wave of her hand] I don't like to pass judgment on any- thing that is instituted by higher authority, and won't per- mit others to do so, but, nevertheless, I don't approve of this system. I shall always say loudly that it's unjust, unjust. Leonid. Why are Nadya's eyes red from crying.' Vasilisa Peregrinovna. She hasn't been flogged for a long time. SCENE III A PROTEGEE 31 Madam Ulanbekov. That's none of your business, my dear. Nadya, go away, you're not needed here. [Nadya goes out. Leonid, Well, I know why: you want to marry her off. Madam Ulanbekov. Whether I do or not, my dear, is my own business. Furthermore, I do not like to have any one meddle in my arrangements. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. What a clever young man you are; you know everything, you get into everything ! Leonid. Indeed, mamma dear, I don't mean to meddle in your arrangements. Only he's a drunkard. Madam Ulanbekov. And that, again, is none of your business. Leave that to your mother's judgment. Leonid. I'm onlj' sorry for her, mamma. Madam Ulanbekov. All very fine, my dear; but I should like to know from whom you heard that I'm going to marry Nadya. If one of the housemaids has. . . . Leonid. No, mamma, no. Madam Ulanbekov. How could you find out otherwise ? How did that get out.'* [To Gavrilovna] Find out without fail! Leonid. No, indeed, mamma; the man she's going to marry told me. Madam Ulanbekov. What sort of a man ? Leonid. I don't know what sort ! He said he was a clerk in a government office. . . .a peculiar surname: Negligentov. What a fumiy fellow he is ! He says he's your godson, and that he's afraid of nobody. He's dancing in the garden now, drunk. Madam Ulanbekov. Drunk, in my house ! Leonid. If you want, I'll invite him in. Potapych, call Negligentov ! He said that you were at his uncle's to-day, and that you promised to give him Nadya. Already he's 32 A PROTfiGfiE ACT a reckoning, in anticipation, liow much income he will get in the court, or "savings," as he says. What a funny fellow! He showed me how they taught him at school. Do you want me to bring him in ? Enter Potapych and Negligentov. . SCENE IV The same, Negligentov a?id Potapych Madam Ulanbekov. Oh, oh, how disgusting ! Don"t come near me ! Negligentov. I'm sent from uncle to thank you for your bounty. Leonid. He says, mamma, that they taught him a good deal, only it was impossible for him to learn anything. Negligentov. Impossible; from my birth I had no apti- tude for the sciences. I received from fifty to a hundred birch rods nearly every day, but they didn't ciuicken my understanding. Leonid. Oh, mamma, how amusingly he tells about the way he learned ! Here, just listen. Well, and how did you learn Latin ? Negligentov. Turpissime ! Madam Ulanbekov. [iShrugf/itiy her shoulders] What in the world is that."' Negligentov. Most abominably. Leonid. No, wait a bit; and what did the teacher do with you ? Negligentov. [Bursts out laughing] It made you laugh. Once, after a cruel torture, he commanded two students to fasten me by the neck with a belt, and to lead me through the market-place as a laughing-stock. SCENE IV A PROTEGEE 33 Madam Ulanbekov. How is it they took you into the civil service if you never learned anything? Negligentov. Through the mediation of influential people. Leonid. And did they expel you from school .'' Negligentov. They didn't expel me; but they excluded me because I grew too much. Leonid. Grew too much.'' Negligentov. Well, as I, during all this teaching and grilling, remaining in the lower grades, was getting on in years, and grew more than the other fellows of my class, of course I was excluded because I was too big. I suffered all the more from the venality of those at the head. Our rector liked gifts; and a week before the examinations, he sent us all to our parents for presents. According to the number of these presents, we were promoted to the higher classes. Leonid. What was your conduct like.^ Negligentov. Reprehensible. Madam Ulanbekov. What in the world ! Good heavens ! Go away, my dear sir, go away ! Leonid. Oh, mamina, he's comical; wait a bit before driving him out. Dance, Negligentov ! Negligentov. [Dances and sings] "I shall go, shall go to mow LIpon the meadow green." Grisha bursts out laughing. Madam Ulanbekov. Stop, stop ! [Negligentov ceases. To Grisha] What are you laughing at? Grisha. The member dances very comically. Madam Ulanbekov. What do you mean, "member"? Grisha. Why, he himself tells us all that he is a member 34 A PROTfiGfiE act n in the court, not a copy-clerk. And so they call him the member. Negligentov. I call myself the member, although falsely, but expressly for the respect of the court menials, and in order to escape scoffing and insult. Madam Ulanbekov. Be gone, and don't you ever dare to show yourself to me ! Negligentov. Uncle says that I fell into loose living be- cause of my bachelor life, and that I may get mired in it unless you show me your favor. Madam Ulanbekov. No, no, never ! Negligentov. [On his hiccs] Uncle told me to beg you with tears, because I am a hjst man, subject to many vices, and, without your favor, I shall not be tolerated in the civil service. Madam Ulanbekov. Tell your uncle that I shall always be your benefactress; but don't you even think about a wife ! Be gone, be gone ! Negligentov. I thank you for not deserting me! [To Grisha] Ask the mistress to let you go to the fair, and catch up with me ! [He goes out. SCENE V The same, except Negligentov Madam Ulanbekov. How easy it is to be mistaken in people ! You take pains for them, work your head off, and they don't even feel it. I should have been glad to establish that boy in life, but he crawls into the house drunk. Now, if he's a prey to that weakness, he ought, at least, to try to hide it from me. Let him drink where he will, but don't let me see it ! I should know, at least, that he respected SCENE V A PROTfiGfiE 35 me. What clownishness ! What impudence ! Whom will he be afraid of, pray tell, if not of me? Leonid. Oh, what a comical fellow ! Don't be angry with me, mamma. When I found out that you wanted to marry Nadya to him, I felt sorry for her. And you're so good to everybody ! [He kisses her hand] I didn't want you to do anything unjust. Madam Ulanbekov. Such people fairly drive you into sin. [Kissing him] You have a beautiful soul, my dear! [To Vasilisa Peregrinovna] Indeed, I have always thought that God himself sometimes speaks with the lips of babes. Liza ! Go tell Nadezhda not to cry, that I have turned out Negligentov. Liza. Yes, ma'am. [She goes out. Grisha. [Approaches, swaggering, and stops in a free and easy pose] Mistress ! Madam Ulanbekov. What's the matter with you.' Grisha. Let me go down-town; to-day's a holiday there. Madam Ulanbekov. What do you want to go for.'' To stare at the drunkards.'' Grisha. [Clasping his hands behind him] Please, ma'am. Madam Ulanbekov. No, most certainly not ! Grisha. Please do, mistress. Madam Ulanbekov. I tell you, positively, no ! One's morals are just spoiled at these fairs. Your greedy ears will take in all kinds of nastiness ! You're still a boy; that's no place for you ! Grisha. No, but please let me, ma'am. Madam Ulanbekov. You stay right here ! Put that non- sense out of your head ! Grisha. Well, I declare ! I slave, and slave, and can't ever go anywhere ! 36 A PROTfiGfiE act ii Vasilisa Peregrino\^"A. Oh me, oh my ! Oh me, oh my ! How spoiled you are ! How spoiled you are ! Madam Ul,.\nbekov. What are you cackling about? Keep still ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. But how can I keep still, bene- factress ? Such lack of feeling ! Such ingratitude ! It pierces the heart. Mad.ajvi Ulanbekov. I command you to keep still, and you must keep still ! Grisha. Please let me, ma'am ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. As if the mistress didn't love you, as if she didn't fondle you, more, if anything, than her own son ! Madam Ulanbekov. [Stamping her foot] Shhh ! . . . . I'll turn you out ! Grisha. I want awfully to go to the fair; please let me, ma'am. Madam Ulanbekov. Well, go along then ! but come buck early ! Grisha. Yes, ma'am. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Kiss the dear lady's hand, you blockhead ! Grisha. What are you trying to teach me for? I know my own business. [He kisses the mistress's hand and goes out. Madam Ulanbekov. As for you, my dear, if I ever hear anything like this again, I'll have them drive you off the place with brooms. She goes out. Vasilisa Peregrinovna remains stand- ing in a stupor. SCENE VII A PROTEGfiE 37 SCENE VI The same, except Madam Ulanbekov; then Liza Leonid. Well, you caught it, didn't you? And you de- served it, too ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. I'll have my turn yet. Liza enters. Liza. [Quietly to Leonid] Nadya .sent me to say that we'll come to the garden. Leonid. Give her a kiss from me. Gavrilovna. God give you health, master, for taking our part. Any wretch can izisult us; but there's no one to take our part. You'll get a rich reward for that in the next world. Leonid. I'm always ready to help you. [He goes out to the right, tvith a caper. Gavrilovna. Thanks, my dear ! [She goes out with Liza, to the left. SCENE VII Vasilisa Peregrinovna and Potapych Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Why don't you insult me? They all insult me, why don't you? You heard how she herself wanted to flog me; "I'll have them do it with brooms," she said. May her words choke her ! Potapych. What, I ! . . . . I insult anybody ! But as to the gentlefolk there. . . .1 don't know, but perhaps they have to. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Do you see what's going on in this house ! Do you see ? Do you understand it, or don't you ? Just now when I began to talk about Grisha, you 38 A PROTEGf:E act ii heard how she began to roar? You lieard how she began to hiss? PoTAPYCH. What's that to me ? I, by the mistress's kind- ness, in her employ. . . .1 shall carry out all her orders. . . . What business is it of mine ? I don't want to know anything that isn't my business. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. But did you see how Nadya and Liza— the hussies ! — looked at me ? Did you see how the snakes looked ? Ha ! I must look after them, I must ! [Potapych, with a wave of his hand, goes out] Bah ! you ! you old blockhead ! What people ! What people ! There's no one to whom I can talk, and relieve my heart. [She goes out. Ill Part of the garden; to the rear, a pond, on the shore of which is a boat. Starry night. A choral song is heard in the far distance. For a while the stage is empty. SCENE I Enter Nadya and Liza Liza. Oh, Nadya, what's tliis we're doing? When the mistress hears of tliis, it'll be your last daj' on earth. Nadya. If you're afraid, take yourself home. Liza. No, I'll wait for you. But all the same, my girl, it's awful, no matter what you say ! Lord preserve us when she finds it out. Nadya. Always singing the same tune ! If you fear the wolf, keep out of the woods. Liza. But what has happened to you ? Before, you didn't talk like this. You used to hide yourself; and now you go to him of your own accord. Nadya. Yes, before I ran away from him; now I don't want to. [She stands musing] Now I myself don't know what has suddenly happened within me ! Just when the mistress said, a short while ago, that I shouldn't dare to argue, but marry the man she said to marry, just then my whole heart revolted. "Oh, Lord, what a life for me!" I thought. [She xveeps] What's the use in my living purely, guarding myself not merely from every word, but even from every look? Even so, evil seized upon me. "Why," I thought, "should 39 40 A PROTfiGfiE act iir I guard myself?" I don't want to! I don't want to! It was just as if my heart died witliin me. It seemed that if she said another word, I should die on the spot. Liza. What are you saying ! Why, I really thought you were coming to the master as a joke. Nadya. As a joke ! I can't hear an insult ! I cannot. [Silrtirc] Oh, Liza, if life were better, I shouldn't have come into the garden at night. You know how it used to be, when I would think al)out myself — I suppose it must have come into your head, too — that here you are, an honest girl; you live like a bird, suddenly you're fascinated by some man, he makes love to you, comes to see you often, kisses you. . . . You're abashed before liim, yet happy to see him. That's the way it always is. Although you may not be rich; al- though it may be you have to sit with your lover in the servants' room; yet it is as if j'ou were a queen, just as if every day were a holiday for you. Then they marry you, and all congratulate you. Well, then, no matter how hard married life may be, perhaps there may be lots of work, in spite of that you live as if in paradise; just as if you w'ere proud of something. Liza. Naturally, my girl. Nadya. But when they say to you: "Pack oflF to tliis drunkard, and don't you dare argue, and don't you dare cry over yourself!".... Oh, Liza!.... And then you think how that horrid man will make fun of you, will bully you, show his authority, will begin to ruin your life, all for noth- ing ! You grow old by his side without having a chance to live. [She weeps] It breaks your heart even to tell about it ! [Waving her hand] And so, indeed, the young master is better. Liza. Oh, Nadya; it would be better if you hadn't spoken, and I hadn't listened I SCENE I A PROTEGEE 41 Nadya. Stop, Liza ! Why are you playing the prude with me? What would you do yourself if the master fell in love with you ? Liza. [Stammering] Well, how should I know ? Of course, what shall I say .... the old Nick is strong. Nadya. There you are ! . . . . [Silence] Here is what I wanted to say to you, Liza. What a strange inspiration has come over me ! When such thoughts came into my head, and, Liza, when I began to think about the master — then how dear he became to me ! .... so dear, that, really, I can't tell. . . . Before, when he ran after me, I didn't care; but now it's just as if something drew me to him. Liza. Oh, my girl ! Just think of it; surely this is fate! Nadya. And such a .spirit came into me, I am afraid of nothing ! I feel as if you could cut me to pieces, and still I'd not change my mind. And why this is so, I don't know. [Silence] I could hardly wait till night ! It seems as if I could fly to him on wings ! The one thing that I have in mind is that, at any rate, I am not a pretty girl for nothing ; I shall have something by which to remember my youth. [Musingly] I thought to myself: "What a young man, how handsome ! Am I, silly girl that I am, worth his loving me.''" May I be choked here, in this lonely spot, if he does not. Liza. What's this, Nadya.'* You seem beside yourself. Nadya. And I really am beside myself. While she spoiled me, caressed me, then I thought that I was a person like other people; and my thoughts about life were entirely different. But when she began to conmiand me, like a doll; when I saw that I was to have no will of my own, and no protection, then, Liza, despair fell upon me. What became of my fear, of my shame — I don't know. "Only one day, but mine!" I thought; "then come what may, I don't care 42 A PR0T£G£E ACT III to inquire. Marry me off to a herdsman, lock me in a castle with thirty locks !. . . .it's all the same to me!" Liza. I think the master's coming. Leonid enters from the opposite side, in a cloak. Nadya. Well, Liza, isn't he handsome, ha.' Liza. Oh, stop ! You're either sick or half out of your head ! SCENE II The same and Leonid Leonid. [Approaching] I was tliinking you would deceive me by not coming. Nadya. Why did you think so.' Leonid. Well, you see, you said you didn't love me. Nadya. No matter what girls say, don't you believe them. How could one help loving such a handsome fellow.? Leonid. [Surprised] Why, Nadya ! He takes her hand, for a short time holds it, then kisses it. Nadya. [In fright withdraiving her hand] Oh ! why did you do that 2 Dear, kind master ! Aren't you ashamed .'' Leonid. I love you ever so much, Nadya ! Nadya. You love me.'* Well, then, you might give me a kiss ! Leonid. May I, Nadya? Will you let me.'' Nadya. What's the harm in it.'* Leonid. [Turning about] Oh, and you, Liza, here. . . , Liza. I'm going, I'm going. . . .1 shan't meddle. Leonid. [Confused] I didn't mean that. Where did you get that idea? Liza. Oh, don't dodge. We know, too. . . . [She goes out behind the shrubs. SCENE II A PROTfiGfiE 43 Leonid. And so you will let me kiss you? [He kisses her timidly] No, no, let me kiss your hand. Nadya. [Hides her hand] No, no, how could you ! What do you mean. . . . Leonid. Why not? I'll tell you what, you are the most precious thing on earth to me. Nadya. Is that really so? Leonid. You see, no one ever loved me before. Nadya. Aren't you fooling? Leonid. No, truly ! . . . . Trulj-, no one has ever loved me. Honest to God. . . . Nadya. Don't swear; I believe you without it. Leonid. Let's go sit down on the bench. Nadya. Yes, let's. [They sit down. Leonid. Why do you tremble so? Nadya. Am I trembling? Leonid. You are. Nadya. Then, it must be that I feel a bit chilly. Leonid. Just let me wrap you up. He covers her with one side of his cloak, embracing her as he holds it around her. She takes his hand and holds it. Nadya. And now let's sit this way and talk. Leonid. What are we going to talk about? I shall say only one thing to you: I love you. Nadya. You will say it, and I shall listen. Leonid. You'll get tired of one and the same thing. Nadya. Maybe you'll get tired of it; I never shall. Leonid. Then let me speak. I love you, little Nadya. [He rises and kisses her. Nadya. Why do you do that? Just sit quietly, as we said we would. Leonid. Shall we sit like this, with our hands folded ? 44 A PROTfiGEE act iii Nadya. [La)i(/hiny\ Like that. Hear, a nightingale is singing in the thicket. Sit down and Hsten. How nice it is to Hsten ! Leonid. Liketliis? Nadya. Yes, as we sit together. It seems as if I eonld sit here all my life and listen. What could be better, what more could one want.^ .... Leonid. Nadya, dear, that would really be a bore. Nadya. What fellows you men are ! You get sick of things in no time. But I, you see, am ready to sit out the whole night, to look at you, without lowering my eyes. It seems as if I shoulfl forget the whole world ! Tears start in her eyes, she bends her head, and then looks at Leonid fixedly and musingly. Leonid. Now it would be nice to go rowing; it is warm, the moon is shining. Nadya. [Absently and almost mechanically] What is it, sir.'' Leonid. To go rowing; I should row j'ou out to the little island. It is so pleasant there, on the island. Well, let's go. [He takes her by the hand. Nadya. [In a revery] Where, sir .^ Leonid. W^here, where .^ I told you; didn't you hear me ? Nadya. Oh, forgive me, dearest master. I was thinking and didn't hear anything. Dearest master, forgive me ! [She lays her head upon his shoulder. Leonid. I say, let's go to the island. Nadya. [Nestling up to him] Oh, wherever you please ! Even to the end of the world ! If only with you .... Take me wherever you want. Leonid. Nadya, you are so good, so sweet, that it seems as if I must burst out crying, just to look at you. [They ap- proach the boat] Good-by, Liza. Liza. [Coming from the bushes, she makes a warning gesture] SCENE III A PROTEGEE 45 Look out, you two ! [Leonid and Nadya sit doivn in the boat and move away] There, they've gone ! And I must wait here for them ! This is awful, simply awful ! At night, in the garden, and all alone, too ! What a fix for me — afraid of everything, and. . . . [She glances about her] Heavens, this is deadly ! If there were only somebody here, it would be all right, I'd have somebody to talk to. Holy Saints ! Some- body's coming! [She looks] Oh, all right; just our old folks from the fair. [She hides herself. SCENE III Enter Potapych in an overcoat and a broad-brimmed hat, and with a cane, somewhat tipsy; Gavrilovna in an old- fashioned bonnet. They sit down on the bench. Potapych. No, Gavrilovna,' not that. . . .don't say that ! . . . . Our lady is so ... . such a kind mistress ! . . . . Here, we asked if we could go to the fair, and she said to go along. . . . But what they say about her. . . that I don't know: it's not my business, and so I don't know anything about it. Gavrilovna. Why not let us go, Potapych.^ You and I are not youngsters; we shan't be spoiled ! Potapych. You can't let the young folks go, because you must have models for everything, Gavrilovna. Whatever models a person has in front of him, he may, very likely .... most probably .... Gavrilovna. Well, why did she let Grisha go .^ She said she wouldn't; well, and then she ought not to have done it. Potapych. Vasilisa Peregrinovna stirred me up a lot on Grisha's account a while ago. . . .she stirred me up a lot, 46 A PROT£g£E act III but I don't know. It's not my business, so I don't know anything about it. Gavkilovna. What's this you were saying about models ? It would be better for her to show a better example herself ! As it is, she only keeps shouting: "Watch, I tell you, watch the girls!" But what's the use of watching them.'* Are they all babies ? Every person has liis own brains in his head. Let every one think for himself. All you need to do is to look out for the five-year-olds, that they don't spoil something or other. What a life for a girl ! There's nothing worse on earth ! But the mistress doesn't want to consider whether a girl gets much fun out of life. W^ell, does she get much ? Say ! PoTAPYCH. [Sighs] A dog's life. Gavkilovna. It surely is ! Consequently one ought to pity them and not insult them at every step. As it is, it's simply awful! Nobody trusts them at all; it's just as if they weren't human beings. Just let a girl poke her nose out, and the guards are on the job ! PoTAPYCH. But you can't. . . . Gavkilovna. Can't what? You can do everything. That'll do, Potapych ! You're used to saying over other people's words like a magpie; but just think for yourself. Potapych. But I don't know. . . .1 don't know anything, Gavkilovna. You won't gain anything through severity. You may tell 'em, if you please, that they'll be hung for such- and-such; they'll go and do it anyway. Where there's the greatest strictness, there's the most sin. You ought to reason like a human being. No matter if our masters pay money for their wits while we have only what we're born with, we have our own way of thinking, all the same. It's all right to lay down the law strictly; but don't always punish a fellow who makes a slip; let him off now and then. Some SCENE V A PROTEGEE 47 bad comes from spoiling people; but now and then you can't help going wrong. PoTAPYCH. Now, if you ask me. . . .what can I answer to that .'* How can I answer you .' Gavrilovna. Well, how 'i PoTApycH. Just this: I don't know anything about it, because it isn't my business. . . .it's the mistress's business. Gavrilovna. Bah, you old idiot ! You've lost your wits in your old age. Potapych. Why should I. . . .1, thanks to the lady's kind- ness, now in her employ .... I carry out all her orders .... but I don't know. Gavrilovna. Well, let's go home. She may have thought up something or other about even you and me. {They go out. SCENE IV Liza. [Enters] Alone again ! Where are those precious darlings of mine ? I suppose they've forgotten about me ! But, then, why should they remember me.'' Saints alive, it'll soon be daylight. This night is shorter than a sparrow's beak. How can we go home then .'' How brave that Nadya is! Enter Vasilisa Peregrinovna. SCENE V Liza and Vasilisa Peregrinovna Vasilisa Peregrinovna. What are you doing there, dearest .'' Liza. Can't you see? I'm taking a stroll. 48 A PROTfiGfiE act m Vasilisa Peregrinovna. I see ! How can I help it ? But what kind of a night-walk is this? Liza. Well, when can we go walking? We work all day and wait on the gentry, and we go walking at night. But I am surprised at you ! Don't you walk enough daytimes that you still want to wander around at night and scare people, just like. . . . Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Just like what?. . . . Well, say it, say it ! Liza. What? Oh. nothing. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. No, you said, "Just like".... well, say it now; just like who? Liza. I said what I said. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. No, don't you dare sneak out of it ! Come, speak up ! Liza. Why did you stick to it? All right, I'll tell you: like a spook. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. What, what ! Like a spook !. . . . How do you dare, you dirty hussy, ha ? What's this ! You want to push me alive into the grave ! But I'll find your lover here, and take you to the mistress. Then we'll see what song you'll sing. Liza. I haven't any lover ! There's no use in your look- ing. Search the whole garden if you want to ! And even if I had, it's none of your business ! It's shameful for you even to speak of it. You ought not even to know about it: you're an old maid. You ought to be ashamed of yourself! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Sing on, sing on, my dear; you sing very finely on the wing; but you'll perch pretty soon ! You're not going to roam about at night for nothing. I know your tricks. I'll show you all up ! I'm so mad now, that even if you bow down to my feet, I'll not forgive you. SCENE VI A PROTfiGfiE 49 Liza. Just wait ! I see myself bowing before you ! Don't count on it ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. No, now I'm going to look around every bush. Liza. Do it ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna looks about on both sides, then approaches the pond. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Ha, what's this .^ Do tell, what tricks they're up to ! In the boat ! Hugging each other ! How tender that is ! Just like a picture ! You ought to have thought to take a guitar along and sing love-songs ! . . . . They're kissing each other ! Very good ! Delightful ! Again ! Excellent ! What could be better ? Phew, what an abomination ! It's disgusting to look at ! Well, my dears, you will remember me. Now I have nothing to say to you. To-morrow I shall ! [She goes out. Liza. What devil brought her here? You can't clear up the mess now ! Leonid a7id Nady^ reach the shore and disembark from the boat. SCENE VI Liza, Nadya, and Leonid Liza. W^hat have you done, what have you done ! . . . . Nadya. [Not listening to her, softly to Leonid] You will come to-morrow ? Leonid. I will. Liza. What's the matter, don't you hear ? Nadya. If I can't come, I'll send a note somehow or other. Leonid. Good ! Nadya. Well, good-by. [They kiss. Liza. [Loudly] Nadya ! 50 A PROTfiGfiE act iii Nadya. [Goes up to Liza. Leonid sits down upon the bench] What's the matter? Liza. VasiHsa Peregrinovna saw you rowing on the pond, Nadya. Well, deuce take her! Liza. My dear girl, don't carry your head too high ! Leonid. Nadya ! [Nadya goes to him] Oh, Nadya, what a vile, good-for-nothing fellow I am ! Nadya. What do you mean ? Leonid. Little Nadya ! [He lohispers in her ear. Nadya. [Shakes her head] Oh, my precious darling, why did that come into your head? I'm not sorry for this, but you are. How kind you are ! Now, good-by ! It's high time. I shouldn't leave you, but I can't help it; I'm not my own mistress. Leonid. Good-by, then ! Sloivli/, as if unwillingly, they separate. Nadya returns, overtakes Leonid a7id gazes into his eyes. Nadya. Do you love me? Leonid. I do love you, indeed I do ! [They kiss and go out in different directions. IV Same room as in second picture SCENE II PoTAPYCH is leaning against the door-jamh, his hand to his head. Vasilisa Peregrinovna e7iters quietly. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Result of yesterday evening, I suppose, my friend ? PoTAPYCH. Wha-a-t? Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Your head aches. PoTAPYCH. Did you put up the money.'* Vasilisa Peregrinovna. You haven't any money for any- thing else; but you have for such things. PoTAPYCH. Well, anyhow, it ain't your business. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Of course, Potapych, you're an old man, why shouldn't you take a drink once in a while.'' Potapych. Sure, I guess I work for it. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Just so, Potapych ! Potapych. I'm tired of being lectured by you ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. I wish you well, Potapych. Potapych. No need for it ! [Silence] But you keep up- setting the mistress so ! If you'd only put in a word for us when she's in a good humor; but you just look for the wrong time, in order to complain of us. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. What do you say, Potapych.'* God preserve me ! Potapych. What's that ! No matter how much you ' The whole scene in a whisper. 51 52 A PROTfiGfiE act iv swear, I know you ! For instance, why are you coming to the mistress now ? Vasilisa Peregrinovna. To wish the benefactress good morning. PoTAPYCH. You'd better not come. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Why so.'^ PoTAPYCH. It must be she got out the wrong side of bed; she's out of sorts. [Vasilisa Peregrinovna rubs her hands with pleasure] Here now, I see that you're happy; you're dying for some deviltry or other. Phew ! Lord forgive us ! What a disposition ! Vasilisa Peregrino\':na. You are saying insulting words to me, Potapych, insulting to my very heart. When did I ever say anything about you to the mistress? Potapych. If not about me, then about somebody else. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. But that's my business. Potapych. Your spite's always getting in its work. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Not spite, not spite, my friend ! You're mistaken ! I have just been so insulted that it's im- possible to live in this world after it. I shall die, but I shall nut forget. Madam Ulanbekov enters. Potapych goes out. SCENE II Madam Ulanbekov and Vasilisa Peregrinovna Vasilisa Peregrinovna. [Kissing both of Madam Ulan- bekov's hands] You have risen early, benefactress. You must have an awful lot of things on your mind. Madam Ulanbekov. [Sitting dovni] I didn't sleep much. I had a bad dream. " Vasilisa Peregrinovna. What, a dream, benefactress? SCENE n A PROTEGEE 53 The dream may be terrible, but God is merciful. Not the dream, but what is going on in reaHty, disturbs you, bene- factress. I see that; I've seen it a hjng time. Madam Ulanbekov. Bah, what is it to me what's going on.'' Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Why, benefactress, don't we know that your son, dear httle soul ! is struck with every creature he meets.'* Madam Ulanbekov. You make me tired. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. I'm so sorry for you, benefac- tress ! Don't look for any consolation in this life ! You scatter benefactions upon every one; but how do they repay you.'' The world is full of lust. Madam Ulanbekov. Go away ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. [Weeping] I can't keep back my tears when I look at you ! My heart bleeds that they don't respect you, that they don't respect you even in your own house ! In your honorable house, in such pious premises as these, to do such things ! Madam Ulanbekov. [Frouming] You silly crow ! You want to croak about something or other. Well, croak away ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Benefactress, I'm afraid it might upset you. Madam Ulanbekov. You've upset me already. Talk ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. [Glances about in all directions and sits down on a stool at the feet of Madam Ulanbekov] Yesterday, benefactress, I was ending my evening prayer to the Heavenly Creator, and went out to stroll in the garden, and to occupy myself for the night with pious meditations. Madam Ulanbekov. Well ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. And what did I see there, bene- factress ! How my legs held me up, I don't know ! That Liza of yours was running through the bushes with a de- 54 A PROTfiGfiE act iv praved look; it must he slie was seeking her lovers. Our master, the Httle angel ! was rowing in the boat on the pond, and Nadya, also with a depraved expression, was elinging to him with her arms about his neck, and was kissing him. And it was easy to see that lie, because of his ])urity, was trying to tlirust her away; but she kept clasping him about the neck, kissing and tempting him. . Madam Ulanbekov. Are you lying ? Vasilisa Pereghinovna. You may quarter me, benefac- tress. Madam Ulanbekov. It's enough if there is one grain of truth in your words. Vasilisa Pekegrinovna. It's all true, benefactress. Madam Ulanbekov. Fiddlesticks ! not all — it can't be ! You always make up more than half. But where were the servants? Vasilisa Pereghinovna. All of them, benefactress, were more or less drunk. No sooner had you gone to bed, than they all went to the fair and got tipsy. Gavrilovna, Pota- pych, all were drunk. What an example to the young ! Madam Ulanbekov. This must be looked into thoroughly. Of course, I shouldn't have expected the least mischief of Leonid. Quiet lads like him ! Well, if he'd been a soldier, it would be pardonable; but as it is. . . . [She muses. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. And furthermore, benefactress, so far Grisha hasn't come back from the fair. Madam Ulanbekov. How's that.^ He didn't sleep at home ? Vasilisa Peregrinovna. He did not, benefactress ! Madam Ulanbekov. You lie, you lie, you lie ! I'll drive you off the place ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. May I die in my tracks ! Madam Ulanbekov. [Sinking hack in her chair] You want SCENE III A PROTfiGfiE 55 to kill me. [Raiding herself from, the chair] Yoii simply want to kill me. [She rings. Enter Potapycii] \Yhere"s Grisha.'' PoTAPYCH. Just came, ma'am. Madam Ulanbekov. Send him here ! [Potapych goes out] This certainly beats all ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. You'll not find anybody more devoted than I, benefactress; only I am unhappy in one re- spect: that my disposition displeases you. Enter Grisha, his hair tousled and dishevelled. SCENE III The same, and Grisha Madam Ulanbekov. Where' ve you been.'' Grisha. [Now opens, now closes his eyes, not sure of his tongue, and unsteady on his hgs] At the fair, ma'am. Madam Ulanbekov. Just come froi^ it ? [Grisha is silent] Why don't you talk.'' [Silence] Am I going to get a word out of you, or not.'* Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Answer the mistress. Grisha. What's that to you .'' Madam Ulanbekov. Answer me ! Where have you been all this time.'* Grisha. I've done wrong, ma'am. Madam Ulanbekov. I'm not asking you whether you've done wrong or not; I'm asking you where you were! Grisha. [Looks at the ceiling with a vacant stare] Why, where should I be ? The idea ! The same place as usual ! Madam Ulanbekov. Well, where's that? Grisha. I just informed you that I was there all the time, ma'am. 56 A PROTfiGfiE ACT IV IVIadam Ulanbekov. You'll drive inc out of palicucf ! Where's there? Grisiia. But, really, ma'am ! Your will in everytliing, ma'am. What did I, ma'am. . . . I've done wrong, ma'am. Madam Ulanbekov. Good Lord ! Wju're still drunk, I guess . Grisha. Not a hit, ma'am. Madam Ulanbekov. Nonsense ! I ean see. Grisha. But, really, ma'am ! One eaii say anything ahout a man. Madam Ui^anbekov. Bah, you disgraeeful seamp ! He still denies it ! This is awful ! This is awful ! Now, speak up, where' ve you been .^ Grisha. Why, really, ma'am ! I just informed you, ma'am. Madam Ulanbekov. Were you at the fair all night? Grisha. I just informed you so, ma'am. Madam Ul.\nbekov. How did you dare, when I let you go for only a short time? Grisha. Well, really, ma'am ! I did want to go home, but they wouldn't let me, ma'am. Madam Ulanbekov. Who wouldn't let you go? Grisha. My friends wouldn't, ma'am. IVIadam Ulanbekov. Who are these friends of yours ? Grisha. Why, really, ma'am ! Government office clerks. Madam Ulanbekov. Great heavens ! Clerks ! Do you understand what kind of people they are? Grisha. Who, ma'am, clerks? Understand wh.at about them, ma'am ? Madam Ulanbekov. And you prowled about with them all night ! It would have l)een better if you hadn't told me, nasty scamp that you are ! I know how they act ! They'll teach you all sorts of things! What does this mean? Be- gone ! And don't you dare show yourself before my eyes ! SCENE iir A PROTEGfiE 57 Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Ask forgiveness, you blockhead ! Kiss the dear lady's hand ! Grisha waves his hand impatiently and goes out. Madam Ulanbekov. What an affliction ! It'll simply make me ill ! Already I feel my spasms are beginning. What a worthless scamp ! He went out just as if he had no re- sponsibilities ! And without a sign of repentance ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Ah, benefactress, you see he's still a child; he did it just out of stupidity. Madam Ulanbekov. No, he needs a good .... Vasilisa Peregrinovna. What do you say, benefactress ? He's still a regular booby ! What can you expect of him ! He'll get wiser, then it will be altogether different. Madam Ulanbekov. What offends me most is ingrati- tude ! It seems to me he ought to feel what I am doing for him. I'm positively sick. Go for the doctor ! Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Calm yourself, benefactress; as if that rabble were worth your getting upset over ! Madam Ulanbekov. Hand me the smelling-salts. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. [Hands her them] Snap your fingers at them, that's all. Now, if only those girls. . . . Madam Ul.\nbekov. Oh, here's another affliction ! Now I certainly can't collect my thoughts; I'm completely dis- tracted, and now she begins on the girls ! I shall take to my bed at any moment. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Lust, benefactress, is beyond all endurance. Madam Ulanbekov. No, they needn't expect any mercy from me. As it is, I forgive one, then another, and so the whole crowd is spoiled. [She rings; enter Potapych] Call Nadezhda, and come here yourself ! [Potapych goes out] That's what it is to be a woman. If I were a man, would they dare be so wilful ? 58 A PROTfiGfiE act iv Vasilisa Peregrinovna. They don't give a fig for you, benefactress, not a fig. They aren't a httle bit afraid of you ! Madam Ul^nbekov. They're going to find out pretty (juitk whether I amount to anything. Enter Potapycii and Nadya. Gavrilovna and Liza look through the door. SCENE IV The same, Potapych and Nadya Madam Ulanbekov. Nadezhda ! VasiHsa Peregrinovna says she saw you in the garden last night with the master. Is that so? [Nadya is silent] You're silent, that means it's true. Well, now% you can thank yourself. I'm not a con- niver at loose conduct, and I won't endure it in my house. I can't turn you out as a vagabond, that would weigh upon my conscience. I am obliged to marry you off. [To Pota- pych] Send to town and tell Negligentov that I shall marry Nadya to liim; and let the wedding be just as soon as pos- sible. [She rises from her chair and is about to leave. Nadya. [Falling at her feet] Whatever you wish, only not marriage with him ! Madam Ul,.\nbekov. Fiddlesticks ! What I have once said is sacred. And what do you mean by this scene ? Can't you see that I'm not well ? To keep on plaguing me ! Pota- pych ! She has no father; you be a father to her instead; and impress upon her in fatherly fashion the baseness of her conduct, and the fact that she must obey my commands. Potapych. You listen, Nadezhda, to what the mistress commands ! Because when she intrusts you to me, it means that I must show my authority over you. If you command SCENE IV A PROTfiGfiE 59 it, mistress, I can at once, in your presence, give her some moral instruction with my own hand ! Here, if you dare to say one tiny word to the contrary, I'll drag you off by the hair, no matter what any one says. [He raises his hand threateningly. Nadya. Oh ! . . . . [She crouches. Madam Ulanbekov. Don't strike her ! What disgust- ing scenes PoTAPYCH. But, mistress ! You can't get results by talk- ing ! Besides, if I'm her father, that's the regular thing ! That's the law, and according to that, since she is rebel- ling against you now, I ought to give you that satisfaction. Nadya. [Weeping] Mistress, don't ruin me ! Madam Ulanbekov. Oh, my God ! You don't spare me at all. Tears, squabblings ! Send for the doctor at once ! How many times have I got to say it.'' It's your own fault, you've nobody to blame for your tears. Potapych ! get this business over with ! I don't like to repeat the same thing ten times over. She goes out, Gavrilovna after her. Silence. Gav- RiLOVNA returns. Gavrilovna. She's gone to bed, and banged the door behind her. Potapych. [At the windoto] Antoshka ! Antoshka ! Post boy ! Saddle the horse and ride to town for the doctor. Oh, you ! Lord ! Nadya. [Rising from her knees] Don't you think it's a sin for you to abuse me, Potapych? What have I ever done to you .'* Potapych. What do I care ? What do I care about you ? When the mistress really wants something, I have to try to please her in every way; because I was born her servant. GO A PROTfiGfiE act iv Nadya. If slie had commanded you to kill me, would you have done it? PoTAPY('H. That's not my aflFair, I can't argue about that. Gavrilovna. That's enough, Nadya, don't cry ! God doesn't abandon orphans. Nadya falls upon Gavrilovna's hnsom. Liza. [To Vasilisa Peregrinovna] Well, is your heart content now ? Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Wait, my dear, your turn will come. Leonid enters. SCENE V The same and Leonid Leonid. What's this ? What has happened ? Vasilisa Peregrinov'na. You made all the trouble your- self, and then ask what lias happened. Leonid. What trouble did I make.^ What are you con- tinually thinking up ? Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Now, don't pretend ! The whole truth has come out. You've been having a little fun. What of it.'* At your age, why shouldn't you have? Liza. She's reported the whole thing to the mistress. The mistress got so angry that it was awful ! And now, sir, she is going to marry Nadya to that government clerk. Leonid. Are you sure? Nadya. The tiling's settled, dearest master ! I have to answer for last evening's sport. Leonid. Is mamma very angry ? Gavrilovna. No one dares go near her. Leonid. But how can that be? Isn't it possible to talk her over somehow or other? SCENE V A PROTEGEE 61 Gavrilovna. Just go and try. No, she won't come out of her room now for five days; and she won't let any one at all see her there. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Do you want to talk your mamma over.'* Leonid. Yes. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Do you want me to tell you how ? Leonid. Please be so kind, Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Well, permit me. Our bene- factress is very much hurt at Grisha, because he didn't spend the night at home: he came in drunk, and didn't even ask forgiveness nor kiss her hand. It was this vexation that made her sick. And then this Nadezhda happened to come her way when she was angry. Now our benefactress won't even come out of her room, and won't allow any one to go to her, so long as that stubborn Grisha doesn't beg forgiveness. Gavrilovna. How contrarily everything happened ! Gri- sha will keep up his character, too. Although he is a block- head, he has some sense. Now he'll flop down on the hay and he'll lie there on his belly for four days. PoTAPYCH. Somebody ought to take Uncle Gerasim's club and dress him down from top to toe. Vasilisa Peregrinovna. Now, our dear master, wouldn't you like to go present your compliments to him, in order that he might hurry up and ask your mamma's forgiveness ^ Leonid. [Upon reflection] That would be too great an honor for him. But see here, Gavrilovna, is mamma actu- ally very angry .'* Gavrilovna. So angry, sir, that it's terrible ! Leonid. Well, what's to be done now ! Nadya. Why are you bothering? You see, there's noth- ing you can do: better leave me! Now you'll soon go away 62 A PROTfiGfiE act iv to Petersburg; you will l)e happy: why should you think about such trifles, or disturb yourself? Leonid. Why, j'ou see, I'm sorry for j'ou ! Nadya. Don't be sorry, if you please ! I ran to my own destruction of mj' own free will, like a mad girl, without once stopping to think. Leonid. What are you planning to do now.'* Nadya. That's my business. Leonid. But, you see, it's going to be very hard for you, Nadya. What business is it of yours.'' It will be all the happier for you. Leonid. But why do you talk like this? Nadya. Because you're still a boy ! . . . . Leave me ! Leonid. But, you see, he's such a drunken, vile fellow. Nadya. Oh, my God ! It would be better for you to go off somewhere: out of my sight. Leonid. Yes, really, it would be better for me to spend a week with our neighbors. Nadya. For God's sake, do ! Leonid. But Nadya, if it should be awfully hard for you to live with your husband, what then ? Nadya. [Weeping] Oh, leave me alone ! Be good enough to leave me alone ! [Sobbing] I beg only one thing of you : leave me, for God's sake ! [She sobs. Gavrilovna and Liza. [Motioning with their hands] Go away ! Go away ! Leonid. Why do you drive me out? I guess I'm sorry enough for her ! I keep thinking somehow or other, that it may still be possible to helj) her in some way. Nadya. [With desperation] I don't want any helpers or defenders ! I don't want them ! If my patience fails, that pond of ours isn't far off ! Leonid. [Timidly] Well, I'll go away if you wish.... SCENE V A PROTfiGfiE G3 Only what is she saying ? You folks, look after her, please ! Good-by ! [He goes to the door. Nadya. [After him in a loud voice] Good-by ! Leonid goes out. Liza. And so the old proverb is true: What's fun for the cat is tears for the mouse. POVERTY IS NO CRIME A COMEDY IN THREE ACTS * CHARACTERS GoRDEY KL4rpych Tortsov, a rich merchant. Pelageya Egorovna, his wife. Lyubov Gordeyevna, his davghter. Lyubim Karpych Tortsov, his brother, a man who has squan- dered his property. Afrikan Savvich Korshunov,' a manufacturer. MiTYA, ToRTSOv's clcrk. Yasha GtJSLiN, nepheio of Tortsov. Grisha Razlyulyayev, a young merchant, the son of a rich father. Anna Ivanovna, a young widow. } friends of Lyubov Tortsov. Liza J Egorushka, a hoy, distant relative of Tortsov. Arina, ?iurse of Lyubov Gordeyevna. Guests, Servants, Mummers, and Others. The action takes place in a district toion in the hov^e of the merchant Tortsov during the Christmas holidays. » Vulture POVERTY IS NO CRIME ACT I A small office room; in the rear loall a door ; in the corner on the left a. bed, on the right a cupboard. In the left wall a vrindow, and beside the window a table. Near the table a chair; near the right wall a desk and a wooden stool. Be- side the bed a guitar; on the table and desk are books and papers. SCENE I MiTYA is walking back and forth in the room. Egorushka is seated on the stool reading "Bova Korolevich." Egorushka. [Reads] "My sovereign father, glorious and brave king, Kiribit Verzoulovich, I do not possess the cour- age to marry liim now. Because when I was young I was wooed by King Gvidon." MiTYA. Well, Egorushka, is any one at home? Egorushka. [Putting his finger on the place where he is reading in order not to make a mistake] Nobody; they've all gone driving. There's only Gordey Karpych at home. [Reads] "Whereupon Kiribit Verzoulovich said to his daugh- ter" — [Again marking the place] — only he's in such a rage, it's awful ! I cleared out — he keeps on cursing. [Reads] "Then the beaatiful Militrisa Kirbltyevna called her servant Licharda to her." MiTYA. With whom was he angry? Egorushka. Witli my uncle, with Lyubim Karpych. On the second day of the holidays Uncle Lyubim Karpych dined 67 68 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act i with us; at dimuT 1k' f^ot drunk and began to play the fool; it was awfully funny. I always get the giggles. I couldn't stand it, and then I burst out laughing, and they were all looking at me. Uncle Gordey Karpych took it as a great insult to himself and very bad manners, and he was furious with him and turned him out. Uncle Lyubim Karpych made a great row, and out of revenge went and stood with the beggars by the church door. Uncle Gordey Karpych said: "He has put me to shame," he said, "in the eyes of the whole town." And now he gets angry with everybody who comes near him, no matter who they are. [Reads] "With the intention of advancing toward our town." MiTYA. [Looking out of the tvindow] Here they come, I think. Yes, it's so. Pelageya Egorovna, Lyubov Gorde- yevna, and guests with them. Egorushka. [Concealing his story in his pocket] I'll run up-stairs. [Goes out. SCENE II MiTYA alone MiTYA. Oh, Lord, what misery ! Everybody in the streets is having a holiday, and everybody in the houses too, and you have to sit between four walls ! I am a stranger to all, no relations, no friends ! — And then besides ! — O well ! I'd better get to work; perhaps this wretchedness will pass off. [Seats himself at the desk and muses, then begins to sing. "Her beauty I cannot describe! Dark eyebrows, with languishing eyes." Yes, with languishing eyes. And yesterday when she came from mass, in her sable coat, and her little handkerchief on SCENE m POVERTY IS NO CRIME 69 her head, like this — ah ! — I really think such beauty was never seen before ! [Muses, then sings. "Where, O where was this beauty born!" My work all goes out of my head ! I'm always thinking of her ! My heart is tormented with sorrow. O misery most miserable ! Covers his face with his hands and sits silent. Enter Pelageya Egorovna, dressed in winter clothes; she stops in the doorway. SCENE III MiTYA and Pelageya Egorovna Pelageya Egorovna, Mitya, Mitya dear! MiTYA. What do you want ? Pelageya Egorovna. Come up to us later on in the eve- ning, my dear, and play with the girls. We're going to sing songs. Mitya. Thank you exceedingly, I shall make it my first duty. Pelageya Egorovna. W^hy are you always sitting alone in the office ? It's not very cheerful ! You'll come, won't you? Gordey Karpych won't be at home. Mitya. Good, I shall come without fail. Pelageya Egorovna. He's going off again, j'ou see; he's going off there to that friend of his — what's his name? Mitya. To Afrikan Savvich ? Pelageya Egorovna. Yes, yes ! He's quite gone on him ! Lord forgive him ! Mitya! Take a seat, Pelageya Egorovna. [Fetches a chair. Pelageya Egorovna. Oh, I have no time. Well, yes, I'll 70 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act i sit down a hit. [Sits doini] Now just tliiuk, what a misfor- tune ! Really, they've hccome such friends that it beats everything ! Yes, that's what it's come to ! And why? What's the use of it all ? Tell me that, pray. Isn't Afrikan Savvich a coarse, drunken fellow? Isn't he? MiTYA. Perhaps Gordey Karpych has some business with Afrikan Savvich. Pelageya Egoro\^a. What sort of business ! He has no business at all. You see Afrikan Savvich is always drink- ing with that Englishman. He has an Englishman as di- rector of his factory, and they drink together ! But he's no fit company for my husband. But can jou reason with him? Just think how proud he is ! He says to me: "There isn't a soul here to speak to; all," he says, "are rabble, all, you see, are just so many peasants, and they live like peas- ants. But that man, you see, is from Moscow — lives mostly in Moscow — and he's rich." And whatever has happened to him ? Well, you see, it was all of a sudden, my dear boy, all of a sudden ! He used to have so much sense. Well, we lived, of course not luxuriously, but all the same pretty fairly decently; and then last year he went for a trip, and he caught it from some one. He caught it, he caught it, they have told me so — caught all these tricks. Now he doesn't care for any of our Russian ways. He keeps harping on this : "I want to be up to date, I want to be in the fashion. Yes, yes ! Put on a cap," he says ! What an idea to get ! Am I going to try to charm any one in my old age and make myself look lovely? Bah! You just try to do anything with him. He never drank before — really he didn't — but now he drinks with this Afrikan. It must be that drink has turned his brain [points to her head] and muddled him .... [Silence] I think now that the devil has got hold of him ! Why can't he have some sense ! If he were a young fellow ! SCENE IV POVERTY IS NO CRIME 71 For a 3'oung fellow to dress up and all that is all right; hut you see he's nearly sixty, my dear, nearly sixty ! Really ! "Your fashionable up-to-date things," says I, "change every day; our Russian things have lived from time im- memorial ! The old folks weren't any stupider than we." But can you reason with him, my dear, with his violent character ? MiTYA. What is there to say ? He's a harsh man. Pelageya Egorovna. Lyubov is just at the right age now; we ought to be settling her, but he keei)s dinning it in: "There's no one her equal, no! no!" But there is! But he says there isn't. How hard all this is for a mother's heart. MiTYA. Perhaps Gordey Karpych wishes to marry Lyubov Gordeyevna in Moscow. Pelageya Egorovna. Who knows what he has in his mind ? He looks like a wild beast, and never says a word, as if I were not a mother. Yes, truly, I never say anything to him; I don't dare; all you can do is to speak with some outsider about your grief, and weep, and relieve your heart; that's all. [Rises] You'll come, Mitya? MiTYA. I'll come, ma'am. GusLiN comes in. SCENE IV The same and Guslin Pelageya Egorovna. Here's another fine lad ! Come up-stairs to us, Yasha, and sing songs with the girls; you're good at that; and bring along your guitar. Guslin. Thank you, ma'am: I don't think of that as work; I must say it's a pleasure. 72 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act i Pel.\geya Egorovxa. Well, gou(l-l)y ! I'm going to take a nap for half an hour. GusLiN and MiTYA. Good-by, Pelageya J^gorovxa goes out; Mitya .teats himself dejectedly at the table; Guslin seats himself on the bed and takes vp the yuitar. SCENE V Mitya and Yasha Guslin Guslin. What a crowd there was at the fair ! Your peo- ple were there. Why weren't you ? Mitya. Because I felt so awfully miserable. Guslin. What's the matter? What are you unhappy about .' Mitya. How can I help being unhappy ? Thoughts like these keep coming into my head: what sort of man am I in the world ^ My mother is old and poor now, and I must keep her — and how ? My salary is small ; I get nothing but abuse and insults from Gordey Karpych; he kee^s reproach- ing me with my poverty, as if I were to blame — and he doesn't increase my salary. I'd look for another place, but where can one find one without friends.^ And, yes, I will confess to you that I won't go to another place. Guslin. Why won't you go ? There at the Razlyulyayevs' it's very nice — the people are rich and kind. Mitya. No, Yasha, that doesn't suit me ! I'll bear any- thing from Gordey Karpych, I'll stand poverty, but I won't go away. That's my destiny ! Guslin. Why so? Mitya. [Rises] Well, I have a reason for this. It is. SCENE V POVERTY IS NO CRIME 73 Yasha, because I have another sorrow — hut nobody knows about it. I haven't spoken to any one about my sorrow. GusLiN. Tell me about it. MiTYA. [Waving his hand] What for? GusLiN. Yes, tell me; don't put on airs! MiTYA. Whether I tell you or not, you can't help me ! GusLiN. How do you know? MiTYA. [Walking toward Guslin] Nobody can help me — I am a lost man ! I've fallen wildly in love with Lyubov Gordeyevna. Guslin. What's the matter with you, Mitya? Whatever do you mean ? MiTYA. Well, anyhow, it's a fact. Guslin. You'd better put it out of your head, Mitya. Nothing can ever come of that, so there's no use thinking about it. Mitya, Though I know all this, one cannot control one's heart. "To love is most easy, one cannot forget." [He speaks with violent gestures] "I love the beautiful girl more than family, more than race; but evil people forbid me, and they bid me cease." Guslin. Yes, indeed; but you must stop it! Now Anna Ivanovna is my equal; she has no money, and I haven't a kopek — and even so uncle forbids me to marry. It's no use for you to think of doing so. You'll get it into your head and then it'll be still harder for you. Mitya. [Declaiming] "What of all things is most cruel? The most cruel thing is love." [Walking about the room.] Yasha, have you read Koltsov ? Guslin. Yes, why? Mitya. How he describes all these feelings ! Guslin. He does describe them exactly. 74 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act i MiTYA. Exactly, to perfection. [JValking about the room] Yasha ! GusLiN. What? MiTYA. I myself have composed a song. GUSLIN. You ? MiTYA. Yes. GusLiN. Let's make up a tune for it, and we'll sing it. MiTYA. Good ! Here, take this [gives him a paper] and I'll write a little— I have some work: most likely Gordey Karpych will be asking me about it. [Sits and vrrites. GusLiN takes the guitar and begins to pick out a tune. Razlyulyayev comes in with an accordion. SCENE VI The same and Razlyulyayev Razlyulyayev. Hello, boys! [Plays on the accordion and begins to dance. GusLiN. What a fool ! What did you buy that accordion for? Razlyulyayev. Why, I bought it to play on, of course — this way. [Plays. GusLiN. Well, that's fine music, I must say ! Stop, I tell you! Razlyulyayev. What ! Do you think I'll stop ? I'll stop when I want to. — What airs ! Haven't I got any money ? [Slapping his pocket] It chinks ! If we go on a spree — then it's some spree ! "One mountain is high, And another is low; One darling is far. And another is near." SCENE VI POVERTY IS NO CRIME 75 Mitya ! [Strikes Mitya on the shoulder] Mitya, why are you sitting still ? Mitya. I have some work to do. [Continues to work. Razlyulyayev, Mitya! Say, Mitya, I'm on a spree, my boy! Really, I am. Oh, come on! [Sings, "One moun- tain is high," etc.] Mitya ! Say, Mitya, I'm going on a spree for the whole holiday season — then I'll set to work, upon my word I will ! Haven't I got any money .'' There it is ! And I'm not drunk. — Oh, no, such a spree ! — so jolly ! Mitya. Well, go on a spree as much as you like. Razlyulyayev. And after the holidays I shall marry ! — Upon my word I shall marry ! I'll get a rich girl. GusLiN. Now, then, listen; how does this sound.'* Razlyulyayev. Sing it, sing it ! I'll hsten. GusLiN. [Sings] "Is naught so hard and evil As to be fatherless; Than slavery more grievous And sharper than distress. All in the world make holiday. But lonely you must pine. Your mind is wild and drunken. But it came not from the wine. Youth shall not do your pleasure, Beauty no healing bear. Your sweetheart does not comb your locks. But your harsh stepdame. Care." During all this time Razlyulyayev stands as if rooted to the ground, and listens with emotion; when the song is finished all are silent. Razlyulyayev. Good! Very good! It's awfully sad; 76 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act i it takes hold of one's heart. [Sighs] Ah, Yasha ! play some- thing cheerful; that's enough of this stuff — to-day's a holi- day. [Sings. "Who does not love a hussar! Life without love would be sad !" Play the tune, Yasha. GusuN plays the tunc. MiTYA. That's enough of your fooling. Come, now, let's sit down in a circle and sing in a low tone. Razlyulyayev. All right. [They sit down. GusuN. [Begins to sing; Mitya and Razlyulyayev join in] "Now my young, my young lads, You my friends. ..." Enter Gordey Karpych; all stand up and stop singing. SCENE VII The same and Gordey Karpych Gordey Karpych. What's all this screeching ! Bawling like so many peasants! [To Mitya] And you here! You're not living here in a peasant's hut ! What a dram-shop ! See that this sort of thing doesn't go on in the future ! [Goes to the table and inspects the papers] Why are these papers all scattered about.'* Mitya. I was looking over the accounts, sir. Gordey Karpych. [Takes the book by Koltsov, and the copy- hook with verses] And this, too, what's this rubbish.-* Mitya. I was copying these poems of Koltsov's to pass the time away, since it's a holiday. SCENE VII POVERTY IS NO CRIME 77 GoRDEY Karpych. You are sentimental for a poor lad ! MiTYA. I just study for my own education, in order to understand things. GoRDEY Karpych. Education ! Do you know what edu- cation is .'' — And yet you keep on talking ! You ought to get yourself a new coat ! For when you come up-stairs to us and there are guests, it's a disgrace ! What do you do with your money .'' Mitya. I send it to my mother because she is old and has nowhere to get any. GoRDEY Karpych. Send it to your mother ! You ought to educate yourself first; God knows what your mother needs! She wasn't brought up in luxury; most likely she used to look after the cows herself. Mitya. It's better that I should suffer than that my mother should be in any want at all. GoRDEY Karpych. This is simply disgusting ! If j^ou don't know yourself how to observe decency, then sit in your hovel ! If you haven't anything to wear, then don't have any fancies ! You write verses, you wish to educate your- self — and you go about looking like a factory hand ! Does education consist in this, in singing idiotic songs .f* You idiot ! [ Through his teeth and looking askance at Mitya] Fool ! [Is silent] Don't you dare to show yourself in that suit up- stairs. Listen, I tell you! [To Razlyulyayev] And you too ! Your father, to all appearances, rakes up money with a shovel, and you go about in tliis Russian smock. Razlyulyayev. What do you say! It's new — French goods — I ordered it from Moscow — from an acquaintance — ■ twenty rubles a yard ! Do you think I ought to go about in a bob-tailed coat, like Franz Fedorych at the apothecary's ! Why, they all tease him there ! — the deuce of a coat ! What's the use of making people laugh ! 78 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act i GoRDEY Karpych. Much you know ! It's hopeless to expect anything of you ! You yourself are an idiot, and your father hasn't nuieh more sense — he always goes about in dirty old clothes. You live like ignorant fools, and like fools you will die. Razlyulyayev. That's enough ! GoRDEY Karpych. Wliat.'* Razlyulyayev. That's enough, I say ! Gordey Karpych. Clown ! You don't even know how to talk straight ! It's simply waste of words to speak to you — ^like shooting peas against a wall — to waste words on such as you, fools ! [Goes out. SCENE VIII The same without Tortsov Razlyulyayev. Just look ! How savage ! What a rage he's in ! Oh, we're awfully scared of you — you bet we are ! Mitya. [To Guslin] There, that's the sort of life I lead! That's the sort of thing I have to put up with ! Razlyulyayev. It'll drive you to drink — upon my word, it'll drive you to drink! But you'd better stop thinking about it. [Sings. "One mountain is high, And another is low; One darling is far. And another is near." Enter Lyubov Gordeyevna, Anna Ivanovna, Ma- SHA, and Liza. SCENE IX POVERTY IS NO CRIME 79 SCENE IX The same and Lyubov Gordeyevna, Anna Ivanovna, Masha, a7id Liza. Anna Ivanovna. Peace, honest company ! Razlyulyayev. I welcome you to our shanty. MiTYA. Our respects ! Please come in ! What good wind brings you here? Anna Ivanovna. No wind — we just took it into our heads and came. Gordey Karpych has gone out, and Pelageya Egoravna has gone to he down, so now we are free ! Be as jolly as you please ! MiTYA. I humbly beg you to sit down. They sit down; Mitya seats himself opposite Lyubov Gordeyevna; Razlyulyayev walks about. Anna Ivanovna. It grew dull sitting silent cracking nuts. "Come on, girls," said I, "and see the boys," and that suited the girls. Lyubov Gordeyevna. What stories you do make up ! We never thought of coming here — that was your idea. Anna Ivanovna. Much you didn't ! You were the first ! Everybody knows, if a person wants a thing, then he tliinks about it; the boys of the girls, and the girls of the boys. Razlyulyayev. Ha, ha, ha ! Anna Ivanovna, you have said it exactly. Lyubov Gordeyevna. Not a bit of it ! IVIasha. [To Liza] Oh, how embarrassing! Liza. Anna Ivanovna, you are just saying what isn't true. Anna Ivanovna. Oh, you modest thing ! I'd like to say a word — but it wouldn't be nice before the boys ! — I've been a girl myself. I know all about it. 80 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act i Lyubov Gordeyevna. There are girls and girls ! ]\Iasiia. Oil, how embarrassing! Liza. What you say sounds very strange to us, and, I must say, it's disconcerting. Razlyulyayev. Ha, ha, ha ! Anna Ivanovna. What were we talking about just now up-stairs ? Do you want me to tell ? Shall I tell them ? Well, have you calmed down now .'* Razlyulyayev. Ha, ha, ha ! Anna Ivanovna. What are you opening your mouth for? It wasn't about you — don't you worry. Razlyulyayev. Even if it wasn't about me, still it may be there is some one who tliinks about me. I know what I know ! [Dayices to a tune. "Who does not love a hussar ! Life without love would be sad !" Anna Ivanovna. [Walking towards Guslin] Well, guitar player, when will you marry me.'* Guslin. [Playing on the guitar] When I can get permission from Gordey Karpych. What's the use of hurrying ! It isn't raining on us ! [Nods his head] Come along here, Anna Ivanovna; I've got something to say to you. She goes to him, and sits near him; he whispers in her ear, looking towards Lyubov Gordeyevna and MiTYA. Anna Ivanovna. What do you say ! — Really ? Guslin. It's really true. Anna Ivanovna. Well, then, all right; keep quiet ! [ They talk in a whisper. Lyubov Gordeyevna. You, Mitya, will you come to us later on in the evening ? MiTYA. I will. SCENE IX POVERTY IS NO CRIME 81 Razlyulyayev. And I'm coming; I'm good at dancing. [Stands with arms akimbo] Girls ! do fall in love with me, one of you ! Masha. You ought to be ashamed of yourself ! What's that you're saying ? Razlyulyayev. Why such airs ! I sa3% fall in love with me, somebody — yes — for my simplicity. Liza. People don't talk like that to girls. You ought to wait till they do fall in love with you. Razlyulyayev. Yes, much I'll get from you by waiting 1 [Dances. "Who does not love a hussar!" Lyubov Gordeyevna. [Looking at Mitya] It may be somebody loves somebody and won't tell ! He must guess himself. Liza. How can any girl in the world say that ! Masha. I know it ! Anna Ivanovna. [Goes up to them and looks now at Lyubov Gordeyevna and noio at Mitya and sings: "Already it is seen If somebody loves somebody — Opposite the beloved one she seats herself Heavily sighing." Mitya. Who does that apply to ? Anna Ivanovna. We know to whom. Razlyulyayev. Stay, girls, I'll sing you a song. Anna Ivanovna. Sing, sing ! Razlyulyayev. [Sings slowly] "A bear was flying through the sky." Anna Ivanovna. Don't you know anything worse than that! 82 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act i Liza. We might think you were making fim of us. Razlyulyayev. If tliis isn't good enough I'll sing you another, for I'm a jolly fellow. [Sings. "Beat! Beat! upon the board. Moscow ! Moscow ! that's the word. Moscow's got it in his head That Kolomna he will wed. Tula lauglis with all his heart. But with the dowry will not part. Buckwheat is tuppence. It's twenty for oats. Millet is sixpence and barley three groats. [Tur7is towards the girls. If only oats would but come down ! It's costly carting 'em to town." See ! What weather ! Masha. This doesn't concern us. Liza. We don't trade in flour. Anna Ivanovna. What are you interrupting for ! Just guess this riddle. What's this: round — ^but not a girl; with a tail — but not a mouse.'' * Razlyulyayev. That's a hard one ! Anna Ivanovna. Indeed it is ! — ^You just think it over ! Now, girls, come along! [The girls rise and get ready to go] Come along, boys ! GusLiN and Razlyulyayev get ready. MiTYA. But I'll come later. I'll put things to rights here first. Anna Ivanovna, [Sings while they are getting ready] "Our maids last night, Our pretties last night, 1 A turnip. SCENE X POVERTY IS NO CRIME 83 They brewed us a brew of the beer last night. And there came to our maids, And there came to our pretties A guest, a guest whom they didn't invite." Anna Ivanovna lets them all pass through the door, except Lyubov Gordeyevna; she shuts the door and does not allow her to pass. SCENE X MiTYA and Lyubov Gordeyevna Lyubov Gordeyevna. [At the door] Stop, don't be silly ! [Through the door the girls are heard laughing] They won't let me out ! Oh, what girls ! [Walks away from the door] They're always up to something. MiTYA. [Hands her a chair] Be seated, Lyubov Gorde- yevna, and talk to me for just a moment. I'm very glad to see you in my room. Lyubov Gordeyevna. Why are you glad ? I don't under- stand. MiTYA. Oh, why ! — It is very pleasant for me to see on your side such consideration; it is above my deserts to re- ceive it from you. Tliis is the second time I have had the good fortune Lyubov Gordeyevna. There's nothing in that! I came here, sat awliile, and went away again. That means nothing. Maybe I'll go away again at once. MiTYA. Oh, no ! Don't go ! — Why should you ! [Takes the paper out of his pocket] Permit me to present to you my work, the best I can do — from my heart. Lyubov Gordeyevna. What is this? MiTYA. I made these verses just for you. 84 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act i Lyubov Gordeyevna. [Trying to hide her joy] Still, it may be just some sort of foolishness — not worth reading. MiTYA. That I cannot judge, because I wrote it myself, and without studying besides. Lyubov Gordeyevna. Read it. MiTYA. Directly. Seats himself at the table, and takes the paper: Lyubov GoEDEYEVNA approaches very near to him. "In the meadow no grasses wither. And never a flower doth fade; However a fair lad fadeth That once was a lusty blade. He loved a handsome damsel; For that his grief is great. And heavy his misfortune. For she came of high estate. The lad's heart is breaking. But vain his grief must be. Because he loved a damsel Above his own degree. When all the night is darkened The sun may not appear; And so the pretty maiden. She may not be his dear." Lyubov Gordeyevna. [Sitting and reflecting for some time] Give it here. [Takes the paper and hides it, then rises] Now I will write something for you. MiTYA. You! Lyubov Gordeyevna. Only I don't know how to do it in verse, but — just plain Russian. SCENE XI POVERTY IS NO CRIME 85 MiTYA. I shall regard such a kindness from you as a great happiness to myself. [Gives her paper and pen] Here they are. Lyubov Gordeyevna. It's a great pity that I write so abominably. [She writes; Mitya tries to look] Only don't you look, or I'll stop writing and tear it up. Mitya. I won't look. But kindly condescend to permit me to reply, in so far as I am able, and to write some verses for you on a second occasion. Lyubov Gordeyevna. [Laying down the pen] Write if you wish — only I've inked all my fingers; if I'd only known, I'd better not have written. Mitya. May I have it? Lyubov Gordeyevna. Well, take it; only don't dare to read it while I'm here, but after, when I've gone. Folds together the paper and gives it to him; he conceals it in his pocket. Mitya. It shall be as you wish. Lyubov Gordeyevna. [Rises] Will you come up-stairs to us.'' Mitya. I will — this minute. Lyubov Gordeyevna. Good-by. Mitya. To our pleasant meeting ! Lyubov Gordeyevna goes to the door; from the door- way Lyubim Karpych comes in. SCENE XI The same and Lyubim Karpych Lyubov Gordeyevna. Ah ! Lyubim Karpych. [Looking at Lyubov Gordeyevna] Wait ! What sort of a creature is this .'' On what pretext ? On what business ? We must consider this matter. 86 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act i Lytjbov Gordeyevna. Is it you, uncle ! Lyubim Karpych. Oh, it's I, niece ! What ? You got a fright ? Clear out, never mind ! I'm not the man to tell tales. I'll put it in a box, and think it over after, all in my spare time. Lyubov GoRDEYE\TsrA. Good-by. [Goes out. SCENE XII MiTYA and Lyubim Karpych Lyubim Karpych. Mitya, receive unto thyself Lyubim Karpych Tortsov, the brother of a wealthy merchant. Mitya. You are welcome. Lyubim Karpych. [Sits down] My brother turned me out ! And in the street, in a coat like this — one has to dance about a bit ! The frost — at Christmas time — ^brrr ! — My hands are frozen, and my feet nipped — brrr ! Mitya. Warm yourself up, Lyubim Karpych. Lyubim K\rpych. You will not drive me away, Mitya.'' If you do, I'll freeze in the yard — I'll freeze like a dog. Mitya. How could I ? What are you saying ? Lyubim Karpych. You see, Mitya, my brother turned me out. As long as I had a little money, I strolled about in warm places; now I have no money, and they won't let me come in anywhere. All I had was two francs and some-odd centimes ! Not a great capital ! It wouldn't build a stone house ! It wouldn't buy a village ! What could one do with such a capital .'' Where put it ? Not take it to a bank ! So then I took this capital and drank it up ! — squandered it ! — ■ That's the way of it ! Mitya. Why do you drink, Lyubim Karpych? That makes you your own enemy. SCENE XII POVERTY IS NO CRIME 87 Lyubim K\rpych. Why do I drink? From stupidity! Yes, from my own stupidity. Why did you think I drank? MiTYA. You'd better stop it. Lyubim Karpych. It's impossible to stop ; I've got started on this track. MiTYA. What track? Lyubim Karpych. Ah, well, listen — you're a kind soul — what this track was. Only you listen, take note of it. I was left when my father died, just a kid, tall as a bean pole, a little fool of twenty. The wind whistled through my head like an empty garret! My brother and I divided up tilings: he took the factory himself, and gave me my share in money, drafts and promissory notes. Well, now, how he divided with me is not our business — God be liis judge ! Well, then I went to Moscow to get money on the drafts. I had to go ! One must see people and show oneself, and learn good man- ners. Then again, I was such a handsome young man, and I'd never seen the world, or spent the night in a private house. I felt I must try everything ! F'irst thing, I got myself dressed like a dandy. "Know our people!" says I. That is, I played the fool to a rarity ! Of course, I started to visit all the taverns: " Schpeelen sie polka I Give us a bottle off the ice!" I got together enough friends to fill a pond ! I went to the theatres MiTYA. Well, Lyubim Karpych, it must be very nice in the theatre. Lyubim Karpych. I kept going to see the tragedies; I liked them very much, only I didn't see anytliing decently, and I didn't understand anything because I was nearly always drunk. [Rises] "Drink beneath the dagger of Prokop Lya- punov." [Sits down] By this sort of life I soon squandered all my money ; what was left I intrusted to my friend Afrikan Korshunov, on his oath and word of honor; with him I had 88 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act i drunk and gone on sprees, he was responsible for all my folly, he was the chief mixer of the mash ! He fooled me and showed me up, and I was stuck like a crab on a sand bank. I had nothing to drink, and I was thirsty — what was to be done? Where could I go to drown my misery? I sold my clothes, all my fashionable tilings; got pay in bank-notes, and changed them for silver, tlie silver for copper, and then everything went and all was over. MiTYA. How did you live, Lyubim Karpych? Lyubim Karpych. How did I live? May God never give such a life to a Tatar ! I lived in roomy lodgings, between heaven and earth, with no walls and no ceiling. I was ashamed to see people. I hid from the world; and yet you have to go out into God's world, for you have notliing to eat. You go along the street, and everybody looks at you. — Every one had seen what a life I used to lead, how I rattled through the town in a first-class cab, and now went about tattered and torn and unshaven. They shook their heads and away they went. Shame, shame, shame ! [Sits and hangs his head] There is a good business — a trade wdiich pays — to steal. But this business didn't suit me — I had a conscience, and again I was afraid: no one approves of this business. Mitya. That's a last resort. Lyubim Karpych. They say in other countries they pay you thalers and thalers for this, but in our country good people punch your head for it. No, my boy, to steal is abominable ! That's an old trick, we'll have to give it up ! But, you see, hunger isn't a kind old aunty, and you have to do something ! I began to go about the town as a buffoon, to get money, a kopek at a time, to make a fool of myself, to tell funny stories, and play all sorts of tricks. Often you shiver from early morn till night in the town streets; you SCENE XII POVERTY IS NO CRIME 89 hide somewhere behind the corner away horn people, and wait for merchants. When one conies — especially if he is rather rich — you jump out and do some trick, and one givea you five kopeks, and another ten: with that you take breath for a day and so exist. MiTYA. It would have been better, Lyubim Karpych, to go to your brother, than to live like that. Lyubim Karpych. It was impossible; I'd been drawn in. Oh, Mitya, you get into this groove, and it isn't easy to get out again. Don't interrupt! You'll have a chance later. Well, then, listen ! I caught cold in the town — it was winter; I stood in the cold, smartly dressed, in this coat ! I was blowing on my fingers and jumping from foot to foot. Good people carried me to the hospital. When I began to get better and come to my senses, my drunken spell was over. Dread came over me ! Horror seized me ! How had I lived? What had I done? I began to feel melancholy; yes, such melancholy that it seemed better to die. And so I decided that when I got quite well, I would go on a pil- grimage, then go to my brother, and let him take me as a porter. This I did. I threw myself plump at his feet ! "Be a father to me!" says I, "I have lived abominably — now I wish to reform." And do you know how my brother received me ! He was ashamed, you see, that he had such a brother. "But you help me out," I said to him, "correct me, be kind to me, and I will be a man." "Not at all," says he, "where can I put you when important guests, rich merchants, and gentry come to see me? You'll be the death of me," says he! "With my feelings and intellect," says he, "I ought not to have been born in this family at all. See how I live," says he; "who'd ever guess that our father was a peasant! For me," says he, "this disgrace is enough, and then you must come and obtrude yourself again." He over- 90 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act i whelmed me as with thunder ! After these words I went from bad to worse. "Oh, well," I thought, "deuce take him ! He is very thick here. [Points to his forehead] He needs a lesson, the fool. Riches are no use to fools like us; they spoil us. You need to know how to manage money." [Dozes off] Mitya, I'll lie down here; I want to take a nap. MiTYA. Do lie down, Lyubim Karpych. Lyubim Karpych. Mitya, don't give me any money — that is, don't give me much; just give me a little. I'll take a nap here, and then go and warm myself a little, you under- stand ! I only need a little — no, no ! Don't be foolish ! Mitya. [Taking out money] Here, take as much as you need. Lyubim Karpych. I need ten kopeks. This is all silver; I don't need silver. Give me two kopeks more, that will be just right. [Mitya gives them] That's enough. You have a good heart, Mitya ! [Lies down] My brother doesn't know how to appreciate you. Yes, I'll play a joke on him ! For fools riches are an evil ! Give money to a sensible man, and he'll do something with it. I walked about Moscow, I saw everything, everything ! — I've been tlirough a long course of study! You'd better not give money to a fool; he'll only go smash ! Foh, foh, foh, brr ! just like brother and like me, the brute ! [In a voice half asleep] Mitya, I will come and spend the night with you. Mitya. Come on. The office is empty now — it's a holi- day. Lyubim Karpych, Oh, but I'll play a funny joke on brother. [Falls asleep. Mitya. [Walks towards the door and takes the letter out of his pocket] What can she have written ? I'm frightened ! — My hands tremble ! — Well, what is to be will be ! I'll read it. [Reads] "And I love you. Lyubov Tortsov." [Clutches his head and runs out. ACT II Guest-room in the house of Tortsov. Against the rear toall a sofa, in front of the sofa a round table and six armchairs, three on each side; in the left corner a door; on each wall a mirror, and under them little tables. A door in each side wall, and a door in the rear wall in the corner. On the stage it is dark; from the left door comes a light. SCENE I Lyubov Gordeyevna ajid Anna Ivanovna enter through the lighted door. Anna Ivanovna. Why don't they come, our fine lads? Shall we go and fetch them ? Lyubov Gordeyevna. No, you'd better not. Well, yes, if you like, fetch them. [Embraces her] Fetch them, Annushka. Anna Ivanovna. Well, evidently you aren't happy with- out him ! Lyubov Gordeyevna. Oh, Annushka, if you only knew how I love him ! Anna Ivanovna. Love him, then, my dear, but don't lose your wits. Don't let him go too far, or you may be sorry for it. Be sure you find out first what sort of a fellow he is. Lyubov Gordeyevna. He's a good lad ! — I love him very much; he's so quiet, and he's an orphan. Anna Ivanovna. Well, if he's good, then love him; you ought to know best. I just said that ! Many a girl comes to grief because of them. It's easy to get into trouble, if you don't use your sense. 91 92 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act ii Lyubov Gordeyev'na. What is oiir love? Like a blade of grass in the field ; it blooms out of season — and it fades. Anna Ivanovna. Wait a moment ! Some one's coming, I think. Isn't it he .^ I'll go and you wait, perhaps it's he ! Have a good talk with him. [She goes out. MiTYA enters. SCENE II Lyubov Gordeyevna and Mitya Lyubov Gordeyevna. Who's there? Mitya. It's I, Mitya. Lyubov Gordeyevna. Why were you so long in coming ? Mitya. I was detained. [Approaches] Lyubov Gordeyevna, are you alone? Lyubov Gordeyevna. Yes, what of it? Mitya. Lyubov Gordeyevna, how do you wish me to understand your letter? Do you mean it, or is it a joke? [Lyubov Gordeyevna is silent] Tell me, Lyubov Gorde- yevna ! I am now in such perplexity that I cannot express it to you. My position in your house is known to you ; subor- dinate to everybody, and I may say utterly despised by Gor- dey Karpych. I've had only one feeling, that for you, and if I receive ridicule from you, then it would have been better for me never to have lived in this world. You may trust me ! I am telling you the truth. Lyubov Gordeyevna. No, Mitya dear, what I wrote to you was the truth, and not a joke. And you, do you love me? Mitya. Indeed, Lyubov Gordeyevna, I do not know how to express to you what I feel. But at least let me assure you that I have a heart in my breast, and not a stone. You can see my love from everything. SCENE II POVERTY IS NO CRIME 93 Lyubov Gordeyevna. But I thought that you loved Anna Ivanovna. MiTYA. That is not true ! Lyubov Gordeyevna. Really, they told me so. MiTYA. If this were true, then what sort of a man should I be after acting as I have.^ Could I declare with words what my heart does not feel ! I think such a thing would be dishonorable ! I may not be worth your regard, but I'm not the man to deceive you. Lyubov Gordeyevna. It is impossible to believe you men; all men in the world are deceivers. Mitya. Let them be deceivers, but I am not. Lyubov Gordeyevna. How car. one know ! Perhaps you also are deceiving me and want to play a joke on me ! Mitya. It would be easier for me to die in this place than to hear such words from you ! [Turns away. Lyubov Gordeyevna. No, Mitya, I didn't mean it. I know that you love me. I only wanted to tease you. [Mitya is silent] Mitya dear ! Mitya ! Why are you silent ? Are you angry with me ? I tell you I was only joking ! Mitya ! Yes ! Now, then, say something. [Takes his hand. Mitya. Oh, Lyubov Gordeyevna, I'm not in a joking humor ! I'm not that sort of man. Lyubov Gordeyevna. Don't be angry. Mitya. If you love me, then stop these jokes ! They are not in place. Oh, it's all the same to me now ! [Embraces her] Maybe they can take you from me by force, but I won't give you up of my free will. I love you more than my life ! Lyubov Gordeyevna. [Returning his embrace] Mitya dear, what shall we do now ? Mitya. What shall we do? We didn't fall in love with each other just to say good-by ! 94 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act ii Lyubov Gordeyevna. Well, but what if they promise me to some one else? MiTYA. Look here, Lyubov, one word ! To-morrow we must go together to Gordey Karpych, and throw ourselves at his feet. We'll say so and so— wdiatever you please, but we can't live without each other. Yes, if you love me, then forget your pride ! Lyubov Gordeyevna. What pride, Mitya.'' Is this a time for pride! Mitya dear, don't be angry with me; don't remember my past words. It was only girlish foolishness; I'm sorry that I did it! I shouldn't have joked with you; I should have caressed you, my poor boy. [Throws her arms round his neck] Oh, but, if father doesn't consent to our hap- piness — what then.'* Mitya. Who can tell beforehand ? It will be as God wills. I don't know how it is with you, but for me life is not life without you ! [Is silent. Lyubov Gordeyevna. Some one's coming ! Go away quietly, dearest, and I'll come later. Mitya goes out quietly. Arina comes in with a candle ; Lyubov Gordeyevna goes to meet her. SCENE III Arina, Lyubov Gordeyevna, and afterwards Egorushka Arina. W^ell, you ! You frightened me enough ! What are you doing here.'* Your mother is looking for you there, and here you are ! Why are you wandering about in the dark ! Oh, you modest maiden ! Fairy princess. [Lyubov Gordeyevna goes out] Well, really, wasn't some one there with her ? [Looks into the corner] But I'm a silly old woman, I suspected some one ! [Lights the candles] Oh, deary me, some SCENE IV POVERTY IS NO CRIME 95 trouble will be sure to come in my old age. [Egorushka enters] Go along, Egorushka, and call the girls in from the neighbors; tell them Pelageya Egorovna told you to invite them to come and sing songs. Egorushka. Oh! how are you, Arina, my dear? Arina. What are you so happy about, silly ? Egorushka. Why shouldn't I be happy ? It's such fun ! Ha, ha, ha ! [Jumps about. Arina. And maybe the mummers are coming; the young people wanted to dress up. Egorushka. Oh, I shall die ! Oh, Lord, I shall die ! Arina. What's the matter with you, you scamp .f* Egorushka. Oh, I shall die of laugliing ! Oh, granny, I've got such giggles ! Arina. Dress up yourself. Egorushka. I will, I will ! Oh, Lord ! Oh, Oh, Oh. Akina. Now you run along quickly and fetch the girls. Egorushka. In a second ! [Goes out. Pelageya Egorovna comes in. SCENE IV Arina and Pelageya Egorovna Pelageya Egorovna. Arinushka, did you send for the girls .'' Arina. I did, my dear. Pelageya Egorovna. That's right. Let them have a song with our folks, and cheer up Lyubov and the guests. This is the time for them to enjoy themselves — while they're young. You know what a girl's life is — behind bolts and bars, never seeing the world ! Now's their holiday ! — Yes, let 'em have a good time ! 96 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act ii Arina. Yes, to be sure, to be sure ! Why shouldn't they? Pelageya Egorovna. Bring in some Madeira, Arinushka, the oldest we have; and gingerbread for the young people, and sweets — whatever you choose ! Attend to it yourself, but don't forget the Madeira. Arina. I understand, I understand; there'll be enough of everything. Directly, my dear, directly ! Pelageya Egorovna. And a snack for the young men. Arina. Everything, everything will be all right. Don't you worry yourself; you join the guests. I'll do everything with pleasure. [Goes out. Pelageya Egorovna. [Going to the door] Girls, boys, come here ! There's more room here and it's lighter. Enter Lyubov Gordeyevna, Masha, Liza, Anna Ivanovna, Razlyulyayev, Mitya, Guslin, and two Guests. SCENE V Pelageya Egorovna, Lyubov Gordeyevna, Masha, Liza, Anna Ivanovna, Razlyulyayev, Mitya, Guslin, a7id tivo Guests {old tvonien). Pelageya Egorovna. [To the old immen] We'll sit here. [Seats herself on the sofa, loith the old ivonien near her ; Anna Ivanovna and Guslin take chairs and talk quietly ; Mitya stands near them; Masha, Lyubov Gordeyevna, and Liza walk about the room with their arms round each other ; Razly- ulyayev /o//o?/'s them] We'll watch them wliile they play. Liza. "Just imagine, mother!" I said, "he doesn't know how to talk properly, and he even uses such words that it's absolutely impolite." SCENE V POVERTY IS NO CRIME 97 Razlyulyayev. Do you mean me? Liza. We aren't talking about you; it's no business of yours. [She continues] "But whj% mother, must I love him.''" [Speaks in a lohisjper. Pelageya Egorovna. Yes, my friend, I love the good old ways. Yes, our good old Russian ways. But there ! my husband doesn't care for them ! What can you do about it.'' That's his character. But I love them, I'm naturally jolly; yes, I love to give a person a bite and to get them to sing songs to me ! Yes, I take after my family. Our family are all jolly, and love singing. First Guest. When I look round, my dear Pelageya Egorovna, there isn't the gayety that there used to be when we were young. Second Guest. No, no. Pelageya Egorovna. In my young days I was the merri- est sort of girl — -always singing and dancing— indeed I was. Yes, what songs I knew ! They don't sing such songs now. First Guest. No, they don't sing them; new songs have come in now. Second Guest. Yes, yes, one remembers the old times. Pelageya Egorovna. Yasha dear ! Sing us some good old songs. Guslin takes the guitar. Razlyulyayev. [To the girls] So it's no use for me to wait; evidently I shan't get any sense out of you. Liza. What do you mean by sense .^ I don't understand. Masha. It's ridiculous to listen to you. Razlyulyayev. Yes, it's funny for you; but how is it for me ? Really, why don't you love me ? Lyubov Gordeyevna. Let's sit down. They sit down. 98 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act n GusLiN. [Sr/t^«] "Four huts beside the brook That swift doth run. There is a gossip In every one. Dear gossips all four, My friends that be. Be friendly and kindly And nice to me. When you're in the green garden, Take me with you; When you pluck flowers. Pluck me a few. When you weave garlands, Weave me some too; When you go to the river. Take me with you. When you throw in the garlands. Throw also my wreath; The others will float, When mine sinks beneath. All of the sweethearts, They have come home; Mine, and mine only, He has not come." Arina. [Enters with bottles and glasses; and a servant-girl with relishes] Here, I've brought them ! Pelageya Egorovna. [To the servant] Pass it to the young ladies. [The servant carries wine round to the girls, places the SCENE V POVERTY IS NO CRIME 99 tray on the table and goes out] Arina ! Bring us some wine. Yes, pour it out, pour out the Madeira, the Madeira; it will cheer us up. That's all right ! Let's have a glass; they won't condemn us — we're old folks! [They drink] Annushka ! Come along and drink some wine. Won't you have some ? Anna Ivanovna. Well, why shouldn't I drink some ! They say, don't drink when there's no one round, but when there's company, it's all right. Goes to Pelageya Egorovna, drinks and talks in a whisper. Arina. Have you had a drop too much, my boys .'* MiTYA. I don't drink. Razlyulyayev. With pleasure ! [He comes up loith Guslin and drinks; then catches hold of Arina] Now, then, let's start an old song. [Sings. "Oh, I'll sing an old song. Of Erema, of Foma " Arina. Stop, saucy; you've crumpled me all up! Razlyulyayev. [Sings] "The reins were in Kaluga; In Tarus' the hames were hid. Grooved runners had the sleigh; All by itself it slid." The girls laugh. Arina. Let me go, I say ! Now that's enough ! [Goes out. Anna Ivanovna. What are you teasing tlie old woman for ? Come and dance with me. Razlyulyayev. Come on, then ! Play for us, Yasha ! Yasha plays; they dance. First Guest. That's a lively little woman. 100 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act n Pelageya Egorovna. Yes, very lively, very lively. Razlyulyayev. [Stamping his feet] That's the way we do it. [Stops dancing. Egorushka. [Enters] The girls have come. Pelageya Egorovna. Ask them in. [Egorushka ^oe* owi; the girls come in. Arina brings in a dish and covers it] Sit down and sing the dish songs; I'm so fond of them. Lyubov Gordeyevna, Masha, Liza, and Anna IvANOVNA take off their rings and put them into the dish; the girls sing. "Sow the wheat, my mother, and bake the cake for me. Glory ! Many guests are coming, my lovers for to be. Glory ! Your guests will wear bast slippers, but mine have boots of hide. Glory ! The girl of whom the song is sung, much good it doth be- tide. Glory ! The girl whose ring is taken out, will find it so without a doubt. Glory!" Razlyulyayev rolls iip his sleeves, takes out a ring and gives it to Lyubov Gordeyevna. Pelageya Egorovna. High time, high time ! Girls. [Sing] "In Belgorod a sparrow small. Glory! In Belgorod sits on a wall. Glory ! In a strange land he looks about. Glory ! Her ring and fortune will come out. Glory!" Arina. [Enters] The mummers have come; shall I let them in ? SCENE VI POVERTY IS NO CRIME 101 Pelageya Egorovna. Yes, let them in; let them have a dance. And you girls can sing afterwards. SCENE VI The same and mummers ; an Old Mak unth a balalaika or guitar, a Trainer with a bear and goat, Egorushka with molasses. Old Man. [Bowing] To all this honest company, greet- ing ! Trainer. Make a bow, Mishka ! [The bear bows. Old Man. Do you wish me to sing and darce and amuse you, and to limber up my old bones.'' Pelageya Egoro\t^a. That's all right; yes, dance ! Give them some wine, Arinushka. Arina serves the unne ; some of them drink. Old Man. Thank you humbly for your kind words, and for the entertainment. [Sings. "Our lads, though stripped unto the buff. Even so are bold enough. Their twelve hands go weaving on; Now the web of cloth is done. They made kaftans for us here; Kaftans do not cost you dear When you've grist within your hopper. In our purses silver bright Will not let us sleep at night. And the jingling coins of copper For the tavern raise the call. Tapster Andrew, quick undo The inn-door. We've a kaftan new 102 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act n Here to put in pawn with you; We won't take it home at alh" [Goes to one side. Egorushka. [Dances with the molasses] "Molasses! Molasses! It simmers so sweet. Oh, winter is bitter. The frost and the sleet. Stormy and snowy, oh, ways choked with snow, Unto my darling there's no way to go. Molasses ! Molasses ! It simmers so sweet. Like a little quail my wife Sits on her seat. And I love her for this, and her praises I tell. For she jaunts on so prettily, proudly and well." [Bows. First Guest. Oh, w hat a fine boy ! Ah ! Pelageya Egorovna. Why, yes, my friend, he's still a child ; but he does the best he can. He's young yet. Come here, Egorushka. [Egorushka conies] Here's some ginger- bread for you. [Gives it to him; Egorushka boivs and goes out] Yes, he's still a child; you can't expect much from him ! The Trainer leads the bear; the goat dances. Old Man. [Sings] "We had a httle billy-goat, And he was clever, too; He carried in the water. And set the mush to brew. He fed Grandpa and Grandma; But when he went one day SCENE VI POVERTY IS NO CRIME 103 To the dark forest seven wolves In waiting for him lay. And one of them was hungry. And many and many a year Had he roamed, forever asking For goat's meat far and near." Trainer. [To the bear] Ask for wine, in honor of the goat. [Bear bows. Pelageya Egorovna. Arinushka, bring some refreshments for the mummers. Arina brings them something to drink; they drink and bow. Trainer. Now, then, amuse the honorable company. Show how the fair young darlings, the fair young girls, pale and rosy ones, glance at the young men, and watch their suitors. [Bear shoivs off] And how the old woman goes to work, bending, slirivelled; old age has overcome her, the years have broken her down. [Bear shows off] Well, now bow to the honorable company.^ They go out; the Old Man plays the guitar; the other mummers dance ; all watch them. Guslin and MiTYA stand near Lyubov Gordeyevna; Mitya whispers something to her, and kisses her. Raz- lyulyayev comes up. Razlyulyayev. What are you doing.'' Mitya. What's that to you.-* Razlyulyayev. I'll tell Pelageya Egorovna; just see if I don't ! Mitya. You just dare to tell ! ' Ostrovsky is of course reproducing actual Christmas customs. Count Ilya Tol- stoy, in his Reminiscences of Tolstoy, tells how his father played the part of the bear at the family Christmas party. 104 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act ii GusLiN. [Approaching him] Look out for hr' ! You see we'll go away from here together; it'll be dark and the alley is lonely — just remember that ! Razlyulyayev. What are you meddling with me for? What's the use? I want to marry her, and I'm going to make proposals. What are you up lo ! Yes, I mean to marry her ! MiTYA. We'll see about that. Razlyulyayev. Do you think they'll marry her to you ? Not much ! Not if I know it — I've got lots of money ! Arina. What a racket ! Stop ! Some one seems to be knocking. [All listen] That's true ! They are knocking. Pelageya Egorovna. Go and open the door. Arina. [Goes out, then returns] He's come back himself ! All rise. SCENE VII The same with Gordey Karpych and Korshunov GoRDEY Karpych. [To the mummers] What's this rabble! — Get out ! [To his wife] Wife! Pelageya Egorovna ! Greet my guest. [Speaks in a low voice] You've ruined me ! Pelageya Egorovna. You are welcome, Afrikan Savvich, you are welcome. Korshunov. Good evening, Pelageya Egorovna. He, he, he ! It's very cheerful here ! We've struck it just at the right time. Pelageya EGORO^^^"A. Yes, here I am with the girls. Yes, I'm always with the girls. It's holiday time; I want to give my daughter some fun. Gordey Karpych. You are welcome, Afrikan Savvich; make yourself at home. [Afrikan Sawich seats himself in the armchair at the table. To his wife] Turn the hussies out. SCENE VII POVERTY IS NO CRIME 105 KoRSHUNOV. Why turn them out ! Who's going to turn the girls out. He, he, he ! They'll sing a song, and we'll listen and watch them, and we'll give them some money, but not turn them out. GoRDEY Karpych. As you wish, Afrikan Savvieh ! Only I am abashed before you ! But don't conclude from this that we are all uneducated — this is all the wife; nothing can knock anything into her head. [To his wife] How many times have I told you : if you want to have a party in the evening, call in the musicians, and have things in good form. You can't say I deny you anything. Pelageya Egorovna. Well, what's the use of musicians — for us old women ? You can amuse yourself with them ! GoRDEY Karpych. There, that's the idea of life she has ! It makes you laugh to hear her. Pelageya Egorovna. What do you mean.^ Idea, ideal It would be better for you to give your guest something to eat. Would you like something, Afrikan Savvieh ? Some wine with us old women ? [Pours out Madeira. Gordey Karpych. [Severely] Wife ! Have you really gone out of your mind ! Hasn't Afrikan Savvieh ever seen Madeira before ! Order champagne — a half dozen — and be quick about it ! Then order lighted candles in the reception- room where the new furniture is. That will give quite an- other effect. Pelageya Egorovna. I will do it myself at once. [Risesi Arinushka, come on. Excuse me, my dear neighbors. First Guest. We will come with you, my dear; it's time we were going home. Second Guest. It's time, it's time ! The nights are dark, and the dogs in the lanes are fierce. First Guest. Yes, fierce; very fierce! [They bow and go out. 106 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act ii SCENE VIII GoRDEY Karpych, Korshutstov, Lyubov Gordeyevna, Anna Ivanovna, Masha, Liza, girls, Mitya, Guslin, and Razlyulyayev. KoRSHUNoy. Let's join the young ladies. Where did you pick up such beauties — he, he ! [Walks towards Lyubov Gor- deyevna] Good evening, Lyubov Gordeyevna, my beauty. [Lyubov Gordeyevna bows] May I join your company? Lyubov Gordeyevna. We don't drive any one away. Anna Ivanovna. Be seated; you'll be our guest. KoRSHUNOV. You're pretty chilly to the old man ! It's Christmas time now, and I suppose we may exchange kisses. Anna Ivanovna. Why be so affectionate.'' KoRSHUNOV. Gordey Karpych, may I kiss your daughter ? And I must confess — ^he, he — I'm fond of this sort of thing. Yes, well, who doesn't like it ! He, he ! Gordey Karpych. You're welcome to do so; don't stand on ceremony. KoRSHUNOV. Will you give me a kiss, young lady ? Lyubov Gordeyevna. If my father wants me to. [They exchange kisses. KoRSHUNOV. Well now, every one of them, right down the line. Anna Ivanovna. I suppose so ! I'm not proud. Masha. Oh, how embarrassing ! Liza. Well, there's nothing to be said; I must say it's a treat ! Gordey Karpych. [Going up to Mitya] Why are you here? Is this your place? "The crow has flown into the lofty palace !" Mitya, Guslin and Razlyulyayev go out. SCENE IX POVERTY IS NO CRIME 107 SCENE IX GoRDEY Karpych, Korshunov, Lyubov Gordeyevna, Anna Ivanovna, Masha, Liza and girls. Korshunov. [Seats himself near Lyubov Gordeyevna] I'm not like you, Lyubov Gordeyevna; you didn't even want to kiss me, he, he, he ! And I've brought you a Httle present. Lyubov Gordeyevna. You needn't have taken the trouble. Korshunov. Here I've brought you some diamonds, he, he ! [Gives them to her. Lyubov Gordeyevna. Oh, they're earrings ! I thank you humbly. Anna Ivanovna. Show them to us. Masha. But they are charming ! Liza. And in such good taste ! Korshunov. Give me your hand. [Takes it and kisses it] You see, I like you very much, he, he, he ! I like you very much; well, but you don't like me, I suppose .'^ Lyubov Gordeyevna. Why shouldn't I like you ? Korshunov. Why ? You like some one else, that's why. But you will come to love me ! Fm a good man — a jolly man, he, he, he ! Lyubov Gordeyevna. I don't know what you are talking about. Korshunov. I say, you will come to love me. Why not.'' I'm not old yet. [Looks at her] Am I an old man .5^ He, he, he ! Well, well, there's no harm in that. To make up for it you shall wear cloth of gold. I haven't any money ! I'm a poor man. I've only got about five hundred thou- sand, he, he, he ! In silver ! [Takes her hand. Lyubov Gordeyevna. [Rising] I don't need your money. 108 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act ii GoRDEY Karpych. Lyubov, where are you going? Lyubov Gordeyevna. To mother ! GoRDEY Karpych. Wait ! She'll come here. Lyubov Gordeyevtsta sits down. KoRSHUNOV. You don't want to sit by the old man ? Give me your hand, young lady; I will kiss it. Lyubov Gordeyevna. [Gives her hand] Oh, good heavens ! KoRSHUNOV. What a hand ! He, he, he ! Like velvet ! [Strokes her hand, and then pnts on a diamond ring. Lyubov Gordeyevna. [Freeing her hand] Oh, let me go ! I don't want it; I don't want it! KoRSHUNOV. That's all right; it's no loss to me— it won't ruin me. Lyubov Gordeyevna. But I don't want it. Give it to whomever you like. [ Takes it off and returns it. KoRSHUNOV. I gave it to you, and I won't take it back ! He, he, he ! Enter Pelageya Egorovna, and after her, Arina and Egorushka with wine and glasses. SCENE X The same with Pelageya Egorovna, Arina, and Egorushka GoRDEY Karpych. Come now and have a drink. KoRSHUNOV. All right, Gordey Karpych, give me some- thing to drink. And you girls, sing a song in my honor — I love to have respect shown me. Pelageya Egorovna. Girls, sing a song for him. GoRDEY Karpych. [Uncorks the battle, pours out cham- pagne, and offers it to him] To our dear friend Afrikan Sav- vich ! Make a bow, wife ! SCENE X POVERTY IS NO CRIME 109 Pelageya Egorovna. If you please, Afrikan Savvich, I humbly beg you. KoRSHUNOV takes the glass. GoRDEY Karpych. [Takes the glass] Wife, drink! Pelageya Egorovna. Oh, somehow I don't like this kind of wine ! Well, yes ! I'll take just a glass. Girls. [Sing] "Ah, who is he, our bachelor. And who is still unwed ? Afrikan 's our bachelor And Savvich still unwed. He jumped on the horse. The horse skips to and fro; He rides through the meadows. And green the meadows grow. And flowers blow." KoRSHTJNOV. [Seats himself near Lyubov Gordeyevna] That's nice. I like that. Now, then, come here some one. [A girl comes up, he pats her on the cheek] Oh, you little bright eyes ! You girls, I suppose, need a lot to set off your fair faces and rosy blushes; he, he, he! But I haven't any money ! It will be on me, he, he, he ! Hold out your apron ! [He tosses her some small change ; the girl bows and goes out] Now, then, Gordey Karpych, tell your wife why we came. Gordey Karpych. I told you, wife, long ago, that living in this town bored me, because you can't take a step here without seeing that the people are absolutely ignorant and uneducated. And so I want to move from this place to Moscow. But there will be a man there who is no stranger to us — our dear son-in-law, Afrikan Savvich. Pelageya Egorovna. Oh ! Oh ! What are you saying ! KoRSHUNOV. Yes, we've shaken hands on it, Pelageya 110 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act n Egorovna. What are you afraid of? I'm not going to eat her ! Pelageya Egorovt^a. Oh, Lord ! [Seizes her daughter] She's my daugliter ! I won't give her up ! GORDEY KL\I{PYCH. Wife ! Pelageya Egokovna. My dear Gordey Karpyeh ! Don't trifle with a mother's heart ! Stop ! You've fairly stag- gered me ! Gordey Karpych. Wife, you know me ! And you, Afri- kan Savvich, don't be uneasy: with me saying is doing! KoRSHUNOV. You have promised — then keep your word. [Rises, goes to the girls, and speaks to them in a low voice. Lyubov Gordeyevna. [Goes to her father] Father, I will never take a step against your will. But have pity on me, poor girl that I am ! Don't ruin my young life ! Gordey Karpych. You're a fool, and don't understand your own happiness! You'll live in Moscow like a lady; you'll ride in a coach. In the first place, you'll live in the city — and not in a wilderness like this ! In the second place, these are my orders ! Lyubov GoRDEYE\TsrA. I dare not disobey your command. Father! [Bmvs doum to his feet] Don't make me unhappy for my whole life ! Relent, father ! Make me do whatever you like, only don't compel me to marry a man I don't love ! Gordey Karpych. I never take back my word. [Rises. Lyubov Gordeyevna. As you wish, father ! [Bows and goes to her mother. KoRSHUNOV. There, that business is over ! Now, then, girls — a marriage song ! Girls. [Sing] "The flowers in the garden will wither all about me. The blue flower in the meadow will be faded and forlorn; SCENE X POVERTY IS NO CRIME 111 And so will my darling of the red cheeks without me; So rise up early, mother, in the morn. You must water all the flowers In the dawn and evening hours With water very often and with bitter tears in showers." Lyubov Gordeyevna. Not that, not that ! Sing another ! GoRDEY Karpych. Let's go into the reception-room, Afri- kan Savvich. Wife, all of you, come there ! Lyubov Gordeyevna. Where can I hide myself ! GoRDEY Karpych. Arina, bring along the wine ! Arina. Oh, wait, I can't attend to you now ! My darling child ! Girls, my dearies ! Here's the song we'll sing. [She sings. "Thou art my own, my mother. Who grievest day by day. And at night to God dost pray. Thou who art so downcast. Look but once on her here. Thy daughter who was so dear — For the last time — ^the last." Lyubov Gordeyevna. For the last time. At the end of this song Gordey Karpych a)ul Kor- SHUNOV go out; Lyubov Gordeyevna remains in the embrace of her mother, surrounded by her friends. ACT III A small room in the house of Tortsov, furnished with cupboards of various sorts ; chests and shelves with plates and silver. Furniture: sofas, armchairs, and tables, all very expensive and crowded together, Usualb/ this room is used as a sort of sitting-room for the mistress of the house, lohere she directs her household, and where she receives her guests informally. One door leads into the room where the guests are dining, and the other into the inner rooms. SCENE I Arina is seated on a chair near the door leading into the dining- room ; near her are several girls and women. Arina. [Looking into the dining-room] I didn't expect this, my dear friends ! I never thought to see it ! He fell upon us like a hawk — -like snow on the head; he seized our darling swan from the flock of her dear ones, from father, from mother, from kinsfolk, and from friends. We didn't realize what was happening. What things happen in this world of ours ! Nowadays people are double-faced and sly, crafty, and cunning. He fairly befogged Gordey Karpych with this and that in his old age, and be began to hanker after his wealth. They have engaged our lovely beauty to a disgusting old man. Now she is sitting there, my darling, broken-hearted ! Oh, I'm ready to die ! After I have brought you up and nursed you, and carried you in my arms ! I cared for you like a little bird — in cotton wool ! Just now she and I were talking it over together. "We won't give you up, my child," I said, "to a common man! Only if 112 SCENE II POVERTY IS NO CRIME 113 some prince comes from foreign lands, and blows his trum- pet at our door." But things didn't turn out our way. Now there he sits — the man who is going to tear her away — fat and flabby ! Staring and smirking at her ! He likes it ! Oh, confound you ! Well, now they've finished eating and are getting up; I must set to work. Rises from her chair; the women go out; Pelageya Egorovna comes in. ^ SCENE II Arina and Pelageya Egorovna Pelageya Egorovna. Come along, Arinushka, and help me to get the table ready. Yes, I'll sit down and rest — I'm tired. Arina. Of course you are tired, my dear ! Day in, day out, on your feet ! You aren't as young as you were once ! Pelageya Egorovna. [Seating herself on the sofa] Oh ! Tell them to send the big samovar to the maids' room — the very biggest; and find Annushka and send her to me. Arina. Certainly, certainly. Pelageya Egorovna. Yes, go along ! Go along ! Oh, I can't stand it ! [Arina goes out] My head's fairly splitting ! Nothing but sorrow — and here comes more trouble ! Yes, yes, I'm worried to death ! Oh, oh, oh ! I'm tired out, absolutely tired out ! I've a lot to do, and my head's just spinning. I'm needed here, and I'm needed there, and I don't know what to begin on ! Really — yes — [Sits and tries to think] What a husband for her ! What a husband ! Oh, oh, oh ! How can you expect her to love him ! Do you think she is hankering after his money ? She is a girl now — in the bloom of youth — and I suppose her heart beats now and then ! What she ought to have now is a man she can 114 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act m love— even if he's poor — that would be life ! That would be paradise ! Anna Ivanovna comes in. SCENE III Pelageya Egorovna and Anna Ivanovna Pelageya Egorovna. Here are the keys of the tea cup- board. Go along and pour it out for the guests, and do everything that is necessary — you know yourself ! I've walked my legs off! But you don't mind it; you're young yet — yes, go and serve them. Anna Ivanovna. I'd just as soon as not. It's no great work; my hands won't wear out ! Pelageya Egorovna. There — there's the tea in the cup- board, in the little red caddy. Anna Ivanovna unlocks the door and takes out the caddy. Mitya comes in. SCENE IV The same and Mitya Pelageya Egorovna. What do you want, Mitya dear? Mitya. [Keeping back his tears] I — I — ■ Pelageya Ego- rovna, for all your kindness, and for all your consideration — ■ even though it may be I am not worth it — seeing that while I was an orphan — you never deserted me — and like a mother — I will be thankful to you all my life, and will always pray to God for you. [Boivs down to her feet. Pelageya Egorovna. But what are you doing, Mitya.'' Mitya. I thank you for everything. And now good-by, Pelageya Egorovna. [Rises. Pelageya Egorovna. Where are you going ? SCENE V POVERTY IS NO CRIME 115 MiTYA. I plan to go to my mother's. Pelageya Egorovna. Are you going for long ? MiTYA. Yes, I asked the master for a vacation, and it's most likely that I'll stay there for good. Pelageya Egorovna. But why do you wish to leave us, Mitya.'' MiTYA. [Hesitating] Why, I just ! — You see — I've al- ready decided. Pelageya Egorovna. But when are you going ? MlTYA. To-night. [Is silent] I thought to myself that I shouldn't see you before to-night, and so I came to say good-by. Pelagey'a Egorovna. Very well, Mitya, if you are needed there — we won't keep you; God be with you ! Good-by ! Mitya. [Bows down to the feet of Pelageya EGORO\TsrA, exchanges kisses with her and loith Anna Ivanovna; then bows again and waits] Might I be allowed to say good-by to Lyubov Gordeyevna? You see we have lived in the same house — maybe I shall die before I see her again ! Pelageya Egorovna. Yes, you must, you must. Say good-by to her, of course ! Annushka, go and fetch Lyubov. Anna Ivanovna. [Shaking her head] "One man leads her by one hand, another by the other, a third stands and sheds tears; he loved her, but did not get her." SCENE V Pelageya Egorovna and Mitya Pelageya Egorovna. Oh, Mitya, my dear! What trouble we are in ! How can we drive it away — get rid of it — I cannot think. It's as if a thunderbolt hud struck nie ! I can't recover mvself. 116 POVERTY IS NO CRIME act m MiTYA. Yoli have no one to blame but yourself for your unhappiness, Pelageya Egorovna; you are marrying her off yourself, ma'am. PeLu\geya Egorovna. Yes, we are ut how can I love 198 SIN AND SORROW act m liim? He's vulgar, uneducated — and he fondles me as a bear would ! Sits there — and swaggers like a peasant; and I have to pretend to love him, to humor him; how disgusting ! I'd give anything on earth not to have to do that. But how can I help it ! I have to submit to one I don't love ! [Silence] I wonder where everybody is ? Here I am all alone ! Such loneliness ! [Sits down at the window] Even the streets are deserted, and there's no one to look at. Where's my sister.'' [Sings softly. "O, mother I'm sad ! Sad, my lady ! My heart is cast down, Cast down and aching; My beloved knows not How my heart is bleeding." SCENE VIII Tatyana and Lukerya LuKERYA. What, is he gone.? Tatyana. Yes. Lukerya. Far.'' Tatyana. Across the river. Lukerya. Will he be long? Tatyana. He said, not sooner than an hour. Lukerya. Now you might run over. I was just there — he's waiting. He leaves to-day. Tatyana. Surely not to-day ? How can that be, Lusha, my dear ? He didn't tell me. If I could only see him ! Lukerya. Take my kerchief and cover yourself all up with it. It's so dark outside that no one will know you. Tatyana. You think it'll be all right.'' SCENE IX SIN AND SORROW 199 LuKERYA. If you're afraid of the wolf don't go into the woods. It isn't far, you can run over in a minute. But don't stay too long ! Tatyana. No, no, of course I shan't. [Puts the kerchief on. LuKERYA. You'd better be watching out ! God forbid that Lev Rodionych should return first. What should I do then ! Shall I say that you went for some thread to a neigh- bor .'' It'll be lucky if he believes it. What did you say to him when you were alone.'' Tatyana. What did I say — I don't know; and what I'm doing now — I can't understand. LuKERYA. Well, run along ! run along ! Tatyana goes out. SCENE IX Lukerya and later Afonya LuKERYA. [At the window] Just look at her ! She's flying like an arrow. Who'd scheme for her if I didn't ? She's a pretty girl, only she hasn't any sense, and that's bad. She has to be taught everything; she has to be looked after as though she were a small child. If I hadn't advised her to make up with her husband, what would have happened .'* Quarrel and abuse. She probably wouldn't have wanted to give in; then there'd have been a continual squabble in the house and scandal among the neighbors. But now she can do as she likes; everything will be smoothed over. Enter Afonya. Afonta. Where is Tatyana .'' Where is she, where is she ? Lukerya. What do you want her for.? Afonya. I need her. Tell me, where? Tell me, where? Lukerya. Probably in the garden. 200 SIN AND SORROW act m Afonya. Why are you fooling me ? For once in your life tell the truth ! Has she gone ? Speak, has she gone ? LuKERYA. Maybe she has gone. Afonya. Did she just slip out of the gate.^ LmcERYA. Probably it was she. Wasn't it for thread she went ? She's been wanting to run over to the neighbor's for some time. Afonya. For thread ? LuKERYA. Well, yes, for thread. Afonya. You lie, lie ! LuKERYA. Leave me alone ! Why are you worrying me .' Why did you leave grandfather? Afonya. That's none of your business. I know where she went. You're devils. You've deceived brother. I saw it long ago in your eyes; in your eyes flames flickered, devilish flames ! LuKERYA. My, but you're a malicious imp ! Afonya. You just wait, just wait ! You'll get sick of de- ceiving us; I'll show you up. LuKERYA. Don't threaten ! We're not afraid of you. Afonya. [With tears] Heavens ! My God ! What's all this ? What a man it is they're deceiving before his very eyes ! [Runs out. ACT IV TABLEAU I A street before Prokofyevna's house. Twilight SCENE I Ulyana and Prokofyevna come out of the gate Prokofyevna. What is it, Ulyana ! What is it ! How is it possible ! Don't think of such a thing ! You just imagined it. Believe me, you just imagined it. Ulyana. Say what you like about imagining ! Thank Heaven, I'm not blind yet. Not to recognize her ! Why, I'd pick her out of a thousand by her dress. We have only one style for our clothes; on holidays we don't wear the clothes she does on week-days. You and I were just coming out of the door, and she was just going in to see him. Prokofyevna. I tell you it's a mistake. It's true, she isn't without faults. There's a woman here who comes to him, and looks like her, but it isn't she. What's that to me! Wouldn't I tell you.f* But if it isn't true, then why talk nonsense ? Ulyana. You're just helping them out. Prokofyevna. Don't tell wrong stories, Ulyana; don't tell wrong stories ! Ulyana. But where's the wrong, Prokofyevna ! She's equal to it; because I know her. It's too bafl l)r()ther has given her so much freedom. I wouUhi't have thought of saying such a thing of another, but it isn't a sin to say it of her. If not to-day then to-morrow she'll begin to raise 201 SIN AND SORROW act iv trouble that will never come to an end. She'll hoodwink brother. If you only knew how she's insulted me. Prokofyevna. Is that so ? Ulyana. May I die in my tracks if she didn't ! She's changed brother so that now he fairly growls at me. "I won't have anything to do with you," says he. That's the sort she is ! Just you wait, my dear ! I'm not like some. Prokofyevna. That's enough for you ! What's the good of your mixing in ! She's the mistress in her house, and you are in yours. Ulyana. To the deuce with her ! I've nothing to do with her. But it hurts me, Prokofyevna, that she upsets brother, and estranges him from his whole family. Prokofyevna. Well, that's your business; you'll settle accounts somehow. Are you going home now.'' Ulyana. Yes, my dear; it's supper-time. My boss is probably storming and pacing the floor by now. Come and see us ! Prokofyevna. Good-by. They kiss each other. Prokofyevna goes out through the gate. SCENE II Ulyana and later Afonya Ulyana. Who knows whether Prokofyevna was lying or not. You can't believe her; she's a rogue. I'd give a lot to find out for certain if she's now with the gentleman or not. Will it hurt to wait? If she stays long, my husband will make such a fuss that I won't forget it for a month of Sundays. You're lucky that I'm in a hurry, or I'd watch out for you. [Goes out. She meets Afonya] Afonya, where are you going? SCENE III SIN AND SORROW 203 Afonya. Go away, leave me alone ! Leave me alone ! Ulyana. Is Tatyana at home? Afonya. No, she's gone. Ulyana. Then she's here at the gentleman's; I just saw her. Afonya. At the gentleman's '^ Heavens ! Have people no sense of shame ! Ulyana. I've got to run home; I'll tell my husband, then I'll call at your house. [Going aivay] Wait, brother, wait ! I'll get even with you for your insults ! [Goes out. Afonya. Heavens ! I haven't any strength ! How is one to live in such a world .'' This is a punishment for our sins ! Left her husband for a stranger ! She was sitting in a corner starving; we took care of her, gave her fine clothes bought with hard-earned money ! Brother denies himself, denies his family, and gives her cash to buy rags, and now she and a stranger are cursing us for the shelter we gave her. It makes me sick ! Why don't I die ! I'm shedding tears of blood. We've warmed a viper in our bosom. [Leans against the fence] I'll wait, I'll wait. I'll tell her everything, every- thing that's seething in my heart. Babayev and Tatyana come out of the gate ; Afonya hides behind a corner. SCENE III Afonya, Babayev, and Tatyana Babayev. What are you afraid of.-* There's not a soul on the street. Why are you in such a hurry ? It isn't half an hour since you came. Tatyana. No, no ! Somehow I feel uneasy. Babayev. I don't understand why you are so afraid. Well, your husband will scold and that's all. 204 SIN AND SORROW act iv Tatyana. I was late the time before; how terribly he acted; I thought he'd kill me. He makes me afraid, fright- fully afraid ! [Silence] Shall you return soon ? Babayev. In a week, in ten days at most. Tatyana. Oh, how has this come about ! Oh, if we had what we wanted : you'd go to the country — and I'd go there too; you'd go to St. Petersburg — and I'd follow you. Babayev. I asked you to come with me. Tatyana. It's all right for you. You're a free man, while I'm no better than a captive. That's my trouble. I've thought more than once how I could run away to you. Babayev. That's good. Tatyana. Just think how unfortunate my life is: in order to have a little pleasure I have to deceive my husband. It's all deceit and deceit ! But what's the use of deceiving .'* It disgusts me; it's not in my character. If my husband guessed that I didn't love him, then he'd kill me with scold- ing and reproaches. I very well understand that I can't be a real wife to him, and that I'm not wanted by his familj^; and they'd rather I were anywhere else; but who can I explain that to, who'd understand it ! Just see how rough and stern they are, and I'm not used to sternness. What a life, when there's no freedom ! Babayev. Tanya, I'll tell you what to do ! Tell him out- right that you don't want to live with him. You and your sister rent a house, and I'll send you the money. Tatyana. That's impossible. Not to be thought of ! Do you think he'd let me go.'' He doesn't care if I die — so long as I'm with him — before his eyes. It would be better for me to leave quietly. Babayev. Very well, leave quietly. Tatyana. Really, I don't know. We're all brave when it's a matter of words, but when it comes to action, then SCENE III SIN AND SORROW 205 you lose your reason, especially such as I. Do as you wish. I'll do as you advise me. If you love me, you won't want to cause my ruin. Babayev. Of course not. Tatyana. They're right when they say that all women are insane; I married of my own accord — nobody forced me — so now I ought to live according to my vows; but I'm drawn to you, and want to escape from my home. It's all your fault, Valentin Pavlych; home has become disgusting to me because of you. If it weren't for you, I'd manage to live somehow with my husband; at least I shouldn't know this sorrow. Babayev. A fine life ! You have much to regret ! Tatyana. But is my life agreeable now ? Of course I ought not to blame you much, because I'm entirely to blame myself. You have nothing to worry about ! Yours is a man's affair, and no one will condemn you; but we have to suffer for every single thing. But what's to be done ! It's too late to argue who's in the riglit and who's to blame; but I guess this affair had to happen. But don't you deceive me; come back ! Babayev. Oh, stop; what do you mean! Certainly I'll come back. Tatyana. [Kissing him] Good-by ! It's time for me to go ! My, how I'm shivering ! My legs fairly totter under me. Babayev. Calm yourself a little. Come, I'll walk along the bank with you; you'll get home in time. [They go out. Afonya. So this, brother Lev, is what you deserted us for ! Just look, and enjoy it ! You act like a wild beast to those who love you with their whole soul. I'm burning up like a candle, I'm wasting away because of love and jMty for you, and yet I haven't once heard a kind word from you. 206 SIN AND SORROW act iv You doted on your wife, and see what she's up to, the wretch ! No, there's no truth in the workl, none. [Goes out. TABLEAU II Same room as in Act III SCENE I LuKERYA enters with a candle and places it on a table; later Afonya comes in. LuKERYA. Why doesn't Tanya return ! It's high time. She's insane! She's just glad that she got out of here; she doesn't realize that suddenly, when you least expect it, her husband may return. Here I am on pins and needles. When I hear any one at the door my heart almost stops. Every minute seems a year. Afonya torments me too. I wonder where he went. Isn't he spying on her? Of course I can find ten replies to every word he says; yet he may rouse suspicion. Ah, some one is coming ! Is it possible that it's Lev ! Heaven forbid ! I do believe I'll die. [Afonya comes in, and, groaning, lies doivn on the stove-couch] Where have you been ? Afonya. Never you mind. LuKERYA. Speak, it won't hurt your voice. Afonya. I don't want to talk to you. LuKERYA. [Caressingly] Don't you feel well, Afonya? Afonya. Oh, Heavens ! don't touch me, don't touch ! You can't fool me. LuKERYA. I don't in the least wish to fool you. Afonya. You fooled brother, but you can't fool me. No, no ! SCENE II SIN AND SORROW 207 LuKERYA. I don't understand a bit what you're talking about. Afonya. Oh, I'm exhausted ! Go away: out of my sight. Don't torment me. LuKERYA. You feel worse because you don't appreciate kindness. Afonya. I don't need it ! I don't need anything. LuKERYA. Well, then just lie on your couch. Do you think I want anytliing from you ? I only spoke out of sym- pathy. [Silence] What a senseless girl ; how senseless ! I'm all a-tremble. Krasnov comes in. SCENE II The same and Krasnov Krasnov. Well, here I am. What a trick I've played ! The joke's on Tatyana Danilovna. "Expect me in an hour," I said, and here I am in half an hour, so she'd be surprised. I was invited to tea, but I didn't stay. "Do you think I want tea," I said, "when I have a young wife at home who's waiting for me!" But where is she.^ LuKERYA. I don't know. Somewhere around. Isn't she in the garden ? Krasnov. Send her in right away, I want to give her a present for her kindness to-day. LuKERYA. Right away, right away. [Goes out. Krasnov. [Paces up and doum in silence; then speaks to himself] Fifty-seven rubles, six and three, nine to Peter Ananyev. [Pause] Has she disappeared ? [Paces up and dotcn in silence] Afonya, do you know where my wife went ? Afonya. Don't know. Oh, I feel sick. Krasnov. What's she dallying around for? [Goes to the 208 SIN AND SORROW act iv door] Tatyana Danilovna ! Lukerya Danilovna ! They don't even answer. What does that mean now? Afanasy, where's my wife? Afonya. Are you lonesome without her? She'll come, don't be afraid. No matter where she's strolling, she'll come home. Kkasnov. [At the door] Tatj'ana Danilovna ! Ulyana comes in. SCENE III The same and Ulyana Kbasnov. Who's that? Is that you, Ulyana? Ulyana. Yes, brother. Krasnov. W' hat do you want ? Ulyana. Just to call on you, brother, as a relative should. Krasnov. I'm in no great need of your calls. Ulyana. My feelings, brother, are different from yours; I can't help remembering my kindred. Where's your bride? Krasnov. She seems to have gotten lost somewhere here. I keep calling her, but can't raise her. Ulyana. Maybe she's far away from here, so she can't hear your call Krasnov. W'hat do you mean by "far" ? I tell you she's at home. Ulyana. Who said that? Wasn't it her sister, Lukerya Danilovna ? Krasnov. Yes, maybe it was she. Ulyana. And you believed her. Oh, you're simple, simple ! Krasnov. Go away, sister ! Keep out of trouble ! Ulyana. Come to your senses; what are you shouting for ? I saw with my own eyes how she went to the gentleman. Krasnov. So that's the kind of family I have ! My luck SCENE IV SIN AND SORROW 209 sticks in their throats. You're a barbarian, you jealous woman. To kill you would be small penalty for your cursed tongue ! [Raises hw arm. to strike her. Afonya. [Getting up from the couch] Q\x\QteT, yon; quieter! What are you making a row for? Ejiasnov. I'll hang you both on the same poplar ! Afonya. [Shielding his sister] Don't touch her, don't lay a finger on her ! She's telling the truth, the absolute truth. Krasnov. You lie, you're jealous, both of you ! It isn't an hour, I tell you; it isn't an hour since we sat here, kissing and embracing, looking into each other's eyes and couldn't get enough of it. Ulyana. Heavens, he's out of his head ! You've lost your mind ! Go and see for yourself if you don't believe us. Krasnov. [At the door] Lukerj^a Danilovna ! Ulyana. Call, call; she ran over there, too. Enter Kuritsyn. SCENE IV The same and Kuritsyn Kuritsyn. What are you yelling for, are you teaching your wife ? That's good for her, so she won't run away from home. KnASNOV. But where is she? Where is she? Spare me; you're tearing me to pieces. Kuritsyn. She'll come back; she doesn't spend the night there. Ulyana. You'd better calm yourself, brother; sit down. Kuritsyn. We'll all wait for her, the lady. Krasnov. She petted me, fondled me, pressed me close to her heart. Tatyana enters quietly and looks around. 210 SIN AND SORROW act iv SCENE V The same and Tatyana Krasnov. Where have you been ? Have you had a good time? Speak, don't hide it ! Why are you silent? Speak! You see: everybody has come to view my shame. Ulyana. Why don't you talk, you shameless creature ! You think you can get out of it by silence ? We saw how you went over there and came back. KxjRiTSYN. Trample on her, brother, trample on her hard; she'll talk. Krasnov. Don't torment me ! Tell me, what am I to think of you ? What ? Are these people Ij'ing ? Then I'll turn 'em out, head over heels ! Or maybe they're telling the truth ? Deliver me from mj^ sinful thoughts ! Tell me, which of you is my enemy ? IFere you there ? Tatyana. What's the use of lying, since you've all seen me. I was there. Krasnov. [Beside himself] There, good people, there — that's how it is ! What shall I do now ? What can I — - pardon me, a sinner, for doing you wrong ! How other men's wives behave, I don't know; but this is the way in our family, Ulyana. Now we'll watch your pride. How will you show yourself among people now, shameless woman ? You've disgraced our brother, disgraced him ! Afonya. Viper, viper ! KuRiTSYN. What's the use of looking at her ! She ought to pay the penalty right off. Arkhip comes in. SCENE VI SIN AND SORROW 211 SCENE VI The same and Arkhip Arkhip. What punishment has God sent us ? Wiy so much noise? Is there a fire? You know I can't see. Ulyana. The sweet bride has been up to mischief ! If I were in brother's place, I'd take her and crush her. Krasnov. Away, away ! Don't, don't anybody lay a finger on her ! I'm her husband, so I'm her judge. Now tell me, whj' did you do it .'' Why did you go astray ? Were you drawn into the net of sin ? Perhaps you didn't dream of such a thing of your own accord. Perhaps you didn't expect it .' Or did you rush into sin of j'our own free will ^ How about you now ? Do you repent or not ? Or maybe you think that was the right thing to do ? Speak ! Why are you silent.' Are you abashed before people, or are you happy ? Are you ashamed, or are you glad of what you've done? Are you made of stone? Roll at every one's feet, crucify yourself ! Or will you tell me outright that you did it to spite me ! I want to know what to do with you — spare you, or kill you. Did you love me at least a little bit; is there any reason for my sparing you ? Or did you cheat me all the time ? Did I only dream of happy days ? Tatyana. [With tears] I'm guilty. Lev Rodionych. I de- ceived you. I never loved you, and don't love you now. You'd better leave me, rather than have both of us suffer. Better that we part ! Krasnov. How part ? Where shall we go ? No, you lie ! Whom shall I punish for my shame? You say you don't love me, and never did, while I went around town and boasted that a beautiful lady loved nie. How shall I take revenge for this insult ? Go in the kitchen ! You can't be 212 SIN AND SORROW act m a wife, so be a cook ! You couldn't walk hanfl in hand with your husband, so fetch water for him. You have aged me in a day, and now I'll make sport of your beauty ! Every day that the fair sun rises, you'll get nothing from me but slaps and curses all your life; maybe some time when I'm angry, I'll kill you like a dog. Some one give me a knife ! Tatyana runs out. Afonya. Brother ! brother ! She's going, she's going away. Krasnov. She won't escape me ! Afonya. She's going to the gentleman. I heard them planning to go away to the country. Krasnov. Who'll take her from me, if I won't give her up .'' Who in the whole world is strong enough to take her from me ? If they take her they'll have to tear my arms off. Afonya. [Looking out of the door] Brother, she's getting ready ! She's leaving, brother ! Krasnov. [Pushing him aside] Stand aside ! A woman leaves her husband only for the grave, for nowhere else ! [Goes out. The cry of Tatyana is heard: "Let me go!" He comes back] Bind me ! I've killed her. Afonya. Serves her right. Ulyana. Ah, my dear ! What will happen to you now ? Arkhip. Where is he.^ Where is he.'' [Afonya leads him] What have you done.^ Who gave you the right? Is she guilty only towards you ? First of all, she is guilty before God; and you, a proud and wilful man, have taken it upon yourself to judge .'' You couldn't wait for the merciful judg- ment of God; so now go to the judgment of man, yourself! Bind him ! KuRiTSYN. He didn't expect it, he didn't foresee it, but he fell into sorrow ! Sorrow walks not through the woods, but among men. IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR — WE'LL SETTLE IT OURSELVES A COMEDY IN FOUR ACTS CHARACTERS Samson Silych Bolshov,^ a merchant Agrafena Kondratyevna, his wife Olimpiada Samsonovna (Lipochka), their daughter Lazar Elizarych Podkhalyuzin,^ a clerk UsTiNYA Naumovna, a professional match-maker Sysoy Psoich Rispolozhensky,^ a lawyer FoMfNisHNA, housekeeper 1 . „ , , , r„, . , } in BoLSHov s house Tishka/ hoy ) ' Samson Strengthson Bigman. ' Sneaky. ' Unfrocked. * A Dickname for Tikhon. IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR — WE'LL SETTLE IT OURSELVES ACT I Drawing-room in Bolshov's house SCENE I LiPOCHKA i.s sitting near thie window with a hook LiPOCHK-\. Wliat a pleasant occupation these dances are ! Very good indeed ! What could be more delightful ? You go to the assembly, or to somebody's wedding, you sit down, naturally, all beflowered like a doll or a magazine picture. Suddenly up runs a gentleman: "May I have the happiness, miss?" Well, you see, if he's a man of wit, or a military indi%"idual. you accept, drop your eyes a little, and answer: "If you please, with pleasure I"' Ah I [Warmly] Most fas- ci-nat-ing ! Simply beyond understanding I [Si^ghg] I dis- like most of all dancing with students and goverr - -e clerks. But it's the real thing to dance with ^■„. ^■:::^l Ah, charming ! ravishing I Their mustaches, and epaulets, and uniforms, and on some of them even spins with little bits of beUs. Only it's kiUingly tiresome that th^ don't wear a sabre. Why do thev take it off? It's sbange, plague take it I The soldios themsdve- : r'- how much more fascinatin^y they'd >*.::. I' take a look at the spurs, the way " if a uhlan or some rincess, you little cherub, you! [To him] Well, Samson Silych, isn't it all right? Only she ought to ride in a six- horse carriage. BoLSHOV. She'll go in a two-horse carriage — she's no high- flying proprietress. 268 SCENE II IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR 269 Agrafena Kondratyevna. To be sure, she's no general's daughter, but, all the same, she's a beauty ! Well, pet the child a little; what are you growling like a bear for? BoLSHOv. Well, how do you want me to pet her? Shall I lick her hands, or bow down to her feet? Fine circus, I must say ! I've seen something more elegant than that. Agrafena Kondratyevna. But what have you seen? No matter what; but this is your daughter, your own child, you man of stone ! BoLSHOV. What if she is my daughter ? Thank God she has shoes, dresses, and is well fed — what more does she want ? Agrafena Kondratyevna. What more ! Look here, Samson Silych, have you gone out of your head ? Well fed ! What if she is well fed ! According to the Christian law we should feed everybody; people look after strangers, to say nothing of their own folks. Why, it's a sin to say that, when people can hear you. Anyhow, she's your own child ! BoLSHOV. I know she's my own child — but what more does she want? What are you telling me all these yarns for ? You don't have to put her in a picture-frame ! I know I'm her father. Agrafena Kondratyevna. Then, my dear, if you're her father, then don't act like a stepfather ! It's high time, it seems to me, that you came to your senses. You'll soon have to part with her, and you don't grind out one kind word; you ought, for her good, to give her a bit of good advice. You haven't a single fatherly way about you ! BoLSHOv. No, and what a pity; must be God made me that way. Agrafena Kondratyevna. God made you that way ! What's the matter with you ? It seems to me God made her, 270 IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR act m too, didn't he? She's not an animal. Lord forgive me for speaking so ! — but ask her something ! BoLSHOV. What shall I ask her? A goose is no playmate for a pig; do what you please. Agrafena Kondkatyevna. We won't ask you when it comes to the point ; meantime, say something. A man, a total stranger, is coming — no matter how much you try, a man is not a woman — he's coming for his first visit, when we've never seen him before. BoLSHov. I said, stop it ! Agrafena Kondratyevna. What a father you are ! And yet you call yourself one ! Ah, my poor abandoned little girl, you're just like a little orphan with drooping head ! He turns away from you, and won't recognize you ! Sit down, Lipochka; sit down, little soul, my charming little darling! [She makes her sit down. Lipochka. Oh, stop it, mamma ! You've mussed me all up ! Agrafena Kondratyevna. All right, then, I'll look at you from a distance. Lipochka. Look if you want to, only don't rave ! Fudge, mamma, one can't dress up properly without your going off into a sentimental fit. Agrafena Kondratyevna. So, so, my dear ! But when I look at you, it seems such a pity. Lipochka. Why so ? It had to come some time. Agrafena KoNDRATYE\'isrA. All the same, it's a pitj', you little fool. We've been raising you all these years, and you've grown up — but now for no reason at all we're giving you over to strangers, as if we were tired of you, and as if you bored us by your foolish cliildishuess, and by your sweet behavior. Here, we'll jnick you out of the house, like an enemy from the town; then we'll come to, and look around, and you'll be SCENE III IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR 271 gone forever. Consider, good people, what it'll be like, living in some strange, far-away place, choking on another's bread, and wiping away your tears with your fist ! Yes, good God, she's marrying beneath her; some blockhead will be butting in — a blockhead, the son of a blockhead ! [She weeps. LiPOCHKA. There you go, crying ! Honestly, aren't you ashamed, mamma ? What do you mean by blockhead ? Agrafena Kondratyevna. [Weeping] The words came out of themselves. I couldn't help it. BoLSHOv. What made you start this bawling.' If any- body asks you, you don't know yourself. Agrafena Kondratyevna. I don't know, my dear, I don't know; the fit just came over me. BoLSHOV. That's it, just foolishness. Tears come cheap with you. Agrafena Kondratyevna. Yes, my dear, they do ! They do ! I know myself that they come cheap; but how can you help it ? LiPOCHKA. Fudge, mamma, how you act ! Stop it ! Now, he'll come any moment — what's the use? Agrafena Kondratyevna. I'll stop, child, I'll stop; I'll stop right off ! SCENE III The same, and Ustinya Naumovna Ustinya Naumovna. [Entering] How are you, my jewels ! What are you gloomy and down in the dumps for.^* [Kisses are exchanged. Agrafena Kondratyevtsta. We'd about given you up. LiPOCHKA. Well, Ustinya Naumovna, will he come soon ? Ustinya Naumovna. It's my fault, I own up at once; 272 IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR act m it's my fault ! But our affairs, my jewels, aren't in a very good way. LiPocHKA. How ! What do you mean by that ? Agrafena Kondratyevna. Now what new notion have you got ? UsTiNYA Naumovna. Why, my pearls, our suitor is waver- ing. BoLSHOV. Ha, ha, ha ! You're a great go-between ! How are you going to make a match .f* UsTiNYA Naumovna. He's like a balky horse, he won't whoa nor giddup. You can't get a sensible word out of him. LiPOCHKA. But what's this, Ustinya Naumovna.'' What do you mean, really .'' Agrafena Kondratyevna. Holy saints ! How can it be ! LiPOCHKA. Have you just seen him ? Ustinya Naumovna. I was at his house this morning. He came out just as he was, in his dressing-gown; but he treated me, be it said to his honor. He ordered coffee, and rum, and heaps of fancy crackers — simply piles of them. "Eat away!" says he, "Ustinya Naumovna." I had come on business, j'ou know, so it was necessary to find out some- thing definite. So I said: "You wanted to go to-day and get acquainted." But on that subject he wouldn't say a sensible word to me. "Well," he said, "we'll think it over, and advise about it." And all he did was pull at the cords of his dressing-gown. LiPOCHKA. Why does he just fold liis arms and senti- mentalize? Why, it's disgusting to see how long this lasts. Agrafena Kondratyevna. Really, now, why is he show- ing off.^ Aren't we as good as he is? Ustinya Naumovna. Plague take him; can't we find another fellow ? SCENE III IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR 273 BoLSHOV. Don't you look for another, or the same thing will happen again. I'll find another for you myself. Agrafena Kondratyevna. Yes, much you will, unless you get down off the stove and hustle. You've actually forgotten, I think, that you have a daughter. BoLSHOv. We'll see ! Agsafena Kondratyevna. We'll see what? We'll see nothing ! Bah — don't talk to me, please; don't aggravate me. [She sits down. BoLSHov bursts out laughing; Ustinya Naumovna walks off with Lipochka to the other side of the stage. Ustinya Naumovna inspects the girVs dress. Ustinya Naumovna. My ! how you're dolled up — that dress certainly makes you look better. You didn't make it yourself, did you .'* Lipochka. Horrible need I had of making it ! Why, do you think we're beggars.'' What are dressmakers for? Ustinya Naumovna. Beggars, the idea! Who's saying anything so foolisli to you ? They can tell from your house- keeping that you didn't make it yourself. However, your dress is a fright. Lipochka. What's the matter with you ? Have you lost your wits ? Where are your eyes ? What gave you that wild notion? Ustinya Naumovna. What are you getting on your high horse for? Lipochka. Nonsense ! Think I'll stand such rubbish ? What, am I an uncultivated hussy ! Ustinya Naumovna. What are you taking on so for? Where did such a caprice come from ? Am I finding fault with your dress ? Why, isn't it a dress ? — and anybody will say it's a dress. But it isn't becoming to you; it's absolutely not the right thing for your style of beauty — blot out my 274 IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR act m soul if I lie. For you a gold one would be little enough; let's have one embroidered with seed-pearls. Ah ! there you smile, my jewel ! You see, I know what I'm talking about ! TiSHKA. [Entering] Sysoy Psoich wants me to ask whether he, says he, can come in. He's out there with Lazar Eli- zarych. BoLSHov. March ! Call him in here with Lazar. TisHKA goes out. Agrafena Kondratyevna. Well, now, the relish isn't ready for nothing: we'll take a snack. Now, Ustinya Nau- movna, I suppose you've been wanting a drop of vodka for a long time ? Ustinya Naumovna. Just the tiling — it's one o'clock, the admiral's lunch-time. Agrafena Kondratyevna. Now, Samson Silych, move out of that place; what are you sitting there like that for? BoLSHOv. Wait a minute; they're coming up. There's time enough. LiPOCHKA. Mamma, I'll go change my dress. Agrafena Kondratyevna. Run along, my dear, run along. BoLSHov. Wait a minute before changing — there's a suitor coming. Agrafena Kondratyevna. What sort of a suitor can that be? Quit your fooling. BoLSHOV. Wait a bit, Lipa, there's a suitor coming. LiPOCHKA. Who is it, daddy ? Do I know him or not ? BoLSHOV. You'll see him in a minute; and then, perhaps, you'll recognize him. Agrafena Kondratyevna. Wliat are you listening to him for .^ What sort of a clown is coming ? He's just talk- ing to hear himself talk. SCENE III IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR 275 BoLSHOV. I told you that he was coming; and I usually know what I'm talking about. Agrafena Kondratyevna. If anybody were actually coming, then you'd be talking sense; but you keep saying he's coming, he's coming, but God knows who it is that's coming. It's always like tliat. LiPOCHKA. Well, in that case I'll stay, mamma. [She goes to the mirror and looks at herself. Then to her father] Daddy ! BoLSHOV. What do you want ? LiPOCHKA. I'm ashamed to tell you, daddy ! Agrafena Kondratyevna. Ashamed of what, you little fool ? Speak out if you need anything. Ustinya Naumovna. Shame isn't smoke — it won't eat out your eyes. LiPOCHKA. No, by heavens, I'm ashamed ! BoLSHOV. Well, hide your face if you're ashamed ! Agrafena Kondratyevna. Do you want a new hat; is that it > LiPOCHKA. There ! you didn't guess it. No, not a hat. BoLSHOV. Then what do you want.? LiPOCHKA. To marry a soldier ! BoLSHOV. Just listen to that ! Agrafena Kondratyevna. Wake up, you shameless girl ! Lord help you ! LiPOCHKA. Why — you see, others marry soldiers. BoLSHOV. Well, let 'em marry 'em; you just sit by the sea and wait for a fair breeze. Agrafena Kondratyevna. And don't you dare give me any of your lip ! I won't give you my mother's blessing. 276 IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR act m SCENE IV The same and Lazar, Rispolozhensky, and Fominishna in the doorway. Rispolozhensky. How do you do, my dear Samson Silych ! How do you do, my dear Agrafena Kondratyevna ! Olimpiada Samsonovna, how do you do ! BoLSHOV. How are you, old man, how are you ! Do us the favor to sit down. You sit down, too, Lazar ! Agrafena Kondratyevna. Won't you have a snack? I have a reUsh all ready for you. Rispolozhensky. Why shouldn't I, dear lady ? I'd just like a thimbleful of something now. BoLSHOV. Let's all go in together pretty soon; but now, meanwhile, we can have a little talk. UsTiNYA Naumovna. Why not have a little talk ? D'you know, my jewels, I heard — it must have been printed in the newspaper, whether it's true or not — that a second Bona- parte has been born, and it may be, my jewels BoLSHOV. Bonaparte's all right, but we'll trust most of all in the mercy of God; it's not a question of that now. UsTiNYA Naumovna. What is it a question of, my pearl ? BoLSHOV. Why, about the fact that our years are approach- ing their decline; our health also is failing every minute, and the Creator alone can foresee what is ahead. So we have proposed, while we're still living, to give in marriage our only daughter; and in regard to her settlement we may hope also that she'll not bring into ill repute our resources and origin; above all, in other people's eyes. UsTiNYA Naumovna. Just hear how sweetly he tells that, the jewel ! BoLSHOV. And since now our daughter is here in person. SCENE IV IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR 277 and in view of the fact that we are convinced of the honor- able conduct and the sufficient means of our future son-in- law, which for us is a matter of extreme concern, in consid- eration of God's blessing, we hereby designate him in the presence of these witnesses. Lipa, come here. LiPOCHKA. What do you want, daddy.'* BoLSHOV. Come here to me. I shan't eat you, never fear. Well, now, Lazar, toddle up ! PoDKHALYUZiN. Been ready a long time, sir ! BoLSHOV. Now, Lipa, give me your hand. LiPOCHKA. How ! Wliat nonsense is this .'' Where did you get this rubbish.^ BoLSHOV. Look out that I don't have to force you ! UsTiNYA Naumovna. Now you're catching it, young lady ! Agrafena Kondratyevna. Lord ! What on earth is this.? LiPOCHKA. I don't want to ! I don't want to ! I won't marry anything so disgusting ! FoMiNisHNA. The power of the cross be with us ! PoDKHALYUZiN. Evidently, daddy, it's not for me to see happiness in this world ! Evidently, sir, it can't be as you would wish ! BoLSHOV. [Seizes Lipochka violently by the arm; takes Lazar's hand] Why can't it, if I want it to be? What am I your father for, if not to command you .'' Have I fed her for nothing.'' Agrafena Kondratyevna. What're you doing ! What're you doing ! Recollect yourself ! Bolshov. Stay on your own side of the fence ! This is none of your business ! Well, Lipa ! Here's your future husband ! I ask you to love and cherish him ! Sit down side by side and talk nice; and then we'll have a fine dinner and set about the wedding. 278 IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR act in LiPOCHKA. What ! Do you think I want to sit down with that booby ! What nonsense ! BoLSHOV. If you won't sit down, I'll sit you down, and put an end to your monkey-business ! LiPOCHKA. Who ever heard of educated young ladies be- ing married off to their employees ! BoLSHOV. Better shut up ! If I say so, you'll marry the porter. [Silence, UsTiNYA Naumovna. Say, now, Agrafena Kondratyevna, if that isn't a pity ! Agrafena Kondratyevna. I myself, the mother, am as much in the dark as a clothes-closet. And I can't under- stand what in the world has caused this ! FoMiNiSHNA. Lord ! I'm past sixty, and how many wed- dings I've seen; but I've never seen anything so shameful as this. Agrafena Kondratyevna. What do you mean, you mur- derers; do you want to dishonor the girl.'' BoLSHOv. Yes, much I have to listen to your high-fahitin' talk. I've decided to marry my daughter to a clerk, and I'll have my way, and don't you dare argue; I don't give a hang for anybody. Come now, we'll go take a snack; but just let them kid each other, and maybe they'll make it up somehow or other. RisPOLOZHENSKY. Let's go, Samson Silych, and you and I, for company, '11 just take a thimbleful. Yes, yes, Agra- fena Kondratyevna, that's the first duty, that children should obey their parents. We didn't start that custom, and we shan't see the last of it. Theu all rise and go out except Lipochka, Podkhal- YuziN, and Agrafena Kondratyevna. Lipochka. Mamma, what does this mean .'' Does he want to make a cook of me ? [She weeps. SCENE V IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR 279 PoDKHALYUZiN. Mamma, ma'am ! Such a son-in-law as will respect you and, naturally, make your old age happy, aside from me you won't find, ma'am. Agrafena Kondratyevna. How are you going to do that, my dear ? PoDKHALYUziN. Mamma, ma'am ! God has made me as- pire so high, ma'am for this reason, ma'am, because the other fellow, mamma, will turn j^ou down flat, ma'am; but I, till I land in my coffin [weeps], must have feeling, ma'am ! Agrafena Kondratyevna. Ah, saints alive ! But how can this be.'* BoLSHOV. [Through the door] Wife, come here! Agrafena Kondratyevna. Coming, ray dear, coming ! PoDKHALYUZiN. Mamma, you remember the word I said just now ! Agrafena Kondratyevna goes out. SCENE V LiPOCHKA and Podkhalyuzin Silence Podkhalyuzin. Olimpiada Samsonovna, ma'am ! Olim- piada Samsonovna ! I suppose you abominate me ? Say only one word, ma'am ! Just let me kiss your little hand ! LiPOCHKA. You blockhead, you ignorant lout ! Podkhalyuzin. But why, Olimpiada Samsonovna, do you want to insult me, ma'am? LiPOCHKA. I'll tell you once, now and forever, that I won't marry you, and I won't ! Podkhalyuzin. That's just as you please, ma'am ! Love can't be forced. Only here's what I want to announce to you, ma'am LiPOCHKA. I won't listen to you; go away from me! As 280 IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR act m if you were an educated gentleman ! You see that I wouldn't marry you for anything in the world — you ought to break off yourself ! PoDKHALYUZiN. Now, Olluipiada Samsonovna, you were pleased to say "break off." Only, if I should break off, what would happen then, ma'am? LiPOCHKA. Why, the thing that would happen would be that I'd marry an aristocrat. PoDKHALYUZiN. An aristocrat, ma'am ! But an aristo- crat won't take you without a dowry ! LiPOCHKA. What do you mean, without dowry ? What are you talking about? Just take a look and see what kind of a dowry I have; it fairly hits you in the face! PoDKHALYUZiN. Tliose dish-rags, ma'am ? A nobleman won't take dish-rags. A nobleman wants it in cash, ma'am. LiPOCHKA. What of it ? Dad will give cash ! PoDKHALYUZiN. All right, if he will, ma'am ! But what if he hasn't any to give ? You don't know about your papa's affairs, but I know 'em mighty well; your papa's a bank- rupt, ma'am. LiPOCHKA. What do you mean, bankrupt? And the house and shops ? PoDKHALYUZiN. The house and shops— are mine, ma'am ! LiPOCHKA. Yours ! Get out ! Are you trjing to make a fool of me? Look for a bigger goose than I am. PoDKHALYUZiN. But I have here some legal documents. [lie produces them. LiPOCHKA. So you bought tliem of dad ? PoDKHALYUZiN. I did, ma'am ! LiPOCHKA. Where'd you get the money ? PoDKHALYUZiN. Money ! Glory to God, I have more money than any nobleman. LiPOCHKA. What in the world are they doing to me? SCENE V IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR 281 They've been bringing me up all these years, and then go bankrupt ! [Silence. PoDKHALYuziN. Now suppose, Olimpiada Samsonovna, that you married a nobleman — what will that ever amount to, ma'am ? Only the glory of being a lady, but not the least pleasure, ma'am. Please consider: ladies themselves often go to the market on foot, ma'am. And if they do drive out anywhere, then it's only the glory of having four horses; but the whole team ain't worth one merchant's horse. By heaven, it ain't, ma'am ! And they don't dress so blamed superbly either, ma'am ! But if, Olimpiada Sam- sonovna, you should marry me, ma'am — here's the first word : you'll wear silk gowns even at home, and visiting, and to the theatre, ma'am — and we shan't dress you in anything but velvets. In respect to hats and cloaks — we won't care what's in style with the nobility, but we'll furnish you the finest ever ! We'll get horses from the Orlov stud. [Silence] If you have doubts on the question of my looks, then that's just as you like, ma'am; I'll put on a dress coat, and trim my beard or cut it off, according to the fashion, ma'am; that's all one to me, ma'am. LiPOCHKA. You all talk that way before the wedding; but afterwards you cheat us. PoDKHALYUZiN. May I die on the spot, Olimpiada Sam- sonovna ! Damnation blast me if I lie ! Why should I, Olimpiada Samsonovna? D'you think we'll live in a house like this? We'll buy one in the Karetny, ma'am; and how we'll decorate it ! We'll have birds of paradise on the ceil- ings, sirens, various Coopids^ — people'U pay good money just to look at it. LiPOCHKA. They don't paint Coopids any more nowa- days. ' These are not the only words that Podkhalyuziu mispronounces; Olimpiada is another. 282 IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR act iii PoDKHALYUZiN. Then we'll let 'em paint bokays. [Silence] If you'd only agree on your side, then I don't want anything more in life. [Silence] How unfortunate I am, anyhow, that I can't say nice comjjliments. LiPOCHKA. Why don't you talk French, Lazar Elizarych? PoDKHALYUZiN. Because there was no reason why I should. [Silence] Make me happy, Olimpiada Samsonovna; grant me that blessing, ma'am. [Silence] Just tell me to kneel to you. LiPOCHKA. Well, do it ! [Podkhalyuzin kneels] What a horrid waistcoat you have on ! PoDKHALYUZiN". I'll give this one to Tishka, ma'am, and I'll get myself one on the Kuznetsky Bridge, only don't ruin me ! [Silence] Well, Olimpiada Samsonovna, ma'am ? LiPOCHKA. Let me think. Podkhalyuzin. Think about what, ma'am? LiPOCHKA. How can I help thinking.'* Podkhalyuzin. Why, you don't need to think ! LiPOCHKA. I'll tell you what, Lazar Elizarych ! Podkhalyuzin. What're your orders, ma'am.? LiPOCHKA. Carry me off on the quiet. Podkhalyuzin. But why on the quiet, ma'am, when your papa and mamma are so willing.'' LiPOCHKA. That's quite the thing to do. Well, if you don't want to carry me oflF, why, let it go as it is. Podkhalyuzin. Olimpiada Samsonovna, just let me kiss your little hand ! [He kisses it; then he jumps up and runs to the door] Daddy, sir ! LiPOCHKA. Lazar Elizarych ! Lazar Elizarych ! Come here ! Podkhalyuzin. What do you want, ma'am ? LiPOCHKA. Oh, if you knew, Lazar Elizarych, what my life here is like ! Mamma says one thing one day, and an- SCENE VI IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR 283 other the next; papa, when he isn't drunk, has nothing to say; but when he's drunk he's apt to beat you at any mo- ment. How's a cultivated young lady going to endure such a life ? Now, if I could marry a nobleman, I'd go out of this house, and could forget about all that. But now everything will go on as before. PoDKHALYUzix. No, ma'am, Olimpiada Samsonovna; it won't be that way ! Olimpiada Samsonovna, as soon as we've celebrated the wedding, we'll move into our own house, ma'am. And then we won't let 'em boss us. No, here's an end to all that, ma'am ! That'll do for them — they ran things in their day, now it's our turn. LiPOCHKA. Just look here, Lazar Elizarych, we shall live by ourselves at our house, and they by themselves at their house. We'll do everything fashionably, and they, just as they please. PoDKHALYuziN. That's the idea, ma'am. LiPOCHKA. Well, call papa now. [She rises and jrrmks before the mirror. PoDKHALYuziN. Papa ! Papa ! Sir ! Mamma ! SCENE VI The same, Bolshov, and Agrafena Kondratyevna PODKHALYUZIN. [Goes to vfieet Samson Silych and throws his arms about him in an embrace] Olimpiada Samsonovna has agreed, sir ! Agrafena Kondratyevna. I'm coming, my dears, I'm coming ! Bolshov. Well, that's talking ! Just the thing ! I know what I'm doing; it's not for you to teach me. PODKHALYUZIN. [To Agrafena Kondratyevna] Mamma, ma'am ! Let me kiss your hand ! 284 IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR act m Agrafena KoNDRATYE\TsrA. Kiss away, my dear; they're both clean. Ah, you l)lc.sse