Delphi Complete Works of Anton Chekhov (Illustrated) (367 page)

SCENE XV.

ANNA PETROVNA, GLAGOLYEV I, GREKOVA and TRILETZKY.

GREKOVA (entering). It’s the worst humiliation yet! (Weeps.) The worst yet! Only depraved people could look on in silence!

TRILETZKY. I believe you, but what could I do? What could I do? I couldn’t attack him with a log, now could I?

GREKOVA. You should have used a log if you could find no other means! Go away from me! I ... I, a woman, wouldn’t have remained silent had I seen you treated so shabbily and abominably as I’ve been treated.

TRILETZKY. But I . . . him . . . Look at it sensibly! How am I to blame?

GREKOVA. You’re a coward, that’s what you are! Go, I don’t want to see you! Go to your nasty buffet! Good-bye! Don’t make any effort to see me again! We’ re not necessary to one another... Good-bye!

TRILETZKY. Please don’t take it so! I am sick of it all! Tears, tears ... Oh, my God! How my head goes round... Coenurus cerebralis! Ah-h . . .

(He makes a helpless gesture with his hand and walks away.)

GREKOVA. Coenurus cerebralis... (Goes.) He humiliated me... Why? What have I done?

ANNA PETROVNA (walking up to her). Marya Efi- movna ... I am not keeping you. ... I myself should have left had I been in your place... (Kisses her.) Don’t cry, my dear... Most women have been created to suffer all sorts of nastiness from men. . . .

GREKOVA. But not I. ... I will . . . get even with him! He’ll not be a teacher here any longer! Tomorrow I’m going to the director of the national schools. . . .

ANNA PETROVNA. Enough... I’ll come and see you within a day or two, and you and I will discuss Platonov. In the meantime, calm yourself... Stop crying... You will have your satisfaction... Don’t be angry at Triletzky, my dear... He did not defend you because he is too good and soft. Such people are incapable of defence... What did he do to you?

GREKOVA. He kissed me in the presence of all . . . called me a fool and . . . and . . . threw me on the table... You needn’t think he’ll escape unpunished. He is either mad, or else . . . I’ll show him! (Goes away.)

ANNA PETROVNA (after her). Good-bye! We’ll see each other soon! (To Yakov.) Yakov! Get the carriage ready for Marya Efimovna! . . . Ah, Platonov, Platonov . . . He’ll get into hot water one day. . . .

GLAGOLYEV i. A lovely girl! Our good Mikhail Vassilyitch doesn’t like her much... He’s hurt her feelings. . . .

ANNA PETROVNA. Nothing serious! Today he hurts her feelings, and tomorrow he’ll beg her pardon... There’s a noble chord there! (Enter Glagolyev II.)

SCENE XVI.

The SAME and GLAGOLYEV II.

GLAGOLYEV II (aside). With her! Again with her! The devil knows where it’s going to end! (Looks fixedly at his father.)

GLAGOLYEV I (after a pause). What do you want? GLAGOLYEV II. You’re sitting here, while they’re looking for you there! Go, they’re calling you! GLAGOLYEV I. Who’s calling me? GLAGOLYEV II. The folks inside! GLAGOLYEV i. Of course, it’s the folks. . . .(Rises.) As you like, but I shan’t give you any peace, Anna Petrovna! You’ll say something else when you understand me! . . . (Goes into the house.)

SCENE XVII.

ANNA PETROVNA AND GLAGOLYEV II.

GLAGOLYEV II (sitting down at Anna Petrovna’s side). He’s an old badger! Ass! No one called him! I’ve fooled him!

ANNA PETROVNA. When you get some sense, you’ll reproach yourself for your father.

GLAGOLYEV ii. You’re joking... I’ll tell you why I’ve come. ... I want just two words with you.

. . . Yes or no?

ANNA PETROVNA. That is?

GLAGOLYEV II {laughing). As if you hadn’t understood! Yes or no!

ANNA PETROVNA. I tell you I don’t understand you! GLAGOLYEV II. You’ll soon understand... With the help of gold everything can be understood... If “yes,” then will it suit the convenience of you the generalissimo of my soul to stick your hand into my pocket and extract therefrom my wallet filled with Papa’s money? . . . (He thrusts his side pocket forward.)

ANNA PETROVNA. Rather frank... [Oh, you idiot, idiot!] Do you know, the cleverest people get their faces slapped for such speeches!

GLAGOLYEV II. Even a slap in the face is pleasant when it comes from a charming woman... First the slap, then, after a while, the “yes.” . . .

ANNA PETROVNA {rising). Take your hat and leave this instant!

GLAGOLYEV II {rising). Where?

ANNA PETROVNA. Where you please! Only go and don’t show your face here again!

GLAGOLYEV II. Fie . . . Why get angry? I shan’t go, Anna Petrovna!

ANNA PETROVNA. In that case I’ll have you removed! {Goes into house.)

GLAGOLYEV II. What an angry woman! And I haven’t said anything in particular... What have I said? Certainly nothing to cause any anger... {Follows her.)

SCENE XVIII.

PLATONOV and SOFYA EGOROVNA (coming out of the house).

PLATONOV. To this day I am one who has no place . . . only the place of a school teacher... That’s what’s happened since we parted last! (They sit dovcn.) [My golden years are gone from me forever! I’ve wasted them on filthy trifles... (I’ve buried everything in a grave, except this body.)] I won’t speak of other people, but what have I done for myself? What have I sown in myself, nourished and developed? . . . And now! Oh, what terrible deformity... How revolting! Evil seethes round me, defiles the earth, swallows my brothers in Christ; while I sit with folded arms, as after heavy labour; I sit, look and am silent. ... I am twenty-seven years old, for thirty years longer I shall be like this. • . . I see no prospect of change! . . . only a fat dressing-gown existence, stupefaction, a complete indifference to everything, a life that is more death than life! A wasted life! My hair stands on end when I think of this death! {Pause.) How shall I raise myself, Sofya Egorovna? You are silent, you don’t know... How can you know? Sofya Egor- ovna, don’t think I’m sorry for myself! [I’m too near the time when I shall decide that I’m an irretrievably lost man!] To the devil with this me! But what’s become of you? Where is your pure soul, your frankness, truthfulness, boldness? Where your health? What have you done with it all, Sofya Egorovna? To waste whole years in idleness, to live on the labour of others, to take pleasure in the suffering of others, and at the same time to be able to look one straight in the eyes . . . that is depravity! SOFYA EGOROVNA (rises’).

PLATONOV (forces her to sit down). Stop! One more word. What has made you affected, lazy, free with words? Who has taught you to lie? [Who gave you the right to spend whole days in discussing labour, suffering, freedom, if you are doing nothing for them and have no intention of doing anything?] And how were you before? Allow me to finish! I’ll soon let you go! ... How good you were, Sofya Egorovna, how great! There’s yet time, my dear, to rise above all this. Think it over! gather your strength together and rise, for God’s sake! (He seizes her hand.) My dear, tell me frankly, for the sake of our common past, what made you marry this man? What tempted you to it?

SOFYA EGOROVNA. He’s a splendid man.

PLATONOV. Why say what you don’t believe? SOFYA EGOROVNA {rising). He’s my husband, and I must ask you . . .

PLATONOV. I don’t care what he is. I’ll speak the truth! Sit down! (Forces her to sit.) Why didn’t you choose a working man, a sufferer? Why did you take this pigmy sunken in debt and idleness? Why him of all men?

SOFYA EGOROVNA. Stop it! Don’t shout! Someone’s coming! (Several guests pass by.)

PLATONOV. The devil with them! Let them hear! (In a hushed voice.) Forgive me for my sharpness... You see, I loved you! I loved you above everything else on earth, and that’s why you are dear to me now... How I loved this hair, these hands, this face! Why do you use powder, Sofya Egorovna? Chuck it! Oh! If you could only meet another kind of man, you would rise quickly, but here you’ll only sink deeper into the mire! Poor girl! If I were less unfortunate than I am, if I had greater strength, I would tear you and me by the roots out of this mud. {Pause.) Oh, life! Why don’t we live as we might live!

SOFYA EGOROVNA (rising, and covering her jace with her hands). Leave me! (The din in the house becomes audible.) Go away! (Goes toward the house.)

PLATONOV (following her). Take your hands from your face! So! You’re not going away from here? Say, no! We’ll be friends, Sofya! You’re not going away? We’ll have some more talks, won’t we? Yes? (The din in the house becomes increasingly audible, and running footfalls are heard on the stairs.) SOFYA EGOROVNA. Yes.

PLATONOV. We shall be friends, my dear... Why should we be enemies? Allow me . . . Another word or two . . . (Voinitzev comes running from the house, followed by the guests.)

SCENE XIX.

The SAME, VOINITZEV with GUESTS, afterwards

ANNA PETROVNA and TRILETZKY.

VOINITZEV (running in). Ah-h . . . The very people we’ve been looking for! We’re going to light the fireworks! (Shouts.) Yakov, towards the river, march! (To Sofya Egorovna.) Have you thought it over, Sofya?

PLATONOV. She’s not going away. She’s decided to remain.

VOINITZEV. Yes? In that case, hurrah! Here’s my hand, Mikhail Vassilyitch! (Presses Platonov’s hand.) I’ve always believed in your eloquence... Let’s go and light the fires! (Goes with his guests into the depth of the garden.)

PLATONOV (after a pause). Yes, such affairs, Sofya Egorovna . . . H’m . . .

VOICE OF VOINITZEV. Maman} where are you? Platonov! (Pause.)

PLATONOV. I suppose I must go, the deuce take it, and I . . . (Shouts.) Sergey Pavlovitch, wait! Don’ t light without me! (Runs into the garden.)

ANNA PETROVNA (running from the house). Wait! Sergey, wait! All the guests aren’t here yet! Fire the cannon in the meantime! (To Sofya.) Let’s go, Sofya. You’re looking sad. . . .

VOICE OF

PLATONOV. This way, dear lady! We’ll sing an old song, without beginning a new!

ANNA PETROVNA. I’m coming, mon cher! (Runs away.)

VOICE OF

PLATONOV. Who’s coming into the boat with me? Sofya Egorovna, what about you making a pair with me?

SOFYA EGOROVNA. TO go or not to go? (Thinking.)

TRILETZKY (comes in). Hey, where are you? (Sings.) I’m coming, coming! (Looks fixedly at Sofya Egorovna.)

SOFYA EGOROVNA. What do you want?

TRILETZKY. Nothing.

SOFYA EGOROVNA. Then be off! I am not in a mood to chat tonight, or to listen...

TRILETZKY. I know, I know... (Pause.) I have a terrible desire for some reason to draw a finger across your forehead; what’s your forehead made of? A terrible desire ... by no means to humiliate you, but . . . for continence . . .

SOFYA EGOROVNA. Jester! (Turns away her face.) Not a comedian, but a jester, a clown!

TRILETZKY. Yes ... a jester . . . For my jesting I’ve received some meals from Anna Petrovna... Yes . . . and pocket money... But as soon as I get tedious, I’ll be sent away in disgrace. It’s true, isn’t it? I’m not the only one of this opinion. You’ve said it yourself when you dined with Glagolyev... SOFYA EGOROVNA. Good . . . I’m glad that you’ve been informed... Now you know that I know how to differentiate jesters from witty folk! If you were an actor, you’d have been a favourite with the gallery, but the stalls would have hissed you. ... I hiss you.

TRILETZKY. You’re amazingly witty... Excellent! I have the honour to bow to you! (He bows.) A pleasant farewell! I’d have chatted with you a while longer, but ... I quail, I’m overcome! (Goes into the depth of the garden.) SOFYA EGOROVNA (stamping a foot). Wretch! . . . A shallow creature!

VOICE OF

PLATONOV. Who’ll go on the river with me? SOFYA EGOROVNA. Ah . . . What is to be, is to be! (She shouts.) I’m coming! (Runs.)