Delphi Complete Works of Anton Chekhov (Illustrated) (374 page)

PLATONOV. No . . . Tomorrow you’ll learn everything and . . . (Turns away towards the window.)

ANNA PETROVNA. Do you need any money?

PLATONOV. No.

ANNA PETROVNA. Ah . . . can’t I help you?

PLATONOV. I don’t know... Send me today your photograph. (Turns his face to her.) Leave me, Anna Petrovna, or the devil knows what I won’t do! I’ll break out weeping, or I’ll do harm to myself and . . . Go away! . . . Don’t I speak plainly? What are you waiting for? I must leave, do you understand that? Why do you look at me like that?

ANNA PETROVNA. Good-bye... (Gives him her hand.) We’ll meet again...

PLATONOV. NO... (Kisses her hand.) It’s not necessary... Now go, my dear... (Kisses her hand.) Good-bye... Leave me... (Covers his face with her hand.)

ANNA PETROVNA. My dearest . . . poor boy! Well? Let go my hand... Good-bye! Shall we have a last drink for parting’s sake? (Pours out some wine.) Drink! ... A happy journey, and then more happiness!

PLATONOV (drinks).

ANNA PETROVNA. You’d better remain here, Platonov! (Pours out and drinks.) You might live quite decently... What crime could you be guilty of? Is such a thing possible in this village? (Pause.) Shall we have another to our grief?

PLATONOV. Yes.

ANNA PETROVNA (pouring out). Drink, my soul... Ah, the deuce take it!

PLATONOV (drinking). Be happy! Go on living here... That’s possible even without me...

ANNA PETROVNA. NO half way with me... (Pours more wine.) If you drink you die, if you don’t drink you also die... Then it’s better to drink and to die... (Drinks.) I’m a drunkard, Platonov... [While my general was alive, I drank heavily... I drank and drank and drank... And I’ll go on drinking! ] Eh? Shall I pour out another? No, I had better not... We’ll become tongue-tied, then how shall we speak? (Sits down.) There’s nothing worse in the world than to be a developed woman... There’s nothing for her to do... What am I worth, for what do I live? (Pause.) Willy-nilly, I am immoral... I’m an immoral woman, Platonov... (Laughs.) Eh? And I love you, perhaps, because I am immoral... (Rubs her forehead.) I shall perish... Such as I always perish... If I were only a professor or a director of some sort... If I were a diplomatist, I’d turn things topsyturvy in this world. ... A developed woman and . . . without anything to do. That means, I’m superfluous... Horses, cows and dogs are wanted, but I’m not wanted, I’m superfluous... Eh? Why don’t you say something?

PLATONOV. We’re both badly off . . .

ANNA PETROVNA. If I only had children... Do you love children? (Rises.) Remain here, my dear! Will you remain? You might have a decent life here.

. It’s cheery and friendly... You’re leaving, but what of me? I’d like to rest a little . . . Misha! I must have some rest! I want to be a wife, a mother... (Pause.) Don’t remain silent! Speak! You will remain, won’t you? For you do love me, you strange fellow? You do love me?

PLATONOV. I’ll kill myself, if I remain.

ANNA PETROVNA. YOU do love me?

PLATONOV. Who doesn’t love you?

ANNA PETROVNA. YOU love me, and I love you, what more can you want? It must be, you’re going out of your mind... What more can you want? Why didn’t you come to me that night? (Pause.) You’ll stay?

PLATONOV. Go, for God’s sake! Don’t torment me!

ANNA PETROVNA (giving him her hand). Well . . . in that case ... I wish you the best of luck...

PLATONOV. Please go, or I’ll tell you everything, and if I tell you, I’ll surely kill myself!

ANNA PETROVNA. Here’s my hand... Don’t you see it? I’ll run in this evening for a minute...

PLATONOV. It’s not necessary! I’ll come to you to say good-bye... No, I shan’t come to you! You’ll not see me again, and I’ll not see you again! You’ll not want to see me when you find out! You’ll turn away from me forever! My new life . . . (Embraces and kisses her.) For the last time... (Pushes her out-of-doors.) Good-bye! Go, and be happy! (Shuts and bolts the door.)

ANNA PETROVNA (behind the door). I swear by God, we’ll meet again!

PLATONOV. No! Good-bye! (Stops his ears with his fingers.) I hear nothing! Be silent, and go away! I’ve stopped my ears!

ANNA PETROVNA. I’m going! I’ll send Sergey to you, and I give you my word you’re not going away, and if you are, I’m going away with you! Good-bye! (Pause.)

SCENE VI.

PLATONOV (alone).

PLATONOV. Gone? (Goes to the door and listens.) Yes, she’s gone. ... Is it possible that she hasn’t? (Opens the door.) She’s a witch... (Glances behind the door.) She’s gone... (hies down on the divan.) Good-bye, lovely woman! . . . (Sighs.) I’ll never see you again... She’s gone. ... I wish she had stayed another five minutes... (Pause.) It would have been pleasant! I must ask Sofya to put off the journey for a fortnight, and take a little journey with the widow! Yes . . . just for a fortnight! Sofya will agree to it... She can stay with her mother for a while. ... I’d better ask her... While I’m travelling with the widow, Sofya can take a little rest... After all, I shan’t be gone forever! (There is a knock on the door.) Yes, I’m going! That’s settled! Excellent! (The knock is repeated.) Who’s knocking? Anna Petrovna? Who’s there? (Again, there is a knock.) What’s the matter with you? (Rises.) I shan’t let you in! (Goes to the door.) Someone’s giggling, I think... (Laughs.) It’s she ... I must let her in... (Opens the door.) Oh! (Enter Ossip.)

SCENE VII.

PLATONOV and OSSIP.

PLATONOV. What is it? You, devil? Why have you come?

OSSIP. How do you do, Mikhail Vassilyitch!

PLATONOV. What have you to say? To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from such a worthy person? Say quickly what you have to say, then go to the devil!

OSSIP. I’ll sit down. (He sits down.)

PLATONOV. Do me the favour! {Pause.) So it’s you, Ossip? What’s the matter with you? On your face are inscribed all the ten plagues of Egypt! What have you done to yourself? You look pale, thin, emaciated... Are you ill?

OSSIP. You also have plagues written on your face.

•
                            
. . And what have you done with yourself? The devil will take me, but you?

PLATONOV. I? I’m not acquainted with the devil.

•
                            
. . I’ll take myself... (Touches Ossi-p’s shoulder.) Only bones!

OSSIP. And where’s your fat? Are you ill, Mikhail Vassilyitch? From good conduct?

PLATONOV (sitting down). Why have you come?

OSSIP. To say good-bye.

PLATONOV. Why, are you leaving?

OSSIP. NO, I’m not leaving, but you are.

PLATONOV. SO that’s it! How do you know?

OSSIP. How shouldn’t I know!

PLATONOV. I’m not leaving, brother. You’ve come for nothing.

OSSIP. YOU are leaving. . . .

PLATONOV. You know everything, and you make everything your business... You’re a wizard, Ossip. I am leaving. You are right.

OSSIP. There, you see, I know. I even know where you are going.

PLATONOV. Yes? What a fellow you are... But I don’t know. You’re quite a clever chap! Well, tell me, where?

OSSIP. Do you want to know?

PLATONOV. Of course! Tell me. How interesting! Where am I going?

OSSIP. To the other world.

PLATONOV. That’s a long way! (Pause.) A riddle. And are you going to dispatch me there?

OSSIP. Quite so. I’ve brought you some post-horses.

PLATONOV. HOW kind of you! H’m ... So you’ve come to kill me?

OSSIP. Quite so.

PLATONOV (mimicking). Quite so... What insolence! So you’ve come to dispatch me to the other world... H’m . . . Are you going to kill me on your own account or by someone’s order?

OSSIP (showing a roll of money). Here... Ven- gerovitch gave this to me and asked me to cut you up! (Tears the money.)

PLATONOV. Aha . . . Old Vengerovitch?

OSSIP. The same. . . .

PLATONOV. Why did you tear up the money? Is it to show your bigness of soul, eh?

OSSIP. I have no bigness of soul to show. But I’ve torn up the money so you won’t think in the other world that I killed you for money.

PLATONOV (rises and faces up and down).

OSSIP. SO you’re afraid, Mikhail Vassilyitch? Horrible, isn’t it? (Laughs.) Run, shout! I’m not standing by the door, I’m not holding the door; the door is open! Run out, call the people, tell them that Ossip’s come to kill you! I have come to kill you... You don’t believe me? (PaUse.)

PLATONOV (goes to Ossip and looks at him). Astonishing! (Pause.) Why do you smile? Fool! (Strikes his hand.) Stop smiling! I’m speaking to you! Be silent! I’ll hang you! I’ll make putty out of you, you scoundrel! (Walks quickly away from him.) Anyhow . . . Don’t make me angry... It’s bad for me to be angry. . . .

OSSIP. Strike me across the cheek for being a noxious person!

PLATONOV. As much as you like! (Goes to Ossip and strikes him across the cheek.) Well? Did that make you reel? It’s nothing to the way you’ll reel when you get a hundred strokes across your empty skull! Do you remember how Filka died?

OSSIP. A dog’s death.

PLATONOV. HOW repugnant you are, you beast! I’m ready to destroy you, you wretch! What have human beings done to you that you’re ready to do them harm? Oh, you insolent scoundrel! (Strikes him across the cheek.) Monster! I’ll give it to you... I’ll . . . (Quickly walks away from Ossip.) Get out!

OSSIP. Spit into my eyes for being a noxious man!

PLATONOV. I don’t like wasting any spit!

OSSIP (rising). You dare to talk like that?

PLATONOV. Get out, before I mix you up with mud!

OSSIP. You don’t dare! You too are a noxious man!

PLATONOV. What? You’re going to argue with me? (Approaches him.) So you’ve come to kill me? Well, then. Kill me! Here I am! Kill me!

OSSIP. I respected you, Mr. Platonov. I considered you a decent sort of man! But now . . . It’s a pity to kill you, but it’s got to be done... You’re very noxious... Why did the young mistress come to you today?

PLATONOV. Kill me! Go ahead, kill me!

OSSIP. And why did the general’s widow come here today? You’re duping the widow, aren’t you? And where’s your wife? Which of the three is the real one? Eh? Aren’t you a noxious man after all that? (‘Quickly trips him over with his foot, and they fall together on the floor.)

PLATONOV. Get out! I’ll kill you, not you me! I am stronger than you! (They grapple.)

OSSIP. Give my regards to General Voinitzev when you land in the other world!

PLATONOV. Let me go!

OSSIP (drawing a knife from under his belt). Be quiet! I’ll kill you all the same! You’re strong too! You don’t want to die! You should have thought of that when you touched something which didn’t belong to you!

PLATONOV (shouting). My hand! Oh, my hand! Stop! Stop!

OSSIP. So you don’t want to die? You’ll soon be in the Kingdom of Heaven!

PLATONOV. Let go my hand! Let go, Ossip! I have a wife, a son... So you have a knife! Curse you! (Sasha comes running in.)