Delphi Complete Works of Anton Chekhov (Illustrated) (375 page)

SCENE VIII.

The SAME and SASHA.

SASHA (running in). What’s the matter? (Makes an outcry.) Misha! (Runs to the wrestling men, and jails upon them?) What are you doing?

OSSIP. It’s you, Alexandra Ivanovna? (Jumps up.) His luck to stay alive! (To Sasha.) Here’s a knife for you! (Gives her the knife.) I shan’t kill him before you... He’ll stay alive! But I’ll get him later! He shan’t escape me. (Jumps out of the window.)

PLATONOV (after a pause). The devil! . . . Well, Sasha? {Groans.)

SASHA. Has he hurt you? Can you get up? Try it!

PLATONOV. I don’t know... That beast’s made of cast-iron... Give me your hand! (Rises to his feet.) Don’t be frightened, my dear. I’m quite whole. But he’s mauled me a bit.

SASHA. What a nasty fellow! I’ve warned you to keep away from him!

PLATONOV. Where’s the divan? Why do you look at me like that? Your betrayer is still alive! Can’t you see? (Lies down on the divan.) Thanks for coming, 20 5

or you might have been a widow by now, and I a corpse!

SASHA. Put your head on the pillow! (Puts a pillow under his head.) That’s better! (Sits down at his feet.) Have you any pain? {Pause.) Why did you shut your eyes?

PLATONOV. No, no . . . For no reason. ... So you’ve come, Sasha! You’ve come, my treasure!

{Kisses her hand.)

SASHA. Our Kolya is ill!

PLATONOV. What’s wrong with him?

SASHA. He has a cough, fever, a rash... It’s two nights now he hasn’t slept... He’ll neither drink nor eat... {Weeps.) He’s quite ill, Misha! I’m afraid for him, so afraid! And I dreamt a bad dream. . . .

PLATONOV. What’s your brother doing about it? After all, he’s a doctor!

SASHA. He? He’s acted indifferently. Four days ago he looked in for a minute and went off again. I told him about Kolya’s illness, but he only yawned... He called me a fool. . . .

PLATONOV. He’s a lazy fellow! He’ll burst with yawning one day.

SASHA. What’s one to do?

PLATONOV. We must hope... You’re staying with your father?

SASHA. Yes.

PLATONOV. And what does he do?

SASHA. He paces the rooms, smokes his pipe, and he’s getting ready to pay you a visit. I arrived at his house distraught. Well, he soon guessed that I and you . . . What shall I do about Kolya?

PLATONOV. Don’t worry overmuch, Sasha!

SASHA. How can I help worrying? If he should die, which God forbid, what will become of us?

PLATONOV. Yes . . . God won’t take our little boy away from us! Why should he punish you? Surely, not because you married a good-for-nothing husband! {Pause.) Take care, Sasha, of our little man! Preserve him for me, and I promise you I’ll make a man of him! [I’ll show him the right path, I’ll teach him how to atone for my sinner’s life and the life of my fathers! I’ll consecrate days and nights to him. . . .] His every step will be a joy to you! [He’ll go far, will our Nikolai Mikhailovitch Platonov!] For, after all, poor chap, he’s also a Platonov! It would be well if he changed his name. As a man, I’m small, but as a father I will be great! Don’t be afraid for him! Oh, my hand! {Groans.) I have such a pain in my hand... The scoundrel certainly mauled me badly... What do you think is wrong with it? {Examines his hand.) It’s red... Oh, well, the deuce take it! And so, Sasha... You’ll be happy in your son! You laugh? . . . Go on laughing, my treasure! Now you’re crying! Why are you crying? H’m . . . Don’t cry, Sasha! {Embraces her head.) So you’ve come... But why did you leave? Don’t cry, my dear! Why tears? Why, I love you, little girl! How I love you! Great is my guilt, but what’s one to do? You must forgive me... Well, well . . .

SASHA. Is the intrigue at an end?

PLATONOV. Intrigue? What a word!

SASHA. Then it isn’t at an end?

PLATONOV. How shall I put it to you? There isn’t any intrigue, but there is a perfect maze of nonsense.

. . . Don’t be alarmed about it! If it’s not yet at an end, it will soon be!

SASHA. When?

PLATONOV. I think soon. We’ll have our old life back again soon, never fear! Perish all this new life! It’s quite exhausted me... Believe no more in the strength of this knot than I do! She’ll be the first to cool off, and will be the first, with laughter and sorrow, to see the absurdity of this knot. Sofya’s no mate for me. There are ferments in her which long since have ceased to ferment in me. She looks with tears of emotion on that which I now can’t look on without laughter. She’s no mate for me... (.Pause.) Believe me! Sofya will not long remain your rival... Sasha, what’s the matter with you?

SASHA {rises, tottering).

PLATONOV {raising himself). Sasha!

SASHA. So it’s with Sofya, not Anna Petrovna?

PLATONOV. SO this is the first you’ve heard of it?

SASHA. With Sofya? . . . That’s downright low. . . .

PLATONOV. What’s the matter with you? You’re pale, you totter... {Groans.) At least, don’t you torment me, Sasha! My hand hurts, and now you . . . Surely, that isn’t news for you! Is it really the first you’ve heard of it? Didn’t you leave on Sofya’s account?

SASHA. It was bad enough going oif with the widow, but with another man’s wife! It’s low, and sinful... I didn’t expect such perfidy from you! God will punish you! You have no conscience! {Goes towards the door.)

PLATONOV {after pause). You are shocked? Where are you going?

SASHA {stop-ping in the doorway). May God give you happiness! You and Sofya Egorovna.

PLATONOV. You’ve read too many foolish novels, Sasha! We still have a boy, and, after all, I’m your husband! Again, I don’t want happiness! Remain here, Sasha!

SASHA. I can’t! Oh, my God, my God...

PLATONOV. You can’t?

SASHA. My God. ... Is it really true? {Presses her hands against her temples and sits down.) I ... I don’t know what to do...

PLATONOV. YOU can’t? {Goes to her.) It’s up to you. • . . Better stay! Why cry, you silly? {Pause.) Ah, Sasha, Sasha... My sin is great, but surely I may be forgiven. . . .

SASHA. Could you forgive it yourself?

PLATONOV. A philosophical problem! (Kisses her head.) Better stay... Don’t you see, I repent! Why, without you, there’s nothing but vodka, filth, these Ossips... I’ve been tormented to death! Stay here as a nurse, if not as a wife! You’re a strange folk, you women! You’re strange, Sasha! You can feed the wretch Ossip, you lavish mercy on cats and dogs . . . haven’t you a crumb left for your erring but repentant husband? Why do you too act the executioner? Stay, Sasha! (Embraces her.) I can’t do without a nurse! I’m a worthless fellow. I’ve taken away the wife of a friend, I’m Sofya’s lover, I’m even Anna Petrovna’s lover, I’m a polyg- amist, a great scoundrel from the point of view of a family. ... Be shocked! Be indignant! But who will ever love as I love you? Who will value you as I do? For whom will you cook dinner and over-salt the soup? You, of course, have right on your side, if you go... (Lifts her.) Who will lift you like this? Is it possible for you, my dear, to be without me?

SASHA. I can’t! Let me go! I’m lost! You are jesting while I’m perishing! (Breaks away from him.) You know, it’s no joke! Good-bye! I can’t live with you! All will look on you now as on a dishonourable man! I can’t stand it! (Weeps.)

PLATONOV. Go, and God be with you! (Kisses her head, then lies down on the divan.) I understand. . . .

SASHA. You’ve broken up our family... We lived well, happily... There was none happier than me on earth... (Sits down.) What a mess you’ve made of life, Misha! (Rises.) What a mess you’ve made! You can’t bring back our happiness... I’m lost. . . • (Weeps.)

PLATONOV. GO, and God be with you!

SASHA. Good-bye! You’ll not see me again! Don’t come to see us... Father will sometimes bring Kolya to you... God will forgive you, as I forgive you! You’ve ruined our life!

PLATONOV. Have you gone?

SASHA. Yes, I’ve gone... Very well... (Looks at Platonov for some time, then goes.)

SCENE IX.

PLATONOV (alone) and, afterwards, VOINITZEV.

PLATONOV. Thus begins my new life! It’s painful! I’m losing everything! ... I’ll go out of my mind! My God! [(Bites the pillow.)’] Sasha, a mere flea . . . and even she dares to throw a stone at me! (Lies down on the divan.) VOINITZEV (enters and pauses in the doorway).

PLATONOV (after a pause). Is this the epilogue, or is the comedy still in progress? (On seeing Voinitzev he shuts his eyes and snores lightly.) VOINITZEV (approaching Platonov). Platonov! (Pause.) You’re not sleeping. ... I can see that from your face... (Sits down near him.) I don’t think you can be asleep...

PLATONOV (rising).

VOINITZEV (rises and looks out of the window). You’ve killed me... Do you know that? (PaUse.) I thank you... What do I want? God be with you... Let it be as it is. Perhaps, it had to happen... (Weeps.)

PLATONOV (rises and slowly walks to another corner °f the room).

VOINITZEV. Once I received a gift from fortune and

. . . even this gift was taken from me! It was not enough that he should have a mind, beauty, a great soul... He must needs have my happiness too! He’s taken it away... And I? What about me? I have nothing now. ... So it is. .. .

PLATONOV. Go away from here! VOINITZEV. Presently... I’ve come to call you out to a duel, but now that I’m here I can do nothing but weep... I’m going. (Pause.) Have I lost finally?

PLATONOV. Yes.

VOINITZEV (whistling). So it is...

PLATONOV. Go away! I implore you! Go! VOINITZEV. Presently... What can I do here? . . . (Goes to the door.) I can do nothing here... (Pause.) Give her back to me, Platonov! Be good! After all, she belongs to me! Platonov, you are happy as it is! Save me, dear fellow! Give her back to me! (Weeps.) After all, she’s mine! Mine! Do you understand?

PLATONOV (goes to the divan). Go away! . . . I’ll shoot myself ... I swear on my honour! VOINITZEV. NO, don’t! . . . God be with you! (Makes a helpless gesture with his hand and goes out.)

PLATONOV (pressing his hands to his head). Oh, unhappy, pitiful man! My God! Curses upon my head! (Weeps.) Vermin that I am, why don’t I let people alone? I’ve brought nothing but misfortune upon people, and people have brought nothing but misfortune upon me! I must let people alone! They go on beating me, and beating me, yet without killing me! A murderer sits in every corner, looks into my eyes, and wants to kill me! Go on beating me! (Beats his breast.) Beat me, as long as I haven’t killed myself! (Runs to the doory and shouts.) Sasha! Sasha! For God’s sake! (Opens the door. Glagolyev I comes in.)