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The Live Corpse, a play by Leo Tolstoy |
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Act 1 Scene 2 |
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_ ACT I SCENE II [A room in the gipsies' house. The choir is singing "Kanavela." Fedya in his shirt-sleeves is lying prone on the sofa. Afremov sits astride a chair in front of the leader of the choir. An officer sits at a table, on which are bottles of champagne and glasses. A musician is taking notes.] AFREMOV. Fedya, are you asleep? FEDYA [rising] Don't talk.... Now let's have "Not at Eve." GIPSY LEADER. That won't do, Theodore Vasilyevich! Let Masha sing a solo now. FEDYA. All right! And then, "Not at Eve." [Lies down again]. OFFICER. Sing "Fateful Hour." GIPSY. All agreed? AFREMOV. Go on! OFFICER [to musician] Have you taken it down? MUSICIAN. Quite impossible! It's different every time.... And the scale is somehow different. Look here! [Beckons to a gipsy woman who is looking on] Is this right? [Hums]. GIPSY. That's it, that's splendid! FEDYA. He'll never get it; and if he does take it down and shoves it into an opera, he'll only spoil it!... Now, Masha, start off! Let's have "Fateful Hour"--take your guitar. [Rises, sits down opposite her, and gazes into her eyes]. [Masha sings.] FEDYA. That's good too! Masha, you're a brick!... Now then, "Not at Eve"! AFREMOV. No, wait! First, my burial song.... OFFICER. Why _burial_? AFREMOV. Because, when I'm dead ... you know, dead and laid in my coffin, the gipsies will come (you know I shall leave instructions with my wife) and they will begin to sing "I Walked a Mile" ... and then I'll jump out of my coffin!... Do you understand? [To the musician] You just write this down. [To the gipsies] Well, rattle along! [Gipsies sing.] AFREMOV. What do you think of that?... Now then, "My Brave Lads"! [Gipsies sing.] [Afremov gesticulates and dances. The gipsies smile and continue singing, clapping their hands. Afremov sits down and the song ends.] GIPSIES. Bravo! Michael Andreyevich![4] He's a real gipsy! [NOTE 4: The polite way of addressing Mr. Afremov.] FEDYA. Well, _now_ "Not at Eve"! [Gipsies sing.] FEDYA. That's it! It's wonderful ... And where does it all happen--all that this music expresses? Ah, it's fine!... And how is it man can reach such ecstasy, and cannot keep it? MUSICIAN [taking notes] Yes, it's most original. FEDYA. Not original--but the real thing! AFREMOV [to gipsies] Well, have a rest now. [Takes the guitar and sits down beside Katya, one of the gipsies]. MUSICIAN. It's really simple, except the rhythm.... FEDYA [waves his hand, goes to Masha, and sits down on sofa beside her] Oh, Masha, Masha! How you do turn me inside-out! MASHA. And how about what I asked you for? FEDYA. What? Money?... [Takes some out of his trouser-pocket] Here, take it! [Masha laughs, takes it, and hides it in her bosom.] FEDYA [to the gipsies] Who can make it out? She opens heaven for me, and then asks for money to buy scents with! [To Masha] Why, you don't in the least understand what you're doing! MASHA. Not understand indeed! I understand that when I am in love, I try to please my man, and sing all the better. FEDYA. Do you love me? MASHA. Looks like it! FEDYA. Wonderful! [Kisses her]. [Exeunt most of the gipsies. Some couples remain: Fedya with Masha, Afremov with Katya, and the officer with Gasha. The musician writes. A gipsy man strums a valse tune on the guitar.]
FEDYA. But I'm married, and your choir won't allow it.... MASHA. The choir is one thing, one's heart's another! I love those I love, and hate those I hate. FEDYA. Ah! This is good! Isn't it? MASHA. Of course it's good--we've jolly visitors, and are all merry. [Enter gipsy man.] GIPSY [to Fedya] A gentleman is asking for you. FEDYA. What gentleman? GIPSY. I don't know.... Well dressed, wears a sable overcoat-- FEDYA. A swell? Well, ask him in. [Exit Gipsy]. AFREMOV. Who has come to see you here? FEDYA. The devil knows! Who can want me? [Enter Karenin. Looks round.] FEDYA. Ah, Victor! I never expected _you_!... Take off your coat!... What wind has blown you here? Come, sit down and listen to "Not at Eve." KARENIN. _Je voudrais vous parler sans tEmoins._[5] [NOTE 5: I wanted to speak to you alone.] FEDYA. What about? KARENIN. _Je viens de chez vous. Votre femme m'a chargE de cette lettre et puis ..._[6] [NOTE 6: I have come from your home. Your wife has entrusted me with this letter and besides ...] FEDYA [takes letter, reads, frowns, then smiles affectionately] I say, Karenin, of course you know what is in this letter? KARENIN. I know ... and I want to say ... FEDYA. Wait, wait a bit! Please don't imagine that I am drunk and my words irresponsible.... I mean, that I am irresponsible! I am drunk, but in this matter I see quite clearly.... Well, what were you commissioned to say? KARENIN. I was commissioned to find you, and to tell you ... that ... she ... is waiting for you. She asks you to forget everything and come back. FEDYA [listens in silence, gazing into Karenin's eyes] Still, I don't understand why _you_ ... KARENIN. Elisabeth Andreyevna sent for me, and asked me ... FEDYA. So ... KARENIN. But I ask you, not so much in your wife's name as from myself.... Come home! FEDYA. You are a better man than I. (What nonsense! It is easy enough to be better than I) ... I am a scoundrel, and you are a good--yes, a good man.... And that is the very reason why I won't alter my decision.... No! Not on that account either--but simply because I can't and won't.... How could I return? KARENIN. Let us go to my rooms now, and I'll tell her that you will return to-morrow. FEDYA. And to-morrow, what?... I shall still be I, and she--she. [Goes to the table and drinks] It's best to have the tooth out at one go.... Didn't I say that if I broke my word she was to throw me over? Well, I have broken it, and that's the end of it. KARENIN. For you, but not for her! FEDYA. It is extraordinary that _you_ should take pains to prevent our marriage being broken up! KARENIN [is about to speak, but Masha comes up] ... FEDYA [interrupting him] Just hear her sing "The Flax"!... Masha! [The gipsies re-enter.] MASHA [whispers] An ovation, eh? FEDYA [laughs] An ovation!... "Victor, my Lord! Son of Michael!" ... [Gipsies sing a song of greeting and laudation.] KARENIN [listens in confusion then asks] How much shall I give them? FEDYA. Well, give them twenty-five roubles.[7] [NOTE 7: About £2, 10s.] [Karenin gives the money.] FEDYA. Splendid! And now, "The Flax!" [Gipsies sing.] FEDYA [looks round] Karenin's bunked!... Well, devil take him! [Gipsy group breaks up.] FEDYA [sits down by Masha] Do you know who that was? MASHA. I heard his name. FEDYA. He's an excellent fellow! He came to take me home to my wife. She loves a fool like me, and see what I am doing here ...! MASHA. Well, and it's wrong! You ought to go back to her.... You ought to pity her. FEDYA. You think I ought to? Well, I think I ought not. MASHA. Of course, if you don't love her you need not. Only love counts. FEDYA. And how do you know that? MASHA. Seems I do! FEDYA. Well, kiss me then!... Now, let's have "The Flax" once more, and then finish up. [Gipsies sing.] FEDYA. Ah, how good it is! If only one hadn't to wake up!... If one could die so! [Curtain.] _ |
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