Four Plays | Page 8

Never mind, my dear. One must do good to his neighbor.
VASIL��SA PEREGR��NOVNA. But do they feel that good? Can they understand, heartless creatures, how great is your condescension to them?
MADAM ULANB��KOV. 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 NEGLIG��NTOV head-clerk.
VASIL��SA PEREGR��NOVNA. But, my benefactress, is he worthy?
MADAM ULANB��KOV. 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 evidently 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!
VASIL��SA PEREGR��NOVNA. 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 NEGLIG��NTOV, because of his life, isn't worth saying much about; nevertheless, the chief ought to do everything in the world for him for your sake, no matter how worthless a scamp NEGLIG��NTOV might be.
MADAM ULANB��KOV. Don't you forget that he's my godson!
VASIL��SA PEREGR��NOVNA. 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 ULANB��KOV. 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.
VASIL��SA PEREGR��NOVNA. I know, benefactress, I know; every one knows that if you take a notion, you, my benefactress, 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 ULANB��KOV. I'm sure I never did any one any harm.
VASIL��SA PEREGR��NOVNA. 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 ULANB��KOV. Who complains about me? What a lie!
VASIL��SA PEREGR��NOVNA. 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-lived person. And though they do complain, what's the use of paying attention; are they worth your notice? Since you do so many good deeds for others, God will forgive you, our benefactress.
MADAM ULANB��KOV. All the same, I want to know whom I have offended?
VASIL��SA PEREGR��NOVNA. Well, there are some persons, benefactress.
MADAM ULANB��KOV. [_Forcibly_] But who? Speak!
VASIL��SA PEREGR��NOVNA. Don't be angry, benefactress! I spoke as I did because you yourself know how touchy people are nowadays--never satisfied.
MADAM ULANB��KOV. You spoke as you did in order to cause me some unpleasantness.
VASIL��SA PEREGR��NOVNA. May my eyes burst if I did.
MADAM ULANB��KOV. Well, I know you. You're never at rest in your 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.
GAVR��LOVNA. Right away, mistress.
She pours out two cups. POT��PYCH hands them to MADAM ULANB��KOV and to VASIL��SA PEREGR��NOVNA.
MADAM ULANB��KOV. Pour Gr��sha a cup, too; he went with me to-day, and he's tired out.
GAVR��LOVNA. Yes, mistress.
[She pours out a cup and hands it to GR��SHA.
GR��SHA. Why didn't you put more milk in it? Are you stingy, eh?
GAVR��LOVNA. [_Adding milk_] As it is, you're fattened on milk, like a calf.
GR��SHA _takes the cup and goes out through the door into the garden._
MADAM ULANB��KOV. I have thought of marrying N��DYA to NEGLIG��NTOV--with a decent 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.
N��DYA. [To L��ZA] Do you hear, L��za? What's this? My God!
L��ZA. You just have to listen, and you can't say a word.
VASIL��SA PEREGR��NOVNA. It's high time she was married, benefactress; why should she be hanging around here? And now your young son, the angel, has