Four Plays | Page 7

of us. Pray consider yourself, after
such talk, who would marry me?
LEONÍD. Are you going to get married?
NÁDYA. Yes, sir. Every girl hopes to get married some time.
LEONÍD. But have you a suitor?
NÁDYA. Not yet, sir.
LEONÍD. [_Timidly_] If you have no suitor, then, maybe you're in love
with somebody?
NÁDYA. You want to know a lot! Well, no, I needn't fib about it, I'm
not in love with anybody, sir.
LEONÍD. [_With great joy_] Then love me!
NÁDYA. It's impossible to force the heart, sir.
LEONÍD. Why? Don't you like me?
NÁDYA. Well, how could I help liking you? But I'm not your equal!
What sort of love is that? Clean ruin! Here comes Líza running after me,
I suppose. Good-by. Good luck to you! [_She goes away._
LÍZA _comes in._
LÍZA. Master, if you please! Your mamma has come.
LEONÍD. Líza!
LÍZA. [_Approaching_] What is it, please?
LEONÍD. [He embraces LÍZA; _she trembles with pleasure_] Why
won't Nádya love me?
LÍZA. [_Affectedly_] What are you talking about, master! Girls of our
sort must look out for themselves!
LEONÍD. Look out for yourselves how?
LÍZA. [_Looks him in the face and smiles_] Why, everybody knows.
What are you talking like a child for?
LEONÍD. [_Sadly_] What shall I do now? Indeed, I don't know. They

all run away from me.
LÍZA. But don't lose courage; just make love a little bit. Heavens, our
hearts aren't of stone!
LEONÍD. But see here! I asked her: she said she didn't love me.
LÍZA. Well, if you aren't a queer one! Whoever asked girls right out
whether they were in love or not! Even if one of us girls was in love,
she wouldn't say so.
LEONÍD. Why?
LÍZA. Because she's bashful. Only let me go, sir! [_She gets free_]
There goes the old fury!
LEONÍD. Come out here into the garden after supper, when mamma
goes to bed.
LÍZA. You don't lose any time!
LEONÍD. Please come.
LÍZA. Well, we'll see later. [VASILÍSA PEREGRÍNOVNA _enters_]
Master, please come to tea, your mamma is waiting.
LEONÍD. All right, I'm coming.

SCENE V
The same and VASILÍSA PEREGRÍNOVNA
VASILÍSA PEREGRÍNOVNA. I saw you, my dear, I saw you.
LÍZA. There was nothing to see. [_She goes out._
LEONÍD. Well, what did you see? What are you going to complain
about? I shall simply say that you lie. Whom are they going to believe
quicker, you or me?
[_He makes a grimace and goes out._
VASILÍSA PEREGRÍNOVNA. There, that's the way they all treat me.
I can't stand it! My heart is just sick. I'm a martyr in this world. [_She
plucks a flower viciously and pulls off its petals_] I believe that if I had
the power I'd do this to all of you! I'd do this to all of you! I'd do this to
all of you! You just wait, you young scamp! I'll catch you. My heart
boils, it boils, it boils over! And now I must smirk before the mistress

as if I were a fool. What a life! What a life! The sinners in hell do not
suffer as I suffer in this house! [_She goes out._

II
_A parlor. Rear centre, a door opening into the garden. Doors at the
sides; in the centre a round table._

SCENE I
_From a side door there enter a footman with a samovar and a maid
with a tea-service; they place both on the table and go out._
GAVRÍLOVNA and POTÁPYCH enter after them. GAVRÍLOVNA
prepares the tea. VASILÍSA PEREGRÍNOVNA enters from the
garden.
VASILÍSA PEREGRÍNOVNA. My dear, you always serve me only
water.
GAVRÍLOVNA. It isn't good for you to drink strong tea, madam.
VASILÍSA PEREGRÍNOVNA. It's not your business to worry about
me!
GAVRÍLOVNA. It dries up the chest, and you're all dried up as it is.
VASILÍSA PEREGRÍNOVNA. What a life! What a life! I am not dried
up from tea-drinking, my dear, but from the insults of the world.
GAVRÍLOVNA. Insults! You insult everybody yourself, as if
something were stirring you up!
VASILÍSA PEREGRÍNOVNA. Don't you dare talk to me like that. Just
remember who you are. I once owned serfs myself; at my place, such
people as you didn't dare peep, they walked the chalk. I didn't let your
sort get high-headed!
GAVRÍLOVNA. That time's gone by. God gives a vicious cow no
horns.
VASILÍSA PEREGRÍNOVNA. Oh, you monsters, wretches! You want
me to die. Soon I shall die, soon; my soul feels its fast approaching end!
Raising her eyes heavenward Shelter me from men, O lid of my coffin!
Take me to thee, moist earth! Then you'll be happy; then you'll be
joyful!
POTÁPYCH. We? What's it to us?.... Tend to your own business.

GAVRÍLOVNA. While God is patient with your