Redemption and Two Other Plays | Page 2

POLICEMAN. INVESTIGATING MAGISTRATE. M��LNIKOV. CLERK. USHER. YOUNG LAWYER. PETR��SHIN. A lawyer. LADY. ANOTHER OFFICER. ATTENDANT AT LAW COURTS. PROTOSOVS' NURSE. PROTOSOVS' MAID. AFR��MOV'S FOOTMAN. KAR��NINS' FOOTMAN.

ACT I
SCENE I
Protosovs' flat in Moscow. The scene represents a small dining room. ANNA P��VLOVNA, a stout, gray-haired lady, tightly laced, is sitting alone at the tea-table on which is a samov��r.
Enter NURSE carrying a tea-pot.
NURSE (enters R. I, over to table C.). Please, Madam, may I have some water?
ANNA P��VLOVNA (sitting R. of table C.). Certainly. How is the baby now?
NURSE. Oh, restless, fretting all the time. There's nothing worse than for a lady to nurse her child. She has her worries and the baby suffers for them. What sort of milk could she have, not peeping all night, and crying and crying?
[SASHA enters R. I, strolls to L. of table C.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. But I thought she was more calm now?
NURSE. Fine calm! It makes me sick to look at her. She's just been writing something and crying all the time.
SASHA (to nurse). Lisa's looking for you.
[Sits in chair L. of table C.
NURSE. I'm going.
[Exits R. I.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. Nurse says she's always crying. Why can't she try and calm herself a little?
SASHA. Well, really, Mother, you're amazing. How can you expect her to behave as if nothing had happened when she's just left her husband and taken her baby with her?
ANNA P��VLOVNA. Well, I don't exactly, but that's all over. If I approve of my daughter's having left her husband, if I'm ever glad, well, you may be quite sure he deserved it. She has no reason to be miserable--on the contrary, she ought to be delighted at being freed from such a wretch.
SASHA. Mother! Why do you go on like this? It's not the truth and you know it. He's not a wretch, he's wonderful. Yes, in spite of all his weakness.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. I suppose you'd like her to wait till he'd spent every kopec they had, and smile sweetly when be brought his gypsy mistresses home with him.
SASHA. He hasn't any mistresses.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. There you go again. Why, the man's simply bewitched you, but I can see through him, and he knows it. If I'd been Lisa, I'd left him a year ago.
SASHA. Oh, how easily you speak of these serious things.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. Not easily, not easily at all. Do you suppose it's agreeable for me to have my daughter admit her marriage a failure? But anything's better than for her to throw away her life in a lie. Thank God, she's made up her mind to finish with him for good.
SASHA. Maybe it won't be for good.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. It would be if only he'd give her a divorce.
SASHA. To what end?
ANNA P��VLOVNA. Because she's young and has the right to look for happiness.
SASHA. It's awful to listen to you. How could she love some one else?
ANNA P��VLOVNA. Why not? There are thousands better than your F��dya, and they'd be only too happy to marry Lisa.
SASHA. Oh, it's not nice of you. I feel, I can tell, you're thinking about Victor Kar��nin.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. Why not? He loved her for ten years, and she him, I believe.
SASHA. Yes, but she doesn't love him as a husband. They grew up together; they've just been friends.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. Ah, those friendships! How should you know what keeps them warm! If only they were both free!
[Enter a MAID L. U.
Well?
MAID. The porter's just come back with an answer to the note.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. What note?
MAID. The note Elizaveta Protosova sent to Victor Kar��nin.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. Well? What answer?
MAID. Victor Kar��nin told the porter he'd be here directly.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. Very well.
[MAID exits L. U.
[To SASHA.
Why do you suppose she sent for him? Do you know?
SASHA. Maybe I do and maybe I don't.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. You're always so full of secrets.
SASHA. Ask Lisa, she'll tell you.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. Just as I thought! She sent for him at once.
SASHA. Yes, but maybe not for the reason you think.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. Then what for?
SASHA. Why, Mother, Lisa cares just about as much for Victor Kar��nin as she does for her old nurse.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. You'll see. She wants consolation, a special sort of consolation.
SASHA. Really, it shows you don't know Lisa at all to talk like this.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. You'll see. Sasha. Yes, I shall see.
ANNA P��VLOVNA (alone to herself). And I am very glad. I'm very, very glad.
[Enter MAID.
MAID. Victor Kar��nin.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. Show him here and tell your mistress.
[MAID shows in KAR��NIN and exits door R. I.
KAR��NIN (goes C. and stands behind table C.). (Shaking hands with Anna P��vlovna.) Elizaveta Andreyevna sent me a note to come at once. I should have been here to-night anyway. How is she? Well, I hope.
ANNA P��VLOVNA. Not very. The baby has been upset again. However, she'll be here in a minute. Will you have some tea?
KAR��NIN. No, thank you.
[Sits chair