Redemption and Two Other Plays | Page 2

of Fédya's boon
companions. KOROTKÓV. One of Fédya's boon companions. IVÁN
PETROVICH ALEXÁNDROV. VOZNESÉNSKY. Karénin's secretary.
PETUSHKÓV. An artist. ARTIMIEV. WAITER IN THE PRIVATE
ROOM AT THE RESTAURANT. WAITER IN A LOW-CLASS
RESTAURANT. MANAGER OF THE SAME. POLICEMAN.
INVESTIGATING MAGISTRATE. MÉLNIKOV. CLERK. USHER.
YOUNG LAWYER. PETRÚSHIN. A lawyer. LADY. ANOTHER
OFFICER. ATTENDANT AT LAW COURTS. PROTOSOVS'
NURSE. PROTOSOVS' MAID. AFRÉMOV'S FOOTMAN.
KARÉNINS' FOOTMAN.

ACT I
SCENE I
Protosovs' flat in Moscow. The scene represents a small dining room.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA, a stout, gray-haired lady, tightly laced, is sitting
alone at the tea-table on which is a samovár.
Enter NURSE carrying a tea-pot.
NURSE (enters R. I, over to table C.). Please, Madam, may I have
some water?
ANNA PÁVLOVNA (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 PÁVLOVNA. 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 PÁVLOVNA. 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 PÁVLOVNA. 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 PÁVLOVNA. 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 PÁVLOVNA. 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 PÁVLOVNA. 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 PÁVLOVNA. It would be if only he'd give her a divorce.
SASHA. To what end?
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. 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 PÁVLOVNA. Why not? There are thousands better than your
Fédya, 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 Karénin.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. 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 PÁVLOVNA. 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 PÁVLOVNA. What note?
MAID. The note Elizaveta Protosova sent to Victor Karénin.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Well? What answer?
MAID. Victor Karénin told the porter he'd be here directly.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. 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 PÁVLOVNA. You're always so full of secrets.
SASHA. Ask Lisa, she'll tell you.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Just as I thought! She sent for him at once.
SASHA. Yes, but maybe not for the reason you think.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Then what for?
SASHA. Why, Mother, Lisa cares just about as much for Victor
Karénin as she does for her old nurse.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. 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 PÁVLOVNA. You'll see. Sasha. Yes, I shall see.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA