Redemption and Two Other Plays | Page 9

is,
had things been different, I should have been very glad. (Tenderly.) So
very glad.
[She kisses LISA.
KARÉNIN (smiling). Please don't change. That's all I ask.
[Lights down and out.
CURTAIN

SCENE IV
A plainly furnished room, bed, table and stove. FÉDYA alone writing.
At rise MASHA is heard outside calling "FÉDYA! FÉDYA!" MASHA
enters R. I, crosses to FÉDYA on bed C. and embraces him.
FÉDYA. Ah, thank Heaven you've come. I was wasting away in
boredom.
MASHA. Then why didn't you come over to us? (Sees wine glass on
chair near bed.) So, you've been drinking again? And after all your
promises!
FÉDYA (embarrassed). I didn't come over because I had no money.
MASHA. Oh, why is it I love you so.
FÉDYA. Masha!
MASHA (imitating him). Masha! Masha! What's that mean? If you
loved me, by now you'd have your divorce. You say you don't love
your wife. (FÉDYA winces.) But you stick to her like grim death.
FÉDYA (interrupting her). You know why I don't want to.
MASHA. Nonsense. They're right when they say you're no good. It's
your mind that you can never make up comfortably causing you all the
worry.
FÉDYA. You know perfectly well that the only joy I've got in life is
being in love with you.
MASHA. Oh, it's always "My joy," "Your love." Where's your love and
my joy?
FÉDYA (a little wearily). Well, Masha, after all, you've got all I can
give, the best I've ever had to give, perhaps, because you're so strong,

so beautiful, that sometimes you've made me know how to make you
glad. So why torture yourself?
MASHA (kneels and puts her arms around his neck). I won't if you're
sure you love me.
FÉDYA (coming closer to her). My beautiful young Masha.
MASHA (tearfully, searching his face). You do love me?
FÉDYA. Of course, of course.
MASHA. Only me, only me?
FÉDYA (kissing her). Darling, only you.
MASHA (with a return to brightness). Now read me what you've
written.
FÉDYA. It may bore you.
MASHA (reproachfully). How could it?
FÉDYA (reads).
"The snow was flooded in moonlight and the birch trees wavered their
stark shadows across it like supplicating arms. Suddenly I heard the
soft padded sound of snow falling upon snow, to slowly perceive a
figure, the slender figure of a young child attempting to arouse itself
almost at my feet--I----"
[Enter IVÁN and NASTASÏA. They are two old gypsies, MASHA'S
parents.
NASTASÏA (stepping up to MASHA). So here you are--you cursed
little stray sheep. No disrespect to you, sir. (To MASHA.) You
black-hearted, ungrateful little snake. How dare you treat us like this,
how dare you, eh?
Iván (to FÉDYA). It's not right, sir, what you've done, bringing to her
ruin our only child. It's against God's law.
NASTASÏA (to MASHA). Come and get out of here with me. You
thought you'd skip, didn't you? And what was I supposed to tell the
troupe while you dangled around here with this tramp? What can you
get out of him, tell me that? Did you know he hasn't got a kopek to his
name, didn't you?
[During scene with parents, FÉDYA sits dumbly on the bed,
bewildered. He puts his forehead against MASHA'S face and clings to
her like a child.
MASHA (sullenly). I haven't done anything wrong. I love this
gentleman, that's all. I didn't leave the troupe either. I'll go on singing

just the same.
Iván. If you talk any more, I'll pull your hair all out for you, you loose
little beast, you. (To FÉDYA, reproachfully.) And you, sir, when we
were so fond of you--why, often and often we used to sing for you for
nothing and this is how you pay us back.
NASTASÏA (rocking herself to and fro). You've ruined our daughter,
our very own, our only one, our best beloved, our diamond, our
precious one, (with sudden fury). You've stamped her into the dirt, you
have. Where's your fear of God?
FÉDYA. Nastasïa, Nastasïa, you've made a mistake. Your daughter is
like a sister to me. I haven't harmed her at all. I love her, that's true. But
how can I help it?
IVÁN. Well, why didn't you love her when you had some money? If
you'd paid us ten thousand rubles, you could have owned her, body and
soul. That's what respectable gentlemen do. But you--you throw away
every kopek you've got and then you steal her like you'd steal a sack of
meal. You ought to be ashamed, sir.
MASHA (rising, puts her arm around his neck). He didn't steal me. I
went to him myself, and if you take me away now, I'll come right back.
If you take me away a thousand times, I'll come back to him. I love him
and