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Redemption and Two Other Plays by Leo Tolstoy et al

L >> Leo Tolstoy et al >> Redemption and Two Other Plays




GREGORY. I am just going to put them away, your lady-ship! (Takes down
a fur cloak and, wrapping it round her, embraces her.) I say, Tanya,
I'll tell you something....

TANYA. Oh, get away, do! What do you mean by it? (Pulls herself
angrily away.) Leave me alone, I tell you!

GREGORY (looks cautiously around). Then give me a kiss!

TANYA. Now, really, what are you bothering for? I'll give you such a
kiss!

[Raises her hand to strike.

VASILY LEONIDITCH (off the scene, rings and then shouts). Gregory!

TANYA. There now, go! Vasily Leoniditch is calling you.

GREGORY. He'll wait! He's only just opened his eyes! I say, why don't
you love me?

TANYA. What sort of loving have you imagined now? I don't love
anybody.

GREGORY. That's a fib. You love Simon! You have found a nice one to
love--a common, dirty-pawed peasant, a butler's assistant!

TANYA. Never mind; such as he is, you are jealous of him!

VASILY LEONIDITCH (off the scene). Gregory!

GREGORY. All in good time.... Jealous indeed! Of what? Why, you have
only just begun to get licked into shape, and who are you tying
yourself up with? Now, wouldn't it be altogether a different matter if
you loved me?.... I say, Tanya....

TANYA (angrily and severely). You'll get nothing from me, I tell you!

VASILY LEONIDITCH (off the scene). Gregory!

GREGORY. You're mighty particular, ain't you?

VASILY LEONIDITCH (off the scene, shouts persistently, monotonously,
and with all his might) Gregory! Greg--ory! Gregory!

[TANYA and GREGORY laugh.

GREGORY. You should have seen the girls that have been sweet on me.

[Bell rings.

TANYA. Well then, go to them, and leave me alone!

GREGORY. You are a silly, now I think of it. I'm not Simon!

TANYA. Simon means marriage, and not tomfoolery!

[Enter PORTER, carrying a large cardboard box.

PORTER. Good morning!

GREGORY. Good morning! Where are you from?

PORTER. From Bourdey's. I've brought a dress, and here's a note for
the lady.

TANYA (taking the note). Sit down, and I'll take it in.

[Exit.

[VASILY LEONIDITCH looks out of the door in shirt-sleeves and
slippers.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Gregory!

GREGORY. Yes, sir.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Gregory! Don't you hear me call?

GREGORY. I've only just come, sir.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Hot water, and a cup of tea.

GREGORY. Yes, sir; Simon will bring them directly.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. And who is this? Ah, from Bourdier?

PORTER. Yes, sir.

[Exeunt VASILY LEONIDITCH and GREGORY. Bell rings. TANYA runs in
at the sound of the bell and opens the front door.

TANYA (to PORTER). Please wait a little. Porter. I am waiting.

[SAHATOF enters at front door.

TANYA. I beg your pardon, but the footman has just gone away. This
way, sir. Allow me, please.

[Takes his fur cloak.

SAHATOF (adjusting his clothes). Is Leonid Fyodoritch at home? Is he
up?

[Bell rings.

TANYA. Oh yes, sir. He's been up a long time.

[DOCTOR enters and looks around for the footman. Sees SAHATOF and
addresses him in an offhand manner.

DOCTOR. Ah, my respects to you!

SAHATOF (looks fixedly at him). The Doctor, I believe?

DOCTOR. And I thought you were abroad! Dropped in to see Leonid
Fyodoritch?

SAHATOF. Yes. And you? Is any one ill?

DOCTOR (laughing). Not exactly ill but, you know.... It's awful with
these ladies! Sits up at cards till three every morning, and pulls her
waist into the shape of a wine-glass. And the lady is flabby and fat,
and carries the weight of a good many years on her back.

SAHATOF. Is this the way you state your diagnosis to Anna Pavlovna? I
should hardly think it quite pleases her!

DOCTOR (laughing). Well, it's the truth. They do all these tricks--and
then come derangements of the digestive organs, pressure on the liver,
nerves, and all sorts of things, and one has to come and patch them
up. It's just awful! (Laughs.) And you? You are also a spiritualist,
it seems?

SAHATOF. I? No, I am not also a spiritualist.... Good morning!

[Is about to go, but is stopped by the DOCTOR.

DOCTOR. No! But I can't myself, you know, positively deny the
possibility of it, when a man like Krougosvetlof is connected with it
all. How can one? Is he not a professor,--a European celebrity? There
must be something in it. I should like to see for myself, but I never
have the time. I have other things to do.

SAHATOF. Yes, yes! Good morning.

[Exit, bowing slightly.

DOCTOR (to Tanya). Is Anna Pavlovna up?

TANYA. She's in her bedroom, but please come up.

[DOCTOR goes upstairs.

[THEODORE IVANITCH enters with a newspaper In his hand.

THEODORE IVANITCH (to PORTER). What is it you want?

PORTER. I'm from Bourdey's. I brought a dress and a note, and was told
to wait.

THEODORE IVANITCH. Ah, from Bourdey's! (To Tanya.) Who came in just
now?

TANYA. It was Sergey Ivanitch Sahatof and the Doctor. They stood
talking here a bit. It was all about spiritalism.

THEODORE IVANITCH (correcting her). Spiritualism.

TANYA. Yes, that's just what I said--spiritalism. Have you heard how
well it went off last time, Theodore Ivanitch? (Laughs). There was
knocks, and things flew about!

THEODORE IVANITCH. And how do you know?

TANYA. Miss Elizabeth told me.

[JACOB runs in with a tumbler of tea on a tray.

JACOB (to the PORTER). Good morning!

PORTER (disconsolately). Good morning!

[JACOB knocks at VASILY LEONIDITCH'S door.

[GREGORY enters.

GREGORY. Give it here.

JACOB. You didn't bring back all yesterday's tumblers, nor the tray
Vasily Leoniditch had. And it's me that have to answer for them!

GREGORY. The tray is full of cigars.

JACOB. Well, put them somewhere else. It's me who's answerable for it.

GREGORY. I'll bring it back! I'll bring it back!

JACOB. Yes, so you say, but it is not where it ought to be. The other
day, just as the tea had to be served, it was not to be found.

GREGORY. I'll bring it back, I tell you. What a fuss!

JACOB. It's easy for you to talk. Here am I serving tea for the third
time, and now there's the lunch to get ready. One does nothing but
rush about the livelong day. Is there any one in the house who has
more to do than me? Yet they are never satisfied with me.

GREGORY. Dear me! Who could wish for any one more satisfactory? You're
such a fine fellow!

TANYA. Nobody is good enough for you! You alone....

GREGORY (to TANYA). No one asked your opinion!

[Exit.

JACOB. Ah, well, I don't mind. Tatyana Markovna, did the mistress say
anything about yesterday?

TANYA. About the lamp, you mean?

JACOB. And how it managed to drop out of my hands, the Lord only
knows! Just as I began rubbing it, and was going to take hold of it in
another place, out it slips and goes all to pieces. It's just my luck!
It's easy for that Gregory Mihaylitch to talk--a single man like him!
But when one has a family, one has to consider things: they have to be
fed. I don't mind work.... So she didn't say anything? The Lord be
thanked!... Oh, Theodore Ivanitch, have you one spoon or two?

THEODORE IVANITCH. One. Only one!

[Reads newspaper.

[Exit JACOB.

[Bell rings. Enter GREGORY carrying a tray and the DOORKEEPER.

DOORKEEPER (to GREGORY). Tell the master some peasants have come from
the village.

GREGORY (pointing to THEODORE IVANITCH). Tell the major-domo here,
it's his business. I have no time.

[Exit.

TANYA. Where are these peasants from?

DOORKEEPER. From Koursk, I think.

TANYA. (shrieks with delight). It's them.... It's Simon's father come
about the land! I'll go and meet them!

[Runs off.

DOORKEEPER. Well, then what shall I say to them? Shall they come in
here? They say they've come about the land--the master knows, they
say.

THEODORE IVANITCH. Yes, they want to purchase some land. All right!
But he has a visitor now, so you had better tell them to wait.

DOORKEEPER. Where shall they wait?

THEODORE IVANITCH. Let them wait outside. I'll send for them when the
time comes.

[Exit DOORKEEPER.

[Enter TANYA, followed by three PEASANTS.

TANYA. To the right. In here! In here!

THEODORE IVANITCH. I did not want them brought in here!

GREGORY. Forward minx!

TANYA. Oh, Theodore Ivanitch, it won't matter, they'll stand in this
corner.

THEODORE IVANITCH. They'll dirty the floor.

TANYA. They've scraped their shoes, and I'll wipe the floor up
afterwards. (To PEASANTS.) Here, stand just here.

[PEASANTS come forward, carrying presents tied in cotton
handkerchiefs: cake, eggs and embroidered towels. They look
around for an icon before which to cross themselves; not finding
one, they cross themselves, looking at the staircase.

GREGORY (to THEODORE IVANITCH). There now, Theodore Ivanitch, they say
Pironnet's boots are an elegant shape. But those there are ever so
much better.

[Pointing to the third PEASANT'S bast shoes.

THEODORE IVANITCH. Why will you always be ridiculing people?

[Exit GREGORY.

THEODORE IVANITCH (rises and goes up to the PEASANTS). So you are from
Koursk? And have come to arrange about buying some land?

FIRST PEASANT. Just so. We might say, it is for the completion of the
purchase of the land we have come. How could we announce ourselves to
the master?

THEODORE IVANITCH. Yes, yes, I know. You wait a bit and I'll go and
inform him.

[Exit.

[The PEASANTS look around; they are embarrassed where to put their
presents.

FIRST PEASANT. There now, couldn't we have what d'you call it?
Something to present these here things on? To do it in a genteel way,
like,--a little dish or something.

TANYA. All right, directly; put them down here for the present.

[Puts bundles on settle.

FIRST PEASANT. There now,--that respectable gentleman that was here
just now,--what might be his station?

TANYA. He's the master's valet.

FIRST PEASANT. I see. So he's also in service. And you, now, are you a
servant too?

TANYA. I am lady's-maid. Do you know, I also come from Demen! I know
you, and you, but I don't know him.

[Pointing to THIRD PEASANT.

THIRD PEASANT. Them two you know, but me you don't know?

TANYA. You are Efim Antonitch.

FIRST PEASANT. That's just it!

TANYA. And you are Simon's father, Zachary Trifanitch.

SECOND PEASANT. Right!

THIRD PEASANT. And let me tell you, I'm Mitry Vlasitch Tchilikin. Now
do you know?

TANYA. Now I shall know you too!

SECOND PEASANT. And who may you be?

TANYA. I am Aksinya's, the soldier's wife's, orphan.

FIRST AND THIRD PEASANTS (with surprise). Never!

SECOND PEASANT. The proverb says true: "Buy a penny pig, put it in the
rye, And you'll have a wonderful fat porker by-and-by."

FIRST PEASANT. That's just it! She's got the resemblance of a duchess!

THIRD PEASANT. That be so truly. Oh Lord!

VASILY LEONIDITCH (off the scene, rings, and then shouts). Gregory!
Gregory!

FIRST PEASANT. Now who's that, for example, disturbing himself in such
a way, if I may say so?

TANYA. That's the young master.

THIRD PEASANT. Oh Lord! Didn't I say we'd better wait outside until
the time comes?

[Silence.

SECOND PEASANT. Is it you, Simon wants to marry?

TANYA. Why, has he been writing?

[Hides her face in her apron.

SECOND PEASANT. It's evident he's written! But it's a bad business
he's imagined here. I see the lad's got spoilt!

TANYA (quickly). No, he's not at all spoilt! Shall I send him to you?

SECOND PEASANT. Why send him? All in good time. Where's the hurry?

VASILY LEONIDITCH (desperately, behind scene). Gregory! Where the
devil are you?...

[Enters from his room in shirt-sleeves, adjusting his pince-nez.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Is every one dead?

TANYA. He's not here, sir.... I'll send him to you at once.

[Moves towards the back door.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. I could hear you talking, you know. How have these
scarecrows sprung up here? Eh? What?

TANYA. They're peasants from the Koursk village, sir.

[PEASANTS bow.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. And who is this? Oh yes, from Bourdier.

[VASILY LEONIDITCH pays no attention to the PEASANTS' bow. TANYA
meets GREGORY at the doorway and remains on the scene.

VASILY LEONIDITCH (to GREGORY). I told you the other boots.... I can't
wear these!

GREGORY. Well, the others are also there.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. But where is there?

GREGORY. Just in the same place!

VASILY LEONIDITCH. They're not!

GREGORY. Well, come and see.

[Exeunt GREGORY and VASILY LEONIDITCH.

THIRD PEASANT. Say, now, might we not in the meantime just go and
wait, say, in some lodging-house or somewhere?

TANYA. No, no, wait a little. I'll go and bring you some plates to put
the presents on.

[Exit.

[Enter SAHATOF and LEONID FYODORITCH, followed by THEODORE IVANITCH.

[The PEASANTS take up the presents, and pose themselves.

LEONID FYODORITCH (to PEASANTS). Presently, presently! Wait a bit!
(Points to PORTER.) Who is this?

PORTER. From Bourdey's.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Ah, from Bourdier.

SAHATOF (smiling). Well, I don't deny it: still you understand that,
never having seen it, we, the uninitiated, have some difficulty in
believing.

LEONID FYODORITCH. You say you find it difficult to believe! We do not
ask for faith; all we demand of you is to investigate! How can I help
believing in this ring? Yet this ring came from there!

SAHATOF. From there? What do you mean? From where?

LEONID FYODORITCH. From the other world. Yes!

SAHATOF (smiling). That's very interesting--very interesting!

LEONID FYODORITCH. Well, supposing we admit that I'm a man carried
away by an idea, as you think, and that I am deluding myself. Well,
but what of Alexey Vladimiritch Krougosvetlof--he is not just an
ordinary man, but a distinguished professor, and yet he admits it to
be a fact. And not he alone. What of Crookes? What of Wallace?

SAHATOF. But I don't deny anything. I only say it is very interesting.
It would be interesting to know how Krougosvetlof explains it!

LEONID FYODORITCH. He has a theory of his own. Could you come
to-night?--he is sure to be here. First we shall have Grossman--you
know, the famous thought-reader?

SAHATOF. Yes, I have heard of him but have never happened to meet him.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Then you must come! We shall first have Grossman,
then Kaptchitch, and our mediumistic seance.... (To THEODORE
IVANITCH.) Has the man returned from Kaptchitch?

THEODORE IVANITCH. Not yet, sir.

SAHATOF. Then how am I to know?

LEONID FYODORITCH. Never mind, come in any case! If Kaptchitch can't
come we shall find our own medium. Marya Ignatievna is a medium--not
such a good one as Kaptchitch, but still....

[TANYA enters with plates for the presents, and stands listening.

SAHATOF (smiling). Oh, yes, yes. But here is one puzzling point:--how
is it that the mediums are always of the, so-called, educated class,
such as Kaptchitch and Marya Ignatievna? If there were such a special
force, would it not be met with also among the common people--the
peasants?

LEONID FYODORITCH. Oh yes, and it is! That is very common. Even here
in our own house we have a peasant whom we discovered to be a medium.
A few days ago we called him in--a sofa had to be moved, during a
seance--and we forgot all about him. In all probability he fell
asleep. And, fancy, after our seance was over and Kaptchitch had come
to again, we suddenly noticed mediumistic phenomena in another part of
the room, near the peasant: the table gave a jerk and moved!

TANYA (aside). That was when I was getting out from under it!

LEONID FYODORITCH. It is quite evident he also is a medium. Especially
as he is very like Home in appearance. You remember Home--a
fair-haired naif sort of fellow?

SAHATOF (shrugging his shoulders). Dear me, this is very interesting,
you know. I think you should try him.

LEONID FYODORITCH. So we will! And he is not alone; there are
thousands of mediums, only we do not know them. Why, only a short time
ago a bedridden old woman moved a brick wall!

SAHATOF. Moved a brick ... a brick wall?

LEONID FYODORITCH. Yes, yes. She was lying in bed, and did not even
know she was a medium. She just leant her arm against the wall, and
the wall moved!

SAHATOF. And did not cave in?

LEONID FYODORITCH. And did not cave in.

SAHATOF. Very strange! Well, then, I'll come this evening.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Pray, do. We shall have a seance in any case.

[SAHATOF puts on his outdoor things; LEONID FYODORITCH sees him
to the door.

PORTER (to TANYA). Do tell your mistress! Am I to spend the night
here?

TANYA. Wait a little; she's going to drive out with the young lady, so
she'll soon be coming downstairs.

[Exit.

LEONID FYODORITCH (comes up to the PEASANTS, who bow and offer him
their presents). That's not necessary!

FIRST PEASANT (smiling). Oh, but this-here is our first duty, it is!
It's also the Commune's orders that we should do it!

SECOND PEASANT. That's always been the proper way.

THIRD PEASANT. Say no more about it! 'Cause as we are much
satisfied.... As our parents, let's say, served, let's say, your
parents, so we would like the same with all our hearts ... and not
just anyhow!

[Bows.

LEONID FYODORITCH. But what is it about? What do you want?

FIRST PEASANT. It's to your honor we've come....

[Enter PETRISTCHEF briskly, in fur-lined overcoat.

PETRISTCHEF. Is Vasily Leoniditch awake yet?

[Seeing LEONID FYODORITCH, bows, moving only his head.

LEONID FYODORITCH. You have come to see my son?

PETRISTCHEF. I? Yes, just to see Vovo for a moment.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Step in, step in.

[PETRISTCHEF takes off his overcoat and walks in briskly. Exit.

LEONID FYODORITCH (to PEASANTS). Well, what is it you want?

SECOND PEASANT. Please accept our presents!

FIRST PEASANT (smiling). That's to say, the peasants' offerings.

THIRD PEASANT. Say no more about it; what's the good? We wish you the
same as if you were our own father! Say no more about it!

LEONID FYODORITCH. All right. Here, Theodore, take these.

THEODORE IVANITCH (to PEASANTS). Give them here.

[Takes the presents.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Well, what is the business?

FIRST PEASANT. We've come to your honor....

LEONID FYODORITCH. I see you have; but what do you want?

FIRST PEASANT. It's about making a move towards completing the sale of
the land. It comes to this....

LEONID FYODORITCH. Do you mean to buy the land?

FIRST PEASANT. That's just it. It comes to this.... I mean the buying
of the property of the land. The Commune has given us, let's say, the
power of atturning, to enter, let's say, as is lawful, through the
Government bank, with a stamp for the lawful amount.

LEONID FYODORITCH. You mean that you want to buy the land through the
land-bank.

FIRST PEASANT. That's just it. Just as you offered it to us last year.
It comes to this, then, the whole sum in full for the buying of the
property of the land is 32,864 roubles.

LEONID FYODORITCH. That's all right, but how about paying up?

FIRST PEASANT. As to the payment, the Commune offers just as it was
said last year--to pay in 'stalments, and your receipt of the ready
money by lawful regulations, 4000 roubles in full. [2]

SECOND PEASANT. Take 4000 now, and wait for the rest of the money.

THIRD PEASANT (unwrapping a parcel of money). And about this be quite
easy. We should pawn our own selves rather than do such a thing just
anyhow say, but in this way, let's say, as it ought to be done.

LEONID FYODORITCH. But did I not write and tell you that I should not
agree to it unless you brought the whole sum?

FIRST PEASANT. That's just it. It would be more agreeable, but it is
not in our possibilities, I mean.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Well then, the thing can't be done!

FIRST PEASANT. The Commune, for example, relied its hopes on that,
that you made the offer last year to sell it in easy 'stalments....

LEONID FYODORITCH. That was last year. I would have agreed to it then,
but now I can't.

SECOND PEASANT. But how's that? We've been depending on your promise--
we've got the papers ready and have collected the money!

THIRD PEASANT. Be merciful, master! We're short of land; we'll say
nothing about cattle, but even a hen, let's say, we've no room to
keep. (Bows.) Don't wrong us, master!

[Bows.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Of course it's quite true, that I agreed last year
to let you have the land for payment by instalments, but now
circumstances are such that it would be inconvenient.

SECOND PEASANT. Without this land we cannot live!

FIRST PEASANT. That's just it. Without land our lives must grow weaker
and come to a decline.

THIRD PEASANT (bowing). Master, we have so little land, let's not talk
about the cattle, but even a chicken, let's say, we've no room for.
Master, be merciful, accept the money, master!

LEONID FYODORITCH (examining the document). I quite understand, and
should like to help you. Wait a little; I will give you an answer in
half-an-hour.... Theodore, say I am engaged and am not to be
disturbed.

THEODORE IVANITCH. Yes, sir.

[Exit LEONID FYODORITCH.

[The PEASANTS look dejected.

SECOND PEASANT. Here's a go! "Give me the whole sum," he says. And
where are we to get it from?

FIRST PEASANT. If he had not given us hopes, for example. As it is we
felt quite insured it would be as was said last year.

THIRD PEASANT. Oh, Lord! and I had begun unwrapping the money. (Begins
wrapping up the bundle of bank-notes again.) What are we to do now?

THEODORE IVANITCH. What is your business, then?

FIRST PEASANT. Our business, respected sir, depends in this. Last year
he made us the offer of our buying the land in 'stalments. The Commune
entered upon these terms and gave us the powers of atturning, and now
d'you see he makes the offering that we should pay the whole in full!
And as it turns out, the business is no ways convenient for us.

THEODORE IVANITCH. What is the whole sum?

FIRST PEASANT. The whole sum in readiness is 4000 roubles, you see.

THEODORE IVANITCH. Well, what of that? Make an effort and collect
more.

FIRST PEASANT. Such as it is, it was collected with much effort. We
have, so to say, in this sense, not got ammunition enough.

SECOND PEASANT. You can't get blood out of a stone.

THIRD PEASANT. We'd be glad with all our hearts, but we have swept
even this together, as you might say, with a broom.

[VASILY LEONIDITCH and PETRISTCHEF appear in the doorway both
smoking cigarettes.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. I have told you already I'll do my best, so, of
course, I will do all that is possible! Eh, what?

PETRISTCHEF. You must just understand that if you do not get it, the
devil only knows what a mess we shall be in!

VASILY LEONIDITCH. But I've already said I'll do my best, and so I
will. Eh, what?

PETRISTCHEF. Nothing. I only say, get some at any cost; I will wait.

[Exit into VASILY LEONIDITCH'S room, closing door.

VASILY LEONIDITCH (waving his arm). It's a deuce of a go!

[The PEASANTS bow.

VASILY LEONIDITCH (looking at PORTER, to THEODORE IVANITCH). Why don't
you attend to this fellow from Bourdier? He hasn't come to take
lodgings with us, has he? Just look, he is asleep! Eh, what?

THEODORE IVANITCH. The note he brought has been sent in, and he has
been told to wait until Anna Pavlovna comes down.

VASILY LEONIDITCH (looks at PEASANTS and notices the money). And what
is this? Money? For whom? Is it for us? (To THEODORE IVANITCH.) Who
are they?

THEODORE IVANITCH. They are peasants from Koursk. They are buying
land.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Has it been sold them?

THEODORE IVANITCH. No, they have not yet come to any agreement. They
are too stingy?

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Eh? Well, we must try and persuade them. (To the
PEASANTS.) Here, I say, are you buying land? Eh?

FIRST PEASANT. That's just it. We have made an offering as how we
should like to acquire the possession of the land.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Then you should not be so stingy, you know. Just
let me tell you how necessary land is to peasants! Eh, what? It's very
necessary, isn't it?

FIRST PEASANT. That's just it. The land appears as the very first and
foremost necessity to a peasant. That's just it.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Then why be so stingy? Just you think what land is!
Why, one can sow wheat on it in rows! I tell you, you could get eighty
bushels of wheat, at a rouble and a half a bushel--that would be 120
roubles. Eh, what? Or else mint! I tell you, you could collar 400
roubles off an acre by sowing mint!

FIRST PEASANT. That's just it. All sorts of products one could put
into action if one had the right understanding.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Mint! Decidedly mint! I have learnt about it, you
know. It's all printed in books. I can show them you. Eh, what?

FIRST PEASANT. That's just it, all concerns are clearer to you through
your books. That's learnedness, of course.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Then pay up and don't be stingy! (To THEODORE
IVANITCH.) Where's papa?

THEODORE IVANITCH. He gave orders not to be disturbed just now.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Oh, I suppose he's consulting a spirit whether to
sell the land or not? Eh, what?

THEODORE IVANITCH. I can't say. All I know is that be went away
undecided about it.

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Turkish poet Nazim Hikmet regains citizenship
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Turkey is restoring the citizenship of its most famous 20th century poet Nazim Hikmet over 50 years after it branded him a traitor.

Hikmet, a communist who died in exile in Moscow in 1963, was imprisoned in Turkey for more than a decade. He was stripped of his Turkish nationality in 1951 because of his communist views, but despite a ban on his poetry which remained in place until 1965, has remained one of Turkey's best-loved poets. His work, much of which was written in prison, including his masterpiece Human Landscapes, has been translated into more than 50 languages.

"This is very good news," said Richard McKane, Hikmet's English translator. "The restoration of his Turkish citizenship is long overdue: the people of Turkey and his readers are owed that."

Immortalised by Pablo Neruda, with whom he shared the Soviet Union's International Peace Prize in 1950, with the lines "Thanks for what you were and for the fire / which your song left forever burning", Hikmet was also supported by Jean-Paul Sartre and Pablo Picasso. Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk, when given the editorship for a day of Turkish newspaper Radikal two years ago, used the example of Hikmet in his cover story to criticise the lack of freedom of expression in Turkey. In 2000, 500,000 Turks petitioned the government to restore Hikmet's citizenship rights and repatriate his remains.

Deputy prime minister Cemil Cicek told the Associated Press that it was time for the government to change its mind about Hikmet. "The crimes which forced the government to strip him of his citizenship at that time are no longer considered a crime," the BBC quoted him as saying.

Hikmet, whose remains are currently in Russia, had said that he wished to be buried in Turkey in his 1953 poem Testament, translated by Ruth Christie. "Friends if it's not my lot to see the day / of independence... / if I die before that day / - and it seems I will - / bury me in a village graveyard in Anatolia / and if it's fitting / and a plane tree grows at my head, / then there's no need for a gravestone or anything else."

Cicek said that Hikmet's family would now decide whether to ship his remains back to his homeland.

Hikmet introduced free verse to Turkey in the 1930s, with his themes ranging from war to love. Despite his imprisonment he retained a deep passion for Turkey. "I love my country", he wrote in one of his poems. "I swung in its lofty trees, I lay in its prisons. Nothing relieves my depression like the songs and tobacco of my country."

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