Redemption and Two Other Plays by Leo Tolstoy et al

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TANYA. Oh, Miss Elizabeth, I have only just come; I only wished ...
only came in....

[Embarrassed.

BETSY. But they are going to have a seance here directly (Notices
TANYA drawing in the threads, looks at her, and suddenly bursts out
laughing.) Tanya! Why, it's you who do it all? Now don't deny it. And
last time it was you too? Yes, it was, it was!

TANYA. Miss Elizabeth, dearest!

BETSY (delighted). Oh, that is a joke! Well, I never. But why do you
do it?

TANYA. Oh miss, dear miss, don't betray me!

BETSY. Not for the world! I'm awfully glad. Only tell me how you
manage it?

TANYA. Well, I just hide, and then, when it's all dark, I come out and
do it. That's how.

BETSY (pointing to threads). And what is this for? You needn't tell
me. I see; you draw....

TANYA. Miss Elizabeth, darling! I will confess it, but only to you. I
used to do it just for fun, but now I mean business.

BETSY. What? How? What business?

TANYA. Well, you see, those peasants that came this morning, you saw
them. They want to buy some land, and your father won't sell it; well,
and Theodore Ivanitch, he says it's the spirits as forbid him. So I
have had a thought as....

BETSY. Oh, I see! Well, you are a clever girl! Do it, do it.... But
how will you manage it?

TANYA. Well, I thought, when they put out the lights, I'll at once
begin knocking and shying things about, touching their heads with the
threads, and at last I'll take the paper about the land and throw it
on the table. I've got it here.

BETSY. Well, and then?

TANYA. Why, don't you see? They will be astonished. The peasants had
the paper, and now it's here. I will teach....

BETSY. Why, of course! Simon is the medium to-day!

TANYA. Well, I'll teach him.... (Laughs so that she can't continue.)
I'll tell him to squeeze with his hands any one he can get hold of! Of
course, not your father--he'd never dare do that--but any one else;
he'll squeeze till it's signed.

BETSY (laughing). But that's not the way it is done. Mediums never do
anything themselves.

TANYA. Oh, never mind. It's all one; I daresay it'll turn out all
right.

[Enter THEODORE IVANITCH.

[Exit BETSY, making signs to TANYA.

THEODORE IVANITCH. Why are you here?

TANYA. It's you I want, Theodore Ivanitch, dear....

THEODORE IVANITCH. Well, what is it?

TANYA. About that affair of mine as I spoke of.

THEODORE IVANITCH (laughs). I've made the match; yes, I've made the
match. The matter is settled; we have shaken hands on it, only not had
a drink on it.

TANYA (with a shriek). Never! So it's all right?

THEODORE IVANITCH. Don't I tell you so? He says, "I shall consult the
missus, and then, God willing...."

TANYA. Is that what he said? (Shrieks.) Dear Theodore Ivanitch, I'll
pray for you all the days of my life!

THEODORE IVANITCH. All right! All right! Now is not the time. I've
been ordered to arrange the room for the seance.

TANYA. Let me help you. How's it to be arranged?

THEODORE IVANITCH. How? Why, the table in the middle of the room--
chairs--the guitar--the accordion. The lamp is not wanted, only
candles.

TANYA (helps THEODORE IVANITCH to place the things). Is that right?
The guitar here, and here the inkstand. (Places it.) So?

THEODORE IVANITCH. Can it be true that they'll make Simon sit here?

TANYA. I suppose so; they've done it once.

THEODORE IVANITCH. Wonderful! (Puts on his pince-nez.) But is he
clean?

TANYA. How should I know?

THEODORE IVANITCH. Then, I'll tell you what....

TANYA. Yes, Theodore Ivanitch?

THEODORE IVANITCH. Go and take a nail-brush and some Pears' soap; you
may take mine ... and go and cut his claws and scrub his hands as
clean as possible.

TANYA. He can do it himself.

THEODORE IVANITCH. Well then, tell him to. And tell him to put on a
clean shirt as well.

TANYA. All right, Theodore Ivanitch.

[Exit.

THEODORE IVANITCH (sits down in an easy-chair). They're educated and
learned--Alexey Vladimiritch now, he's a professor--and yet sometimes
one can't help doubting very much. The people's rude superstitions are
being abolished: hobgoblins, sorcerers, witches.... But if one
considers it, is not this equally superstitious? How is it possible
that the souls of the dead should come and talk, and play the guitar?
No! Some one is fooling them, or they are fooling themselves. And as
to this business with Simon--it's simply incomprehensible. (Looks at
an album.) Here's their spiritualistic album. How is it possible to
photograph a spirit? But here is the likeness of a Turk and Leonid
Fyodoritch sitting by.... Extraordinary human weakness!

[Enter LEONID FYODORITCH.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Is it all ready?

THEODORE IVANITCH (rising leisurely). Quite ready. (Smiles.) Only I
don't know about your new medium. I hope he won't disgrace you, Leonid
Fyodoritch.

LEONID FYODORITCH. No, I and Alexey Vladimiritch have tested him. He
is a wonderfully powerful medium!

THEODORE IVANITCH. Well, I don't know. But is he clean enough? I don't
suppose you have thought of ordering him to wash his hands? It might
be rather inconvenient.

LEONID FYODORITCH. His hands? Oh yes! They're not clean, you think?

THEODORE IVANITCH. What can you expect? He's a peasant, and there will
be ladies present, and Marya Vasilevna.

LEONID FYODORITCH. It will be all right.

THEODORE IVANITCH. And then I have something to report to you.
Timothy, the coachman, complains that he can't keep things clean
because of the dogs.

LEONID FYODORITCH (arranging the things on the table absentmindedly).
What dogs?

THEODORE IVANITCH. The three hounds that came for Vasily Leoniditch
to-day.

LEONID FYODORITCH (vexed). Tell Anna Pavlovna! She can do as she likes
about it. I have no time.

THEODORE IVANITCH. But you know her weakness....

LEONID FYODORITCH. 'Tis just as she likes, let her do as she pleases.
As for him,--one never gets anything but unpleasantness from him.
Besides, I am busy.

[Enter SIMON, smiling; he has a sleeveless peasant's coat on.

SIMON. I was ordered to come.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Yes, it's all right. Let me see your hands. That
will do, that will do very well! Well, then, my good fellow, you must
do just as you did before,--sit down, and give way to your mood. But
don't think at all.

SIMON. Why should I think? The more one thinks, the worse it is.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Just so, just so, exactly! The less conscious one
is, the greater is the power. Don't think, but give in to your mood.
If you wish to sleep, sleep; if you wish to walk, walk. Do you
understand?

SIMON. How could one help understanding? It's simple enough.

LEONID FYODORITCH. But above all, don't be frightened. Because you
might be surprised yourself. You must understand that just as we live
here, so a whole world of invisible spirits live here also.

THEODORE IVANITCH (improving on what LEONID FYODORITCH has said).
Invisible feelings, do you understand?

SIMON (laughs). How can one help understanding! It's very plain as you
put it.

LEONID FYODORITCH. You may rise up in the air, or something of the
kind, but don't be frightened.

SIMON. Why should I be frightened? That won't matter at all.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Well then, I'll go and call them all.... Is
everything ready?

THEODORE IVANITCH. I think so.

LEONID FYODORITCH. But the slates?

THEODORE IVANITCH. They are downstairs. I'll bring them.

[Exit.

LEONID FYODORITCH. All right then. So don't be afraid, but be at your
ease.

SIMON. Had I not better take off my coat? One would be more easy like.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Your coat? Oh no. Don't take that off.

[Exit.

SIMON. She tells me to do the same again, and she will again shy
things about. How isn't she afraid?

[Enter TANYA in her stockings and in a dress of the color of the
wall-paper. SIMON laughs.

TANYA. Shsh!... They'll hear! There, stick these matches on your
fingers as before. (Sticks them on.) Well, do you remember everything?

SIMON (bending his fingers in, one by one). First of all, wet the
matches and wave my hands about, that's one. Then make my teeth
chatter, like this ... that's two. But I've forgotten the third thing.

TANYA. And it's the third as is the chief thing. Don't forget as soon
as the paper falls on the table--I shall ring the little bell--then
you do like this.... Spread your arms out far and catch hold of some
one, whoever it is as sits nearest, and catch hold of him. And then
squeeze! (Laughs.) Whether it's a gentleman or a lady, it's all one,
you just squeeze 'em, and don't let 'em go,--as if it were in your
sleep, and chatter with your teeth, or else howl like this. (Howls
sotto-voce.) And when I begin to play on the guitar, then stretch
yourself as if you were waking up, you know.... Will you remember
everything?

SIMON. Yes, I'll remember, but it is too funny.

TANYA. But mind you don't laugh. Still, it won't matter much if you do
laugh; they'd think it was in your sleep. Only take care you don't
really fall asleep when they put out the lights.

SIMON. No fear, I'll pinch my ears.

TANYA. Well, then, Sim, darling, only mind do as I tell you, and don't
get frightened. He'll sign the paper, see if he don't! They're coming!

[Gets under the sofa.

[Enter GROSSMAN and the PROFESSOR, LEONID FYODORITCH and the FAT
LADY, the DOCTOR, SAHATOF and ANNA PAVLOVNA. SIMON stands near
the door.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Please come in, all you doubters! Though we have a
new and accidentally discovered medium, I expect very important
phenomena to-night.

SAHATOF. That's very, very interesting.

FAT LADY (pointing to SIMON). Mais il est tres bien! [11]

ANNA PAVLOVNA. Yes, as a butler's assistant, but hardly....

SAHATOF. Wives never have any faith in their husbands' work. You don't
believe in anything of this kind?

ANNA PAVLOVNA. Of course not. Kaptchitch, it is true, has something
exceptional about him, but Heaven knows what all this is about!

FAT LADY. No, Anna Pavlovna, permit me, you can't decide it in such a
way. Before I was married, I once had a remarkable dream. Dreams, you
know, are often such that you don't know where they begin and where
they end; it was just such a dream that I....

[Enter VASILY LEONIDITCH and PETRISTCHEF.

FAT LADY. And much was revealed to me by that dream. Nowadays the
young people (points to PETRISTCHEF and VASILY LEONIDITCH) deny
everything.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. But look here, you know--now I, for instance, never
deny anything! Eh, what?

[BETSY and MARYA KONSTANTINOVNA enter, and begin talking to
PETRISTCHEF.

FAT LADY. And how can one deny the supernatural? They say it is
unreasonable. But what if one's reason is stupid; what then? There
now, on Garden Street, you know ... why, well, it appeared every
evening! My husband's brother--what do you call him? Not beau-frere--
what's the other name for it?--I never can remember the names of these
different relationships--well, he went there three nights running, and
still he saw nothing; so I said to him....

LEONID FYODORITCH. Well, who is going to stay here?

FAT LADY. I! I!

SAHATOF. I.

ANNA PAVLOVNA (to DOCTOR). Do you mean to say you are going to stay?

DOCTOR. Yes; I must see, if only once, what it is that Alexey
Vladimiritch has discovered in it. How can we deny anything without
proof?

ANNA PAVLOVNA. Then I am to take it to-night for certain?

DOCTOR. Take what?... Oh, the powder. Yes, it would perhaps be better.
Yes, yes, take it.... However, I shall come upstairs again.

ANNA PAVLOVNA. Yes, please do. (Loud.) When it is over, mesdames et
messieurs, I shall expect you to come to me upstairs to rest from your
emotions, and then we will finish our rubber.

FAT LADY. Oh, certainly.

SAHATOF. Yes, thanks!

[Exit ANNA PAVLOVNA.

BETSY (to PETRISTCHEF). You must stay, I tell you. I promise you
something extraordinary. Will you bet?

MARYA KONSTANTINOVNA. But you don't believe in it?

BETSY. To-day I do.

MARYA KONSTANTINOVNA (to PETRISTCHEF). And do you believe?

PETRISTCHEF. "I can't believe, I cannot trust a heart for falsehood
framed." Still, if Elizabeth Leonidovna commands....

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Let us stay, Marya Konstantinovna. Eh, what? I
shall invent something epatant.

MARYA KONSTANTINOVNA. No, you mustn't make me laugh. You know I can't
restrain myself.

VASILY LEONIDITCH (loud). I remain!

LEONID FYODORITCH (severely). But I beg those who remain not to joke
about it. It is a serious matter.

PETRISTCHEF. Do you hear? Well then, let's stay. Vovo, sit here, and
don't be too shy.

BETSY. Yes, it's all very well for you to laugh; but just wait till
you see what will happen.

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Oh, but supposing it's true? Won't it be a go! Eh,
what?

PETRISTCHEF (trembles). Oh, I'm afraid, I'm afraid! Marya
Konstantinovna, I'm afraid! My tootsies tremble.

BETSY (laughing). Not so loud.

[All sit down.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Take your seats, take your seats. Simon, sit down!

SIMON. Yes, sir.

[Sits down on the edge of the chair.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Sit properly.

PROFESSOR. Sit straight in the middle of the chair, and quite at your
ease.

[Arranges SIMON on his chair.

[BETSY, MARYA KONSTANTINOVNA and VASILY LEONIDITCH laugh.

LEONID FYODORITCH (raising his voice). I beg those who are going to
remain here not to behave frivolously, but to regard this matter
seriously, or bad results might follow. Do you hear, Vovo! If you
can't be quiet, go away!

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Quiet, quiet!

[Hides behind FAT LADY.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Alexey Vladimiritch, will you mesmerise him?

PROFESSOR. No; why should I do it when Anton Borisitch is here? He has
had far more practice and has more power in that department than I ...
Anton Borisitch!

GROSSMAN. Ladies and gentlemen, I am not, strictly speaking, a
spiritualist. I have only studied hypnotism. It is true I have studied
hypnotism in all its known manifestations; but what is called
spiritualism, is entirely unknown to me. When a subject is thrown into
a trance, I may expect the hypnotic phenomena known to me: lethargy,
abulia, anaesthesia, analgesia, catalepsy, and every kind of
susceptibility to suggestion. Here it is not these but other phenomena
we expect to observe. Therefore it would be well to know of what kind
are the phenomena we expect to witness, and what is their scientific
significance.

SAHATOF. I thoroughly agree with Mr. Grossman. Such an explanation
would be very interesting.

LEONID FYODORITCH. I think Alexey Vladimiritch will not refuse to give
us a short explanation.

PROFESSOR. Why not? I can give an explanation if it is desired. (To
the DOCTOR.) Will you kindly note his temperature and pulse? My
explanation must, of necessity, be cursory and brief.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Yes, please; briefly, quite briefly.

DOCTOR. All right. (Takes out thermometer.) Now then, my lad....

[Places the thermometer.

SIMON. Yes, sir!

PROFESSOR (rising and addressing the FAT LADY--then reseating
himself). Ladies and gentlemen! The phenomenon we are investigating
to-night is regarded, on the one hand, as something new; and, on the
other, as something transcending the limits of natural conditions.
Neither view is correct. This phenomenon is not new but is as old as
the world; and it is not supernatural but is subject to the eternal
laws that govern all that exists. This phenomenon has been usually
defined as "intercourse with the spirit world." That definition is
inexact. Under such a definition the spirit world is contrasted with
the material world. But this is erroneous; there is no such contrast!
Both worlds are so closely connected that it is impossible to draw a
line of demarcation, separating the one from the other. We say matter
is composed of molecules....

PETRISTCHEF. Prosy matter!

[Whispering and laughter.

PROFESSOR (pauses, then continues). Molecules are composed of atoms,
but the atoms, having no extension, are in reality nothing but the
points of application of forces. Strictly speaking, not of forces but
of energy, that same energy which is as much a unity and just as
indestructible as matter. But matter, though one, has many different
aspects, and the same is true of energy. Till recently only four forms
of energy, convertible into one another, have been known to us:
energies known as the dynamic, the thermal, the electric, and the
chemic. But these four aspects of energy are far from exhausting all
the varieties of its manifestation. The forms in which energy may
manifest itself are very diverse, and it is one of these new and as
yet but little known phases of energy, that we are investigating
to-night. I refer to mediumistic energy.

[Renewed whispering and laughter among the young people.

PROFESSOR (stops and casts a severe look round). Mediumistic energy
has been known to mankind for ages: prophecy, presentiments, visions
and so on, are nothing but manifestations of mediumistic energy. The
manifestations produced by it have, I say, been known to mankind for
ages. But the energy itself has not been recognised as such till quite
recently--not till that medium, the vibrations of which cause the
manifestations of mediumistic energy, was recognised. In the same way
that the phenomena of light were inexplicable until the existence of
an imponderable substance--an ether--was recognised, so mediumistic
phenomena seemed mysterious until the now fully established fact was
recognised, that between the particles of ether there exists another
still more rarefied imponderable substance not subject to the law of
the three dimensions....

[Renewed laughter, whispers, and giggling.

PROFESSOR (again looks round severely). And just as mathematical
calculations have irrefutably proved the existence of imponderable
ether which gives rise to the phenomena of light and electricity, so
the successive investigations of the ingenious Hermann, of Schmidt,
and of Joseph Schmatzhofen, have confirmed beyond a doubt the
existence of a substance which fills the universe and may be called
spiritual ether.

FAT LADY. Ah, now I understand. I am so grateful....

LEONID FYODORITCH. Yes, but Alexey Vladimiritch, could you not ...
condense it a little?

PROFESSOR (not heeding the remark). And so, as I have just had the
honor of mentioning to you, a succession of strictly scientific
experiments have made plain to us the laws of mediumistic phenomena.
These experiments have proved that, when certain individuals are
plunged into a hypnotic state (a state differing from ordinary sleep
only by the fact that man's physiological activity is not lowered by
the hypnotic influence but, on the contrary, is always heightened--as
we have recently witnessed), when, I say, any individual is plunged
into such a state, this always produces certain perturbations in the
spiritual ether--perturbations quite similar to those produced by
plunging a solid body into liquid matter. These perturbations are what
we call mediumistic phenomena....

[Laughter and whispers.

SAHATOF. That is quite comprehensible and correct; but if, as you are
kind enough to inform us, the plunging of the medium into a trance
produces perturbations of the spiritual ether, allow me to ask why (as
is usually supposed to be the case in spiritualistic seances) these
perturbations result in an activity on the part of the souls of dead
people?

PROFESSOR. It is because the molecules of this spiritual ether are
nothing but the souls of the living, the dead, and the unborn, and any
vibration of the spiritual ether must inevitably cause a certain
vibration of its atoms. These atoms are nothing but human souls, which
enter into communication with one another by means of these movements.

FAT LADY (to SAHATOF). What is it that puzzles you? It is so
simple.... Thank you so, so much!

LEONID FYODORITCH. I think everything has now been explained, and that
we may commence.

DOCTOR. The fellow is in a perfectly normal condition: temperature 37
decimal 2, pulse 74.

PROFESSOR (takes out his pocket-book and notes this down). What I have
just had the honor of explaining will be confirmed by the fact, which
we shall presently have an opportunity of observing, that after the
medium has been thrown into a trance his temperature and pulse will
inevitably rise, just as occurs in cases of hypnotism.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Yes, yes. But excuse me a moment. I should like to
reply to Sergey Ivanitch's question: How do we know we are in
communication with the souls of the dead? We know it because the
spirit that appears, plainly tells us--as simply as I am speaking to
you--who he is, and why he has come, and whether all is well with him!
At our last seance a Spaniard, Don Castillos, came to us, and he told
us everything. He told us who he was, and when he died, and that he
was suffering for having taken part in the Inquisition. He even told
us what was happening to him at the very time that he was speaking to
us, namely, that at the very time he was talking to us he had to be
born again on earth, and, therefore, could not continue his
conversation with us.... But you'll see for yourselves....

FAT LADY (interrupting). Oh, how interesting! Perhaps the Spaniard was
born in one of our houses and is a baby now!

LEONID FYODORITCH. Quite possibly.

PROFESSOR. I think it is time we began.

LEONID FYODORITCH. I was only going to say....

PROFESSOR. It is getting late.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Very well. Then we will commence. Anton Borisitch,
be so good as to hypnotize the medium.

GROSSMAN. What method would you like me to use? There are several
methods. There is Braid's system, there is the Egyptian symbol, and
there is Charcot's system.

LEONID FYODORITCH (to the PROFESSOR). I think it is quite immaterial.

PROFESSOR. Quite.

GROSSMAN. Then I will make use of my own method, which I showed in
Odessa.

LEONID FYODORITCH. If you please!

[GROSSMAN waves his arms above SIMON. SIMON closes his eyes and
stretches himself.

GROSSMAN (looking closely at him). He is falling asleep! He is asleep!
A remarkably rapid occurrence of hypnosis. The subject has evidently
already reached a state of anaesthesia. He is remarkable,--an
unusually impressionable subject, and might be subjected to
interesting experiments!... (Sits down, rises, sits down again.) Now
one might run a needle into his arm. If you like....

PROFESSOR (to LEONID FYODORITCH). Do you notice how the medium's
trance acts on Grossman? He is beginning to vibrate.

LEONID FYODORITCH. Yes, yes ... can the lights be extinguished now?

SAHATOF. But why is darkness necessary?

PROFESSOR. Darkness? Because it is a condition of the manifestation of
mediumistic energy, just as a given temperature is a condition
necessary for certain manifestations of chemical or dynamic energy.

LEONID FYODORITCH. But not always. Manifestations have been observed
by me, and by many others, both by candlelight and daylight.

PROFESSOR (interrupting). May the lights be put out?

LEONID FYODORITCH. Yes, certainly. (Puts out candles.) Ladies and
gentlemen! attention, if you please.

[TANYA gets from under the sofa and takes hold of a thread tied
to a chandelier.

PETRISTCHEF. I like that Spaniard! Just in the midst of a
conversation--off he goes head downwards ... as the French say: piquer
une tete. [12]

BETSY. You just wait a bit, and see what will happen!

PETRISTCHEF. I have only one fear, and that is that Vovo may be moved
by the spirit to grunt like a pig!

VASILY LEONIDITCH. Would you like me to? I will....

LEONID FYODORITCH. Gentlemen! Silence, if you please!

[Silence. SIMON licks the matches on his fingers and rubs his
knuckles with them. Leonid Fyodoritch. A light! Do you see the
light?

SAHATOF. A light? Yes, yes, I see; but allow me....

FAT LADY. Where? Where? Oh, dear, I did not see it! Ah, there it is.
Oh!...

PROFESSOR (whispers to LEONID FYODORITCH, and points to GROSSMAN, who
is moving). Do you notice how he vibrates? It is the dual influence.

[The light appears again.

LEONID FYODORITCH (to the PROFESSOR). It must be he--you know!

SAHATOF. Who?

LEONID FYODORITCH. A Greek, Nicholas. It is his light. Don't you think
so, Alexey Vladimiritch?

SAHATOF. Who is this Greek, Nicholas?

PROFESSOR. A certain Greek, who was a monk at Constantinople under
Constantine and who has been visiting us lately.

FAT LADY. Where is he? Where is he? I don't see him.

LEONID FYODORITCH. He is not yet visible ... Alexey Vladimiritch, he
is particularly well disposed towards you. You question him.

PROFESSOR (in a peculiar voice). Nicholas! Is that you?

[TANYA raps twice on the wall.

LEONID FYODORITCH (joyfully). It is he! It is he!

FAT LADY. Oh, dear! Oh! I shall go away!

SAHATOF. Why do you suppose it is he?

LEONID FYODORITCH. Why, the two knocks. It is an affirmative answer;
else all would have been silence.

[Silence. Suppressed giggling in the young people's corner.
TANYA throws a lampshade, pencil and penwiper upon the table.

LEONID FYODORITCH (whispers). Do you notice, gentlemen, here is a
lamp-shade, and something else--a pencil!... Alexey Vladimiritch, it
is a pencil!

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