Redemption and Two Other Plays by Leo Tolstoy et al

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PRINCE SERGIUS (bowing). Thank you for the honor you do me.

SOPHIA KARENINA. You realize this visit decides Victor's fate. I must
refuse my consent, or---- But that's impossible.

PRINCE SERGIUS. Have you met her?

SOPHIA KARENINA. I've never seen her, but I'm afraid of her. No good
woman leaves her husband, especially when there's nothing obviously
intolerable about him. Why, I've seen Protosov often with Victor, and
found him even quite charming.

PRINCE SERGIUS (murmurs). So I've heard. So I've heard.

SOPHIA KARENINA (continuing). She should bear her cross without
complaint. And Victor must cease trying to persuade himself that his
happiness lies in defying his principles. What I don't understand is
how Victor, with his religious views, can think of marrying a divorced
woman. I've heard him say over and over again--once quite lately--
that divorce is totally inconsistent with true Christianity. If she's
been able to fascinate him to that point, I am afraid of her.--But how
stupid of me to talk all the time! Have you spoken to him at all? What
does he say? And don't you thoroughly agree with me?

PRINCE SERGIUS. Yes, I've spoken to Victor. I think he really loves
her, has grown accustomed to the idea of loving her, pour ainsi dire.
(Shaking his head.) I don't believe he could ever now care for another
woman.

SOPHIA KARENINA (sighing). And Varia Casanzeva would have made him
such a charming wife. She's so devoted already.

PRINCE SERGIUS (smiling). I am afraid I hardly see her in the present
... tableau. (Earnestly.) Why not submit to Victor's wish and help
him?

SOPHIA KARENINA. To marry a divorcee? And afterwards have him running
into his wife's husband? How can you calmly suggest that a mother
accept such a situation for her son?

PRINCE SERGIUS. But, chere amie, why not approve of the inevitable?
And you might console yourself by regarding the dangers he'll avoid by
marrying this gentle, lovely woman. After all, suppose he conceived a
passion for some one----

[Convey the word "disreputable".

SOPHIA KARENINA. How can a good woman leave her husband?

PRINCE SERGIUS. Ah, that's not like you. You're unkind and you're
harsh. Her husband is the sort of man--well, he's his own worst enemy.
A weakling, a ne'er-do-well--he's spent all his money and hers too.
She has a child. Do you think you can condemn her for leaving him? As
a matter of fact she didn't leave him, he left her.

SOPHIA KARENINA (faintly). Oh what a mud-pen I'm slipping into!

PRINCE SERGIUS (amused). Could your religion aid you?

SOPHIA KARENINA (smelling her salts). In this instance, religion would
require of me the impossible. C'est plus fort que moi.

PRINCE SERGIUS. Fedya himself--you know what a charming clever
creature he is when he's in his senses--he advised her to leave him.

[Enter VICTOR who kisses his mother's hand and greets PRINCE SERGIUS.

KARENIN. Ah, Prince Sergius! (Shakes hands with Prince--formally.)
Maman, I've come to tell you that Elizaveta Protosova will be here
directly. There's only one thing I ask you: do you still refuse your
consent to my marriage----

SOPHIA KARENINA (interrupting). And I most assuredly do.

KARENIN (continuing. Frowning). In that case all I ask is for you not
to speak to her about it.

SOPHIA KARENINA. I don't suppose we shall even mention the subject. I
certainly shan't.

KARENIN (standing at head of sofa L.). If you don't, she won't.
(Pleadingly.) Mother dear, I just want you to know her.

SOPHIA KARENINA. One thing I can't understand. How is it you want to
marry Lisa Protosova, a woman with a living husband, and at the same
time believe divorce is a crime against Christianity?

KARENIN. Oh, Maman, that's cruel of you. Life is far too complex to be
managed by a few formulas. Why are you so bitter about it all?

SOPHIA KARENINA (honestly). I love you. I want you to be happy.

KARENIN (imploringly to PRINCE SERGIUS) Sergius Abreskov!

PRINCE SERGIUS (to SOPHIA KARENINA). Naturally you want him happy. But
it's difficult for our hearts, wearied from the weight of years, to
feel the pulse of youth and sympathize, especially is it difficult for
you, my friend, who have schooled yourself to view Victor's happiness
in a single way....

SOPHIA KARENINA. Oh, you're all against me. Do as you like. Vous etes
majeur. (Sniffing into her pocket handkerchief.) But you'll kill me.

KARENIN (deeply distressed). Ah, Mother, please. It's worse than cruel
to say things like that.

PRINCE SERGIUS (smiling to VICTOR). Come, come, Victor, you know your
mother speaks more severely than she could ever act.

SOPHIA KARENINA. I shall tell her exactly what I think and feel, and I
hope I can do it without offending her.

PRINCE SERGIUS. I am sure of it.

[Enter FOOTMAN.

Here she is.

KARENIN. I'll go. (Goes to back of sofa.)

FOOTMAN (announcing). Elizaveta Andreyevna Protosova.

KARENIN (warningly). Now, Mother.

[He goes out L. PRINCE SERGIUS rises.

SOPHIA KARENINA (majestically). Show her in. (To PRINCE SERGIUS.)
Please remain.

PRINCE SERGIUS. I thought you might prefer a tete-a-tete?

SOPHIA KARENINA. No, no. I rather dread it. And if I want to be left
alone in the room with her, I'll drop my handkerchief. Ca dependra.

PRINCE SERGIUS. I'm sure you're going to like her immensely.

SOPHIA KARENINA. Oh you're all against me.

[Enter LISA R. and crosses to R. C.

(Rising) How do you do? I was so sorry not to find you at home and it
is most kind of you to come to see me.

LISA (R.C.). I never expected the honor of your visit, and I am so
grateful that you permit me to come and see you.

SOPHIA KARENINA (C.). You know Prince Sergius Abreskov?

PRINCE SERGIUS (L.--Heartily). Yes, I have had the pleasure. (Crossing
to her, he shakes hands.) My niece Nellie has spoken often of you to
me.

[Goes to L.C.

LISA. Yes, we were great friends. (She glances shyly around her.) And
still are. (To SOPHIA.) I never hoped that you would wish to see me.

SOPHIA KARENINA. I knew your husband quite well. He was a great friend
of Victor's and used frequently to visit us in Tambov, (politely)
where you were married, I believe.

LISA (looking down). Yes.

SOPHIA KARENINA. But when you returned to Moscow we were deprived of
the pleasure of his visit.

LISA. Yes, then he stopped going anywhere.

SOPHIA KARENINA. Ah, that explains our missing him.

[Awkward pause.

PRINCE SERGIUS (to LISA). The last time I'd the pleasure of seeing you
was in those tableaux at the Dennishovs. You were charming in your
part.

LISA. How good of you to think so! Yes, I remember perfectly.

[Another awkward silence.

(To SOPHIA KARENINA.) Sophia Karenina, please forgive me if what I am
going to say offends you, but I don't know how to cover up what's in
my heart. I came here to-day because Victor Karenin said--because he
said that--because he--I mean because you wanted to see me. (With a
catch in her voice.) It's rather difficult--but you're so sweet.

PRINCE SERGIUS (very sympathetic). There, there, my dear child, I
assure you there's nothing in the world to---- (He breaks off when he
sees SOPHIA KARENINA pointing impatiently to the floor. She has
dropped her handkerchief.) Permit me. (He picks it up, presenting it
to her with a smile and a bow; then looks casually at his watch.) Ah,
five o'clock already. (To SOPHIA KARENINA.) Madame, in your salon
pleasure destroys the memory of time. You will excuse me.

[He kisses her hand.

SOPHIA KARENINA (smiling). Au revoir, mon ami.

PRINCE SERGIUS (bowing and shaking hands with LISA). Elizaveta
Protosova, au revoir.

[He goes out R.

SOPHIA KARENINA. Now listen, my child. Please believe how truly sorry
for you I am and that you are most sympathetique to me. But I love my
son alone in this world, and I know his soul as I do my own. He's very
proud--oh I don't mean of his position and money--but of his high
ideals, his purity. It may sound strange to you, but you must believe
me when I tell you that at heart he is as pure as a young girl.

LISA. I know.

SOPHIA KARENINA. He's never loved a woman before. You're the first. I
don't say I'm not a little jealous. I am. But that's something we
mothers have to face. Oh, but your son's still a baby, you don't know.
I was ready to give him up, though--but I wanted his wife to be as
pure as himself.

LISA (flushing hotly). And I, am I not----

SOPHIA KARENINA (interrupting her kindly). Forgive me, my dear. I know
it's not your fault and that you've been most unhappy. And also I know
my son. He will bear anything, and he'll bear it without saying a
word, but his hurt pride will suffer and bring you infinite remorse.
You must know how strongly he has always felt that the bond of
marriage is indissoluble.

LISA. Yes. I've thought of all that.

SOPHIA KARENINA. Lisa, my dear, you're a wise woman and you're a good
woman too. If you love him, you must want his happiness more than you
want your own. You can't want to cripple him so that he'll be sorry
all his life--yes, sorry even though he never says a word.

LISA. I've thought about it so much. I've thought about it and I've
talked to him about it. But what can I do when he says he can't live
without me? I said to him only the other day, "Victor, let's just be
friends. Don't spoil your life. Don't ruin yourself by trying to help
me." And do you know what he did? He laughed.

SOPHIA KARENINA. Of course he would, at the time.

LISA. If you could persuade him not to marry me, you know I'll agree,
don't you? I just want him to be happy. I don't care about myself.
Only please help me. Please don't hate me. Let's do all we can for
him, because, after all, we both love him.

SOPHIA KARENINA. Yes, I know. And I think I love you too. I really do.
(She kisses her. LISA begins to cry.) Oh, it's all so dreadful. If
only he had fallen in love with you before you were married!

LISA (sobbing). He--he says he did--but he had to be loyal to his
friend.

SOPHIA KARENINA. Alas, it's all very heart-breaking. But let us love
each other, and God will help us to find what we are seeking.

KARENIN (entering L. I). Mother darling. I've heard what you just
said. I knew you'd love her. And now everything must come right.

SOPHIA KARENINA (hastily). But nothing's decided. All I can say is,
had things been different, I should have been very glad. (Tenderly.)
So very glad.

[She kisses LISA.

KARENIN (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. FEDYA alone writing.

At rise MASHA is heard outside calling "FEDYA! FEDYA!" MASHA enters R.
I, crosses to FEDYA on bed C. and embraces him.

FEDYA. 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!

FEDYA (embarrassed). I didn't come over because I had no money.

MASHA. Oh, why is it I love you so.

FEDYA. 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.
(FEDYA winces.) But you stick to her like grim death.

FEDYA (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.

FEDYA. 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?

FEDYA (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.

FEDYA (coming closer to her). My beautiful young Masha.

MASHA (tearfully, searching his face). You do love me?

FEDYA. Of course, of course.

MASHA. Only me, only me?

FEDYA (kissing her). Darling, only you.

MASHA (with a return to brightness). Now read me what you've written.

FEDYA. It may bore you.

MASHA (reproachfully). How could it?

FEDYA (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 IVAN and NASTASIA. They are two old gypsies, MASHA'S
parents.

NASTASIA (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?

Ivan (to FEDYA). It's not right, sir, what you've done, bringing to
her ruin our only child. It's against God's law.

NASTASIA (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, FEDYA 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.

Ivan. If you talk any more, I'll pull your hair all out for you, you
loose little beast, you. (To FEDYA, 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.

NASTASIA (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?

FEDYA. Nastasia, Nastasia, 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?

IVAN. 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 that's enough. My love will break through anything--through
anything. Through anything in the whole damn world.

NASTASIA (trying to soothe her). Now, Mashenka darling, don't get
cross. You know you haven't behaved well to your poor old parents.
There, there, come along with us now.

[With greedy fingers that pretend to caress, NASTASIA seizes her
savagely and suddenly at the end of this speech and draws her to
the door. MASHA cries out "FEDYA! FEDYA!" as she exits R.

IVAN (alongside). You open your mouth again and I'll smash you dumb.
(To FEDYA.) Good-bye, your worship.

[All exit R. I.

[FEDYA sits as though stupefied. The gypsies exit noisily. There
is a pause. He drinks; then PRINCE SERGIUS appears, very quiet
and dignified, at the door.

PRINCE. Excuse me. I'm afraid I'm intruding upon a rather painful
scene.

FEDYA (getting up). With whom have I the honor---- (recognizing the
Prince). Ah, Prince Sergius, how do you do?

[They shake hands.

PRINCE (in a distinguished manner). I repeat that I am afraid to be
most inopportune. I would rather not have heard, but since I have,
it's my duty to say so. When I arrived I knocked several times, but I
presume you could not have heard through such uproar.

FEDYA. Do sit down. (PRINCE sits chair R.C.) Thanks for telling me you
heard. (Sits on bed up C.) It gives me a chance to explain it all.
Forgive me for saying your opinion of me can't concern me, but I want
to tell you that the way her parents talked to that young girl, that
gypsy singer, was absolutely unjust. She's as pure as your own mother.
My relations with her are simply friendly ones. Possibly there is a
ray of poetry in them, but that could hardly degrade her. However,
what can I do for you?

PRINCE SERGIUS. Well, to begin----

FEDYA (interrupting). Excuse me, Prince, but my present social
position hardly warrants a visit from you.

[Smiling.

PRINCE SERGIUS. I know that, but I ask you to believe that your
changed position does not influence me in what I am about to tell you.

FEDYA (interrogatively). Then?

PRINCE SERGIUS. To be as brief as possible, Victor Karenin, the son of
my old friend, Sophia Karenina, and she herself, have asked me to
discover from you personally what your present relations are with your
wife, and what intentions you have regarding them.

FEDYA. My relations with my wife--I should say my former wife--are
several.

PRINCE SERGIUS. As I thought, and for this reason accepted my somewhat
difficult mission.

FEDYA (quickly). I wish to say first of all that the fault was
entirely mine. She is, just as she always was, absolutely stainless,
faultless.

PRINCE SERGIUS. Victor Karenin and especially his mother are anxious
to know your exact intentions regarding the future.

FEDYA. I've got no intentions. I've given her full freedom. I know she
loves Victor Karenin, let her. Personally, I think he is a bore, but
he is a good bore. So they'll probably be very happy together, at
least in the ordinary sense and que le bon Dieu les benisse.

PRINCE SERGIUS. Yes, but we----

FEDYA (rising, goes L., leans on table). Please don't think I'm
jealous. If I just said Victor was dull, I take it back. He's
splendid, very decent, in fact the opposite of myself, and he's loved
her since her childhood (slowly) and maybe she loved him even when we
were married. After all, that happens, and the strongest love is
perhaps unconscious love. Yes, I think she's always loved him far, far
down beneath what she would admit to herself, and this feeling of nine
has been a black shadow across our married life. But--I--I really
don't suppose I ought to be talking to you like this, ought I?

PRINCE SERGIUS. Please go on. My only object in coming was to
understand this situation completely, and I begin to see how the
shadow--as you charmingly express it--could have been----

FEDYA (looking strangely ahead of him). Yes, no brightness could suck
up that shadow. And so I suppose I never was satisfied with what my
wife gave me, and I looked for every kind of distraction, sick at
heart because I did so. I see it more and more clearly since we've
been apart. Oh, but I sound as if I were defending myself. God knows I
don't want to do that. No, I was a shocking bad husband. I say was,
because now I don't consider myself her husband at all. She's
perfectly free. There, does that satisfy you?

PRINCE SERGIUS. Yes, but you know how strictly orthodox Victor and his
family are. Of course I don't agree with them--perhaps I have broader
views--(with a shrug) but I understand how they feel. They consider
that any union without a church marriage is--well, to put it mildly,
unthinkable.

FEDYA. Yes, I know he's very stu--I mean strict. (With a slight
smile.) "Conservative" is the word, isn't it? But what in God's name
(crossing to C.) do they want, a divorce? I told them long ago I was
perfectly willing. But the business of hiring a street-woman and
taking her to a shady hotel and arranging to be caught by competent
witnesses--ugh--it's all so--so loathsome.

[He shudders--pauses; and sits on bed.

PRINCE SERGIUS. I know. I know. I assure you, I can sympathize with
such a repugnance, but how can one avoid it? You see, it's the only
way out. But, my dear boy, you mustn't think I don't sympathize with
you. It's a horrible situation for a sensitive man and I quite
understand how you must hate it.

FEDYA. Thank you, Prince Sergius. I always knew you were kind and
just. Now tell me what to do. Put yourself in my place. I don't
pretend to be any better than I really am. I am a blackguard but there
are some things that even I can't do. (With a smile and helpless
gesture.) I can't tell lies.

[A pause.

PRINCE SERGIUS. I must confess that you bewilder me. You with your
gifts and charm and really au fond--a wonderful sense of what's right.
How could you have permitted yourself to plunge into such tawdry
distractions? How could you have forgotten so far what you owed to
yourself? Tell me, why did you let your life fall into this ruin?

FEDYA (suppressing emotion). I've led this sort of life for ten years
and you're the first real person to show me sympathy. Of course, I've
been pitied by the degraded ones but never before by a sensible, kind
man like you. Thanks more than it's possible to say. (He seems to
forget his train of thought and suddenly to recall it.) Ah, yes, my
ruin. Well, first, drink, not because it tasted well, but because
everything I did disappointed me so, made me so ashamed of myself. I
feel ashamed now, while I talk to you. Whenever I drank, shame was
drowned in the first glass, and sadness. Then music, not opera or
Beethoven, but gypsy music; the passion of it poured energy into my
body, while those dark bewitching eyes looked into the bottom of my
soul. (He sighs.) And the more alluring it all was, the more shame I
felt afterwards.

[Pause.

PRINCE SERGIUS. But what about your career?

FEDYA. My career? This seems to be it. Once I was a director of a
bank. There was something terribly lacking between what I felt and
what I could do. (Abruptly.) But enough, enough of myself. It makes me
rather nervous to think about myself.

[Rises.

PRINCE SERGIUS. What answer am I to take back?

FEDYA (very nervous). Oh, tell them I'm quite at their disposal.
(Walking up and down) They want to marry, and there mustn't be
anything in their way (pause); is that it? (Stops walking very
suddenly. Repeats.) There mustn't be anything in their way--is that
it?

PRINCE SERGIUS (pause. FEDYA sits on table L.). Yes. When do you--when
do you think--you'll--you'll have it ready? The evidence?

FEDYA (turns and looks at the PRINCE, suppressing a slight, strained
smile). Will a fortnight do?

PRINCE SERGIUS (rising). Yes, I am sure it will. (Rises and crosses to
FEDYA.) May I say that you give them your word?

FEDYA (with some impatience). Yes. Yes. (PRINCE offers his hand.)
Good-bye, Prince Sergius. And again thanks.

[Exit PRINCE SERGIUS, R. I. FEDYA sits down in an attitude of
deep thought.

Why not? Why not? And it's good not to be ashamed----

[Lights dim and out.

CURTAIN

SCENE V

Private room in a cheap restaurant. FEDYA is shown in by a shabby
waiter.

WAITER. This way, sir. No one will disturb you here. Here's the
writing paper.

[Starts to exit.

FEDYA (as waiter starts to exit). Bring me a bottle of champagne.

WAITER. Yes, sir.

[Exits R. C.

[FEDYA sits at table L. C., and begins to write. IVAN PETROVICH
appearing in the doorway R. C.

IVAN PETROVICH. I'll come in, shall I?

FEDYA (sitting L. of table L. C. Very serious). If you want to, but
I'm awfully busy, and--(seeing he has already entered) Oh, all right,
do come in.

IVAN PETROVICH (C.). You're going to write an answer to their demand.
I'll help you. I'll tell you what to say Speak out. Say what you mean.
It's straight from the shoulder. That's my system. (Picks up box that
FEDYA has placed on table--opens it and takes out a revolver.) Hallo!
What's this? Going to shoot yourself. Of course, why not? I
understand. They want to humiliate you, and you show them where the
courage is--put a bullet through your head and heap coals of fire on
theirs. I understand perfectly. (The waiter enters with champagne on
tray, pours a glass for FEDYA, then exits. PETROVICH takes up the
glass of wine and starts to drink. FEDYA looks up from his writing.) I
understand everything and everybody, because I'm a genius.

FEDYA. So you are, but----

IVAN PETROVICH (filling and lifting his glass). Here's to your
immortal journey. May it be swift and pleasant. Oh, I see it from your
point of view. So why should I stop you? Life and death are the same
to genius. I'm dead during life and I live after death. You kill
yourself in order to make a few people miss you, but I--but I--am
going to kill myself to make the whole world know what it lost. I
won't hesitate or think about it. I'll just take the revolver--one,
two--and all is over--um. But I am premature. My hour is not yet
struck. (He puts the revolver down.) But I shall write nothing. The
world will have to understand all by itself. (FEDYA continues to
write.) The world, what is it but a mass of preposterous creatures,
who crawl around through life, understanding nothing--nothing at all
--do you hear me? (FEDYA looks up, rather exasperated.) Oh, I'm not
talking to you. All this is between me and the cosmos. (Pours himself
out another drink.) After all, what does humanity most lack?
Appreciation for its geniuses. As it is, we're persecuted, tortured,
racked, through a lifetime of perpetual agony, into the asylum or the
grave. But no longer will I be their bauble. Humanity, hypocrite that
you are--to hell with you.

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