ivanoff-第12节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　priest　will　bless　them；　and　then　they　will　be　led　to　the
church　to　be　married。　Is　this　how　virtue　and　justice　triumph？　Not
being　able　to　rob　Sarah；　he　has　tortured　her　to　death；　and　now　he
has　found　another　victim　whom　he　will　deceive　until　he　has　robbed
her；　and　then　he　will　get　rid　of　her　as　he　got　rid　of　poor　Sarah。
It　is　the　same　old　sordid　story。　＇A　pause＇　He　will　live　to　a　fine
old　age　in　the　seventh　heaven　of　happiness；　and　will　die　with　a
clear　conscience。　No；　Ivanoff；　it　shall　not　be！　I　shall　drag　your
villainy　to　light！　And　when　I　tear　off　that　accursed　mask　of
yours　and　show　you　to　the　world　as　the　blackguard　you　are；　you
shall　come　plunging　down　headfirst　from　your　seventh　heaven；　into
a　pit　so　deep　that　the　devil　himself　will　not　be　able　to　drag　you
out　of　it！　I　am　a　man　of　honour；　it　is　my　duty　to　interfere　in
such　cases　as　yours；　and　to　open　the　eyes　of　the　blind。　I　shall
fulfil　my　mission；　and　to…morrow　will　find　me　far　away　from　this
accursed　place。　＇Thoughtfully＇　But　what　shall　I　do？　To　have　an
explanation　with　Lebedieff　would　be　a　hopeless　task。　Shall　I　make
a　scandal；　and　challenge　Ivanoff　to　a　duel？　I　am　as　excited　as　a
child；　and　have　entirely　lost　th　e　power　of　planning　anything。
What　shall　I　do？　Shall　I　fight　a　duel？

Enter　KOSICH。　He　goes　gaily　up　to　LVOFF。

KOSICH。　I　declared　a　little　slam　in　clubs　yesterday；　and　made　a
grand　slam！　Only　that　man　Barabanoff　spoilt　the　whole　game　for　me
again。　We　were　playingwell；　I　said　〃No　trumps〃　and　he　said
〃Pass。〃　〃Two　in　clubs；〃　he　passed　again。　I　made　it　two　in　hearts。
He　said　〃Three　in　clubs；〃　and　just　imagine；　can　you；　what
happened？　I　declared　a　little　slam　and　he　never　showed　his　ace！
If　he　had　showed　his　ace；　the　villain；　I　should　have　declared　a
grand　slam　in　no　trumps！

LVOFF。　Excuse　me；　I　don't　play　cards；　and　so　it　is　impossible　for
me　to　share　your　enthusiasm。　When　does　the　ceremony　begin？

KOSICH。　At　once；　I　think。　They　are　now　bringing　Zuzu　to　herself
again。　She　is　bellowing　like　a　bull；　she　can't　bear　to　see　the
money　go。

LVOFF。　And　what　about　the　daughter？

KOSICH。　No；　it　is　the　money。　She　doesn't　like　this　affair　anyway。
He　is　marrying　her　daughter；　and　that　means　he　won't　pay　his
debts　for　a　long　time。　One　can't　sue　one's　son…in…law。

MARTHA；　very　much　dressed　up；　struts　across　the　stage　past　LVOFF
and　KOSICH。　The　latter　bursts　out　laughing　behind　his　hand。
MARTHA　looks　around。

MARTHA。　Idiot！

KOSICH　digs　her　in　the　ribs　and　laughs　loudly。

MARTHA。　Boor！

KOSICH。　＇Laughing＇　The　woman's　head　has　been　turned。　Before　she
fixed　her　eye　on　a　title　she　was　like　any　other　woman；　but　there
is　no　coming　near　her　now！　＇Angrily＇　A　boor；　indeed！

LVOFF。　＇Excitedly＇　Listen　to　me；　tell　me　honestly；　what　do　you
think　of　Ivanoff？

KOSICH。　He's　no　good　at　all。　He　plays　cards　like　a　lunatic。　This
is　what　happened　last　year　during　Lent：　I；　the　Count；　Borkin　and
he；　sat　down　to　a　game　of　cards。　I　led　a…

LVOFF　＇Interrupting　him＇　Is　he　a　good　man？

KOSICH。　He？　Yes；　he's　a　good　one！　He　and　the　Count　are　a　pair　of
trumps。　They　have　keen　noses　for　a　good　game。　First；　Ivanoff　set
his　heart　on　the　Jewess；　then；　when　his　schemes　failed　in　that
quarter；　he　turned　his　thoughts　toward　Zuzu's　money…bags。　I'll
wager　you　he'll　ruin　Zuzu　in　a　year。　He　will　ruin　Zuzu；　and　the
Count　will　ruin　Martha。　They　will　gather　up　all　the　money　they
can　lay　hands　on；　and　live　happily　ever　after！　But；　doctor；　why
are　you　so　pale　to…day？　You　look　like　a　ghost。

LVOFF。　Oh；　it's　nothing。　I　drank　a　little　too　much　yesterday。

Enter　LEBEDIEFF　with　SASHA。

LEBEDIEFF。　We　can　have　our　talk　here。　＇To　LVOFF　and　KOSICH＇　Go
into　the　ball…room；　you　two　old　fogies；　and　talk　to　the　girls。
Sasha　and　I　want　to　talk　alone　here。

KOSICH。　＇Snapping　his　fingers　enthusiastically　as　he　goes　by
SASHA＇　What　a　picture！　A　queen　of　trumps！

LEBEDIEFF。　Go　along；　you　old　cave…dweller；　go　along。

KOSICH　and　LVOFF　go　out。

LEBEDIEFF。　Sit　down；　Sasha；　there　＇He　sits　down　and　looks　about
him＇　Listen　to　me　attentively　and　with　proper　respect。　The　fact
is；　your　mother　has　asked　me　to　say　this；　do　you　understand？　I　am
not　speaking　for　myself。　Your　mother　told　me　to　speak　to　you。

SASHA。　Papa；　do　say　it　briefly！

LEBEDIEFF。　When　you　are　married　we　mean　to　give　you　fifteen
thousand　roubles。　Please　don't　let　us　have　any　discussion　about
it　afterward。　Wait；　now！　Be　quiet！　That　is　only　the　beginning。
The　best　is　yet　to　come。　We　have　allotted　you　fifteen　thousand
roubles；　but　in　consideration　of　the　fact　that　Nicholas　owes　your
mother　nine　thousand；　that　sum　will　have　to　be　deducted　from　the
amount　we　mean　to　give　you。　Very　well。　Now；　beside　that…

SASHA。　Why　do　you　tell　me　all　this？

LEBEDIEFF。　Your　mother　told　me　to。

SASHA。　Leave　me　in　peace！　If　you　had　any　respect　for　yourself　or
me　you　could　not　permit　yourself　to　speak　to　me　in　this　way。　I
don't　want　your　money！　I　have　not　asked　for　it；　and　never　shall。

LEBEDIEFF。　What　are　you　attacking　me　for？　The　two　rats　in　Gogol's
fable　sniffed　first　and　then　ran　away；　but　you　attack　without
even　sniffing。

SASHA。　Leave　me　in　peace；　and　do　not　offend　my　ears　with　your
two…penny　calculations。

LEBEDIEFF。　＇Losing　his　temper＇　Bah！　You　all；　every　one　of　you；　do
all　you　can　to　make　me　cut　my　throat　or　kill　somebody。　One　of　you
screeches　and　fusses　all　day　and　counts　every　penny；　and　the
other　is　so　clever　and　humane　and　emancipated　that　she　cannot
understand　her　own　father！　I　offend　your　ears；　do　I？　Don't　you
realise　that　before　I　came　here　to　offend　your　ears　I　was　being
torn　to　pieces　over　there；　＇He　points　to　the　door＇　literally
drawn　and　quartered？　So　you　cannot　understand？　You　two　have
addled　my　brain　till　I　am　utterly　at　my　wits'　end；　indeed　I　am！
＇He　goes　toward　the　door；　and　stops＇　I　don't　like　this　business
at　all；　I　don't　like　any　thing　about　you

SASHA。　What　is　it；　especially；　that　you　don't　like？

LEBEDIEFF。　Everything；　everything！

SASHA。　What　do　you　mean　by　everything？

LEBEDIEFF。　Let　me　explain　exactly　what　I　mean。　Everything
displeases　me。　As　for　your　marriage；　I　simply　can't　abide　it。　＇He
goes　up　to　SASHA　and　speaks　caressingly＇　Forgive　me；　little
Sasha；　this　marriage　may　be　a　wise　one；　it　may　be　honest　and　not
misguided；　nevertheless；　there　is　something　about　the　whole
affair　that　is　not　right；　no；　not　right！　You　are　not　marrying　as
other　girls　do；　you　are　young　and　fresh　and　pure　as　a　drop　of
water；　and　he　is　a　widower；　battered　and　worn。　Heaven　help　him。　I
don't　understand　him　at　all。　＇He　kisses　his　daughter＇　Forgive　me
for　saying　so；　Sasha；　but　I　am　sure　there　is　something　crooked
about　this　affair；　it　is　making　a　great　deal　of　talk。　It　seems
people　are　saying　that　first　Sarah　died；　and　then　suddenly
Ivanoff　wanted　to　marry　you。　＇Quickly＇　But；　no；　I　am　like　an　old
woman；　I　am　gossiping　like　a　magpie。　You　must　not　listen　to　me　or
any　one；　only　to　your　own　heart。

SASHA。　Papa；　I　feel　myself　that　there　is　something　wrong　about　my
marriage。　Something　wrong；　yes；　wrong！　Oh；　if　you　only　knew　how
heavy　my　heart　is；　this　is　unbearable！　I　am　frightened　and
ashamed　to　confess　this；　Papa　darling；　you　must　help　me；　for
heaven's　sake。　Oh；　can't　you　tell　me　what　I　should　do？

LEBEDIEFF。　What　is　the　matter；　Sasha；　what　is　it？

SASHA。　I　am　so　frightened；　more　frightened　than　I　have　ever　been
before。　＇She　glances　around　her＇　I　cannot　understand　him　now；　and
I　never　shall。　He　has　not　smiled　or　looked　straight　into　my　eyes
once　since　we　have　been　engaged。　He　is　forever　complaining　and
apologising　for　something；　hinting　at　some　crime　he　is　guilty　of；
and　trembling。　I　am　so　tired！　There　are　even　moments　when　I
thinkI　thinkthat　I　do　not　love　him　as　I　should；　and　when　he
comes　to　see　us；　or　talks　to　me；　I　get　so　tired！　What　does　it
mean；　dear　father？　I　am　afraid。

LEBEDIEFF。　My　darling；　my　only　child；　do　as　your　old　father
advises　you；　give　him　up！

SASHA。　＇Frightened＇　Oh！　How　can　you　say　that？

LEBEDIEFF。　Yes；　do　it；　little　Sasha！　It　will　make　a　scandal；　all
the　tongues　in　the　country　will　be　wagging　about　it；　but　it　is
better　to　live　down　a　scandal　than　to　ruin　one's　life。

SASHA。　Don't　say　that；　father。　Oh；　don't。　I　refuse　to　listen！　I
must　crush　such　gloomy　thoughts。　He　is　good　and　unhappy　and
misunderstood。　I　shall　love　him　and　learn　to　understand　him。　I
shall　set　him　on　his　feet　again。　I　shall　do　my　duty。　That　is
settled。

LEBEDIEFF。　This　is　not　your　duty；　but　a　delusion

SASHA。　We　have　said　enough。　I　have　confessed　things　to　you　that　I
have　not　dared　to　admit　even　to　myself。　Don't　speak　about　this　to
any　one。　Let　us　forget　it。

LEBEDIEFF。　I　am　hopelessly　puzzled；　and　either　my　mind　is　going
from　old　age　or　else　you　have　all　grown　very　clever；　but　I'll　be
hanged　if　I　understand　this　business　at　all。

Enter　SHABELSKI。

SHABELSKI。　Confound　you　all　and　myself；　too！　This　is　maddening！

LEBEDIEFF。　What　do　you　want？

SHABELSKI　Seriously；　I　must　really　do　something　horrid　and
rascally；　so　that　not　only　I　but　everybody　else　will　be　disgusted
by　it。　I　certainly　shall　find　something　to　do；　upon　my　word　I
shall！　I　have　already　told　Borkin　to　announce　that　I　am　to　be
married。　＇He　laughs＇　Everybody　is　a　sco