ivanoff-第7节
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bored here too； something urges me home again。 Forgive me； I
shall slip away at once。
SASHA。 I can understand your trouble； Nicholas。 You are unhappy
because you are lonely。 You need some one at your side whom you
can love； someone who understands you。
IVANOFF。 What an idea； Sasha！ Fancy a crusty old badger like
myself starting a love affair！ Heaven preserve me from such
misfortune！ No； my little sage； this is not a case for romance。
The fact is； I can endure all I have to suffer： sadness； sickness
of mind； ruin； the loss of my wife； and my lonely； broken old
age； but I cannot； I will not； endure the contempt I have for
myself！ I am nearly killed by shame when I think that a strong；
healthy man like myself has becomeoh； heaven only knows
whatby no means a Manfred or a Hamlet！ There are some
unfortunates who feel flattered when people call them Hamlets and
cynics； but to me it is an insult。 It wounds my pride and I am
tortured by shame and suffer agony。
SASHA。 ＇Laughing through her tears＇ Nicholas； let us run away to
America together！
IVANOFF。 I haven't the energy to take such a step as that； and
besides； in America you ＇They go toward the door into the
garden＇ As a matter of fact； Sasha； this is not a good place for
you to live。 When I look about at the men who surround you I am
terrified for you； whom is there you could marry？ Your only
chance will be if some passing lieutenant or student steals your
heart and carries you away。
Enter ZINAIDA through the door on the right with a jar of jam。
IVANOFF。 Excuse me； Sasha； I shall join you in a minute。
SASHA goes out into the garden。
IVANOFF。 ＇To ZINAIDA＇ Zinaida； may I ask you a favour？
ZINAIDA。 What is it？
IVANOFF。 The fact is； you know； that the interest on my note is
due day after to…morrow； but I should be more than obliged to you
if you will let me postpone the payment of it； or would let me
add the interest to the capital。 I simply cannot pay it now； I
haven't the money。
ZINAIDA。 Oh； Ivanoff； how could I do such a thing？ Would it be
business…like？ No； no； don't ask it； don't torment an unfortunate
old woman。
IVANOFF。 I beg your pardon。 ＇He goes out into the garden。＇
ZINAIDA。 Oh； dear！ Oh； dear！ What a fright he gave me！ I am
trembling all over。 ＇Goes out through the door on the right。＇
Enter KOSICH through the door on the left。 He walks across the
stage。
KOSICH。 I had the ace； king； queen； and eight of diamonds； the
ace of spades； and one； just one little heart； and shemay the
foul fiend fly away with her；she couldn't make a little slam！
Goes out through the door on the right。 Enter from the garden
AVDOTIA and FIRST GUEST。
AVDOTIA。 Oh； how I should like to get my claws into her； the
miserable old miser！ How I should like it！ Does she think it a
joke to leave us sitting here since five o'clock without even
offering us a crust to eat？ What a house！ What management！
FIRST GUEST。 I am so bored that I feel like beating my head
against the wall。 Lord； what a queer lot of people！ I shall soon
be howling like a wolf and snapping at them from hunger and
weariness。
AVDOTIA。 How I should like to get my claws into her； the old
sinner！
FIRST GUEST。 I shall get a drink； old lady； and then home I go！ I
won't have anything to do with these belles of yours。 How the
devil can a man think of love who hasn't had a drop to drink
since dinner？
AVDOTIA。 Come on； we will go and find something。
FIRST GUEST。 Sh！ Softly！ I think the brandy is in the sideboard
in the dining…room。 We will find George！ Sh！
They go out through the door on the left。 Enter ANNA and LVOFF
through the door on the right。
ANNA。 No； they will be glad to see us。 Is no one here？ Then they
must be in the garden。
LVOFF。 I should like to know why you have brought me into this
den of wolves。 This is no place for you and me； honourable people
should not be subjected to such influences as these。
ANNA。 Listen to me； Mr。 Honourable Man。 When you are escorting a
lady it is very bad manners to talk to her the whole way about
nothing but your own honesty。 Such behaviour may be perfectly
honest； but it is also tedious； to say the least。 Never tell a
woman how good you are； let her find it out herself。 My Nicholas
used only to sing and tell stories when he was young as you are；
and yet every woman knew at once what kind of a man he was。
LVOFF。 Don't talk to me of your Nicholas； I know all about him！
ANNA。 You are a very worthy man； but you don't know anything at
all。 Come into the garden。 He never said： 〃I am an honest man；
these surroundings are too narrow for me。〃 He never spoke of
wolves' dens； called people bears or vultures。 He left the animal
kingdom alone； and the most I have ever heard him say when he was
excited was： 〃Oh； how unjust I have been to…day！〃 or 〃Annie； I am
sorry for that man。〃 That's what he would say； but you
ANNA and LVOFF go out。 Enter AVDOTIA and FIRST GUEST through the
door on the left。
FIRST GUEST。 There isn't any in the dining…room； so it must be
somewhere in the pantry。 We must find George。 Come this way；
through the sitting…room。
AVDOTIA。 Oh； how I should like to get my claws into her！
They go out through the door on the right。 MARTHA and BORKIN run
in laughing from the garden。 SHABELSK I comes mincing behind
them； laughing and rubbing his hands。
MARTHA。 Oh； I am so bored！ ＇Laughs loudly＇ This is deadly！ Every
one looks as if he had swallowed a poker。 I am frozen to the
marrow by this icy dullness。 ＇She skips about＇ Let us do
something！
BORKIN catches her by the waist and kisses her cheek。
SHABELSKI。 ＇Laughing and snapping his fingers＇ Well； I'll be
hanged！ ＇Cackling＇ Really； you know！
MARTHA。 Let go！ Let go； you wretch！ What will the Count think？
Stop； I say！
BORKIN。 Angel！ Jewel！ Lend me twenty…three hundred roubles。
MARTHA。 Most certainly not！ Do what you please； but I'll thank
you to leave my money alone。 No； no； no！ Oh； let go； will you？
SHABELSKI。 ＇Mincing around them＇ The little birdie has its
charms！ ＇Seriously＇ Come； that will do！
BORKIN。 Let us come to the point； and consider my proposition
frankly as a business arrangement。 Answer me honestly； without
tricks and equivocations； do you agree to do it or not？ Listen to
me； ＇Pointing to Shabelski＇ he needs money to the amount of at
least three thousand a year； you need a husband。 Do you want to
be a Countess？
SHABELSKI。 ＇Laughing loudly＇ Oh； the cynic！
BORKIN。 Do you want to be a Countess or not？
MARTHA。 ＇Excitedly＇ Wait a minute； really； Misha； these things
aren't done in a second like this。 If the Count wants to marry
me； let him ask me himself； andandI don't see； I don't
understandall this is so sudden…
BORKIN。 Come； don't let us beat about the bush； this is a
business arrangement。 Do you agree or not？
SHABELSKI。 ＇Chuckling and rubbing his hands＇ Supposing I do marry
her； eh？ Hang it； why shouldn't I play her this shabby trick？
What do you say； little puss？ ＇He kisses her cheek＇ Dearest
chick…a…biddy！
MARTHA。 Stop！ Stop！ I hardly know what I am doing。 Go away！
Nodon't go！
BORKIN。 Answer at once： is it yes or no？ We can't stand here
forever。
MARTHA。 Look here； Count； come and visit me for three or four
days。 It is gay at my house； not like this place。 Come to…morrow。
＇To BORKIN＇ Or is this all a joke？
BORKIN。 ＇Angrily＇ How could I joke on such a serious subject？
MARTHA。 Wait！ Stop！ Oh； I feel faint！ A Countess！ I am fainting；
I am falling！
BORKIN and SHABELSKI laugh and catch her by the arms。 They kiss
her cheeks and lead her out through the door on the right。
IVANOFF and SASHA run in from the garden。
IVANOFF。 ＇Desperately clutching his head＇ It can't be true！ Don't
Sasha； don't！ Oh； I implore you not to！
SASHA。 I love you madly。 Without you my life can have no meaning；
no happiness； no hope。
IVANOFF。 Why； why do you say that？ What do you mean？ Little
Sasha； don't say it！
SASHA。 You were the only joy of my childhood； I loved you body
and soul then； as myself； but nowOh； I love you； Nicholas！ Take
me with you to the ends of the earth； wherever you wish； but for
heaven's sake let us go at once； or I shall die。
IVANOFF。 ＇Shaking with wild laughter＇ What is this？ Is it the
beginning for me of a new life？ Is it； Sasha？ Oh； my happiness；
my joy！ ＇He draws her to him＇ My freshness； my youth！
Enter ANNA from the garden。 She sees her husband and SASHA； and
stops as if petrified。
IVANOFF。 Oh； then I shall live once more？ And work？
IVANOFF and SASHA kiss each other。 After the kiss they look
around and see ANNA。
IVANOFF。 ＇With horror＇ Sarah！
The curtain falls。
ACT III
Library in IVANOFF'S house。 On the walls hang maps； pictures；
guns； pistols； sickles； whips； etc。 A writing…table。 On it lie in
disorder knick…knacks； papers； books； parcels； and several
revolvers。 Near the papers stand a lamp； a decanter of vodka； and
a plate of salted herrings。 Pieces of bread and cucumber are
scattered about。 SHABELSKI and LEBEDIEFF are sitting at the
writing…table。 BORKIN is sitting astride a chair in the middle of
the room。 PETER is standing near the door。
LEBEDIEFF。 The policy of France is clear and
