The Essential Russian Plays & Short Stories. Максим Горький
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He speaks of mother as if he weren't the one that drove her to an early grave. He talked her to death, the old scold! He just talks and talks, and nags and nags, and he doesn't know himself what he wants.
LIPA
To be with you is like being caught in the wheel of a machine. My head is spinning round and round.
PELAGUEYA
Then why don't you go away with your Savva? What are you waiting for?
LIPA
Look here, why are you angry with me?
PELAGUEYA
I am not angry. I am telling the truth. You don't want to marry. You are disgusted with all your beaux. Why don't you go into a convent?
LIPA
I won't go into a convent, but I will go away from here, soon enough,
I think.
PELAGUEYA
Well, go! No one is keeping you. The road is wide open.
LIPA
Ah, Polya, you are angry and sulky with me. You don't know how I spend my nights thinking about you. At night I lie awake and think and think about you, and about all the people that are unhappy—all of them.
PELAGUEYA
What do you want to think about me for? You had better think about yourself.
LIPA
And no one knows it. Well, what's the use of talking? You couldn't understand anyhow. I am sorry for you, Polya. (Pelagueya laughs) What's the matter?
PELAGUEYA
If you are sorry for me, why don't you carry out that pail? The way I am, I shouldn't be lifting heavy things. Why don't you help me, if you are so sorry for me?
LIPA (her face darkening, then brightening again) Give it to me. (She picks up the pail and starts to carry it away)
PELAGUEYA (spitefully)
Hypocrite! Let go! Where are you going? (She carries out the pail and returns for the other things)
SAVVA (entering; to his sister)
Why is your face so red?
LIPA
It's hot.
[Pelagueya laughs.
SAVVA
Say, Pelagueya, has Kondraty inquired for me?
PELAGUEYA
Kondraty! What Kondraty?
SAVVA
Kondraty, the friar; he looks something like a sparrow.
PELAGUEYA
I didn't see any Kondraty. Like a sparrow! That's a funny way of putting it.
SAVVA
Tell Tony to come here, won't you?
PELAGUEYA
Tell him yourself.
SAVVA
Well, well!
PELAGUEYA (calls through the door before she goes out into the tavern) Anthony, Savva wants you.
LIPA
What do you want him for?
SAVVA
What a queer habit you have here of plying a person with questions all the time. Where, who, why, what for?
LIPA (slightly offended)
You needn't answer if you don't want to.
TONY (enters, speaking slowly and with difficulty)
Who wants me?
SAVVA
I am expecting Kondraty here—you know Kondraty, don't you? Send him in when he comes.
TONY
Who are you?
SAVVA
And send in two bottles of whiskey too, do you hear?
TONY
Maybe I do and maybe I don't. Maybe I'll send the whiskey and maybe I won't.
SAVVA
What a sceptic. You've grown silly, Tony.
LIPA
Leave him alone, Savva. He has got that from the seminary student, from Speransky. Anyhow, he is full of—
TONY (sitting down)
I didn't get it from anybody. I can understand everything myself. The blood has congealed in my heart.
SAVVA
That's from drink, Tony. Stop drinking.
TONY
The blood has congealed in my heart. You think I don't know what's what. A while ago you weren't here with us, and all of a sudden you came. Yes, I understand everything. I have visions.
SAVVA
What do you see? God?
TONY
There is no God.
SAVVA
How's that?
TONY
And no devil either. There's nothing, no people, no animals, nothing.
SAVVA
What is there then?
TONY
There are only faces, a whole lot of faces. It's faces, faces, faces. They are very funny, and I keep laughing all the time. I just sit still, and the faces come jumping and gliding past me, jumping and gliding. You've got a very funny face too, Savva. (Sadly) It's enough to make one die of laughter.
SAVVA (laughing gayly)
What kind of a face have I?
TONY
That's the kind of face you have. (Pointing his finger at him) She also has a face, and she. And father too. And then there are other faces. There are a lot of faces. I sit in the tavern and see everything. Nothing escapes me. You can't fool me. Some faces are small and some are large, and all of them glide and glide—Some are far away, and some are as close to me as if they wanted to kiss me or bite my nose. They have teeth.
SAVVA
All right, Tony, now you can go. We'll talk about the faces later.
Your own face is funny enough.
TONY
Yes, of course. I, too, have a face.
SAVVA
All right, all right. Go now. Don't forget to send in the whiskey.
TONY
As in the daytime so at night. A lot of faces. (From the door) And in regards to whiskey, maybe I'll send it and maybe I won't. I can't tell yet.
SAVVA (to Lipa)
Has he been that way a long time?
LIPA
I don't know. I think so. He drinks an awful lot.
PELAGUEYA (going)
No wonder. You're enough to drive a man to drink. Cranks. (Exit)
LIPA
My, how stifling! I don't know what to do with myself. Say, Savva, why aren't you nicer to Polya? She is such a wretched creature.
SAVVA
A slavish soul.
LIPA