The Essential Russian Plays & Short Stories. Максим Горький

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The Essential Russian Plays & Short Stories - Максим Горький


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love children. (With pride) And they love me. But they don't care for you.

      LIPA

      I don't play jackstones with them.

      SAVVA

      How silly you are, sister. But I like to play with them.

      LIPA

      Then go ahead and play.

      SAVVA

      Well, I will play.

      LIPA

      When you talk like that I have the feeling once more that it has all been a dream—all that we were saying just now. Is it really true that you want to kill me?

      SAVVA

      Yes, if it must be done. But perhaps it won't be necessary.

      LIPA

      You are joking!

      SAVVA

      Every one of you will have it that I am joking. You keep constantly telling me so. You seem to have utterly lost the sense for what is serious.

      LIPA

      No, it's not a dream. They are going.

      SAVVA

      Yes, they are going. (Both listen)

      LIPA

      You still seem to believe. What do you believe?

      SAVVA

      I believe in my destiny. (The hour begins to strike in the belfry of the monastery) Twelve.

      LIPA (counting)

      Seven—eight—and to think that this is the hour when it should have happened—the very idea of it—(A muffled report as of a powerful explosion is heard) What was that?

      SAVVA

      Yes, what was it?

       [Both rush to the window, waking Tony, who moves his head sleepily. The tread of the footsteps in the street stops momentarily. Then all begin to run. Frightened cries are heard, weeping, loud, abrupt ejaculations of "What's the matter?" "Oh, Lord!" "Fire, fire!" "No, something has fallen down!" "Let's run!" The word "monastery" is frequently heard.

      TONY

      They are running! Where are they running to? Why is nobody here?

      PELAGUEYA (entering the room, half dressed)

      Oh, Lord! Oh, heavens! Is it possible the monastery is on fire! Good gracious! Heavens! And you here, you drunken sot! You monster!

      TONY

      Oho! They are running? Faces, mugs, eh?

       [The bell begins to toll the alarm. Then the strokes follow each other in more rapid succession; hasty, disquieting, uneven, they blend with the noise of the street and seem to creep through the window.

      PELAGUEYA (crying)

      Good God, I don't know where to turn.

       [She runs out. The cries in the street grow louder. Someone yells in one prolonged note "Oh-oh-oh!" until the sound is drowned in the general noise, excitement, and ringing.

      LIPA (moving away from the window, very pale, stupefied) What does it mean? It cannot be. It is impossible. Tony, Tony, get up. Tony, brother, what does it mean? Tony!

      TONY (reassuringly)

      It's nothing. They are all faces.

      SAVVA (leaving the window, calm and stern, but also pale) Well, sister?

      LIPA (flinging herself about the room)

      I want to run with the rest. I'll run. Where is my scarf? Where is my scarf? My God, My God! Where is my scarf?

      SAVVA

      Your scarf? There it is. But I won't give it to you. Sit down; you have nothing to do there.

      LIPA

      Let me have it.

      SAVVA

      No, sit down, sit down. It's too late now anyway.

      LIPA

      Too late?

      SAVVA

      Yes, too late. Don't you hear the noise the crowd is making and the way they are running and pushing?

      LIPA

      I'll run, I'll run.

      SAVVA

      Keep still—sit down. (Forces her to sit down) Tony, did you hear? They've exploded God.

      TONY (looking at Savva's face in terror)

      Savva, don't make me laugh. Turn your face away.

       [Savva smiles and walks around the room with buoyant step, without his usual stoop.

      LIPA (faintly)

      Savva.

      SAVVA

      What is it? Speak louder.

      LIPA

      Is it, really true?

      SAVVA

      It's true.

      LIPA

      And doesn't He really exist?

      SAVVA

      He does not.

       [Lipa begins to cry, at first low, then more and more loudly. The sound of the ringing bells and the noise of the crowd continue to swell. The rolling and clatter of wagons is also heard.

      SAVVA

      They are running. My, how they are running! (Lipa says something, but her words are inaudible) Louder. I can't hear you. My, how they are ringing.

      LIPA (aloud)

      Kill, me, Savva.

      SAVVA

      Why? You'll die anyhow.

      LIPA

      I can't wait. I'll kill myself.

      SAVVA

      Go ahead, kill yourself, kill yourself quick!

       [Lipa cries, burying her head in the armchair Tony, his face distorted with fear, looks at Savva, holding both his hands in readiness at his mouth. Loud peals of the bell. The disquieting sound blends with the loud tone of Savva's speech.

      SAVVA (shouting)

      Ah! They are ringing. Ring on! Ring on! Soon the whole earth will ring. I hear! I hear! I see your cities burning! I see the flames. I hear the crackling. I see the houses tumbling on your heads. There is no place to run to. No refuge! No refuge! Fire everywhere. The churches are burning. The factories are burning. The boilers are bursting. An end to all slavish toil!

      TONY (trembling with fear)

      Savva, shut up, or I am going to laugh.

      SAVVA (unheeding)

      The time has come! The time has come! Do you hear? The earth is casting you out. There is no place for you on earth. No! He is coming! I see him! He is coming, the free man! He is being born in the flames! He himself is fire and resolution! An end to the earth of slaves!

      TONY

      Savva, shut up!

      SAVVA (bending down to Tony)

      Be prepared! He is coming! Do you hear his tread? He is coming! He is coming!

      CURTAIN

      THE FOURTH ACT

      


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