Without a Dowry and Other Plays

by Alexander Ostrovsky

  MME NYEGIN. So choose yourself a life companion.

  VELIKATOV. And where would you advise me to find one?

  MME NYEGIN. Get married, get yourself a nice young lady. Anyone would marry you, even one from the very best of families.

  VELIKATOV. But I’m afraid, Aunty.

  MME NYEGIN. Come now, what’s there to be afraid of, what’s so frightening about it?

  VELIKATOV. Life will be sadder.

  MME NYEGIN. Oh no, that’s where you’re wrong. How could that happen! There’s a world of difference between a married man and a bachelor.

  VELIKATOV. They like to play the piano a lot, and I can’t stand that.

  MME NYEGIN. All the same it’s music. But what pleasure does a bachelor have? Aside from a drink with his friends he doesn’t have any joy in life.

  VELIKATOV. But the household, Domna Pantelyevna? What would you say about that?

  MME NYEGIN. Well, of course, if a man maintains a household…

  VELIKATOV. That’s a sin I have. In the country I have a nice little home with about forty rooms, quite a lot of horses, a little garden laid out for almost two thirds of a mile, with arbors, with ponds…

  MME NYEGIN. What you’re saying is that everything is the way it should be with a good landowner. Isn’t that it?

  VELIKATOV. Everything’s in good order, Domna Pantelyevna. If you get bored indoors, you can go out on the porch, and the turkey cocks are going through the yard, all of them white.

  MME NYEGIN. White! You don’t say!

  VELIKATOV. So you shout out to them, “Hello there, boys!” And they answer back, “We wish you health, honorable sir.”

  MME NYEGIN. They’re trained?

  VELIKATOV. Trained. So you can amuse yourself with them. Peacocks sit on the roofs and fences, and their tails play in the sun.

  MME NYEGIN. Peacocks too? Good heavens!

  VELIKATOV. You go out in the park for a walk, and you see swans swimming in the lake. They’re always in pairs, always in pairs, Domna Pantelyevna.

  MME NYEGIN. And you really have swans? That’s heaven itself! If only I could set my eyes on it.

  VELIKATOV (looking at his watch). We’ve had such a nice pleasant talk, Aunty, I hate to leave. I’d like to talk some more, but there’s not time. Excuse me, I have some business.

  MME NYEGIN. I’d like to talk some more too, it’s so pleasant with you… A nice well-mannered man like you I’ve never seen in all my life…

  VELIKATOV. I made some money from the benefit, Domna Pantelyevna, so let me offer you a little gift. (He goes off to the entry and brings back a package wrapped in paper, which he gives to Mme. Nyegin.)

  MME NYEGIN. What is it?

  VELIKATOV. It’s a kerchief.

  MME NYEGIN (unwrapping the paper). You call this a kerchief? Say rather it’s a whole shawl, such as I’ve never sewn my whole life. How much did it cost?

  VELIKATOV. I don’t know, I got it for nothing from a friendly merchant.

  MME NYEGIN. But what’s it for, sir? Really, I don’t know what to do… I’ll just give you a kiss, allow me that, dear friend… my heart can’t hold out.

  VELIKATOV. Do me the favor, as much as you want.

  Mme. Nyegin kisses him.

  Good-bye. Give my respects to Alexandra Nikolavna. We might not be seeing each other. (He leaves.)

  Mme. Nyegin sees him to the entry and returns.

  MME NYEGIN. Where did such people come from! Good heavens! (She puts on the shawl.) I won’t even take it off now. (She looks in the mirror.) I’m a lady, a real lady! What a man! But what good are those others we have? I’d rather not lay eyes on them. Still, there are worthwhile people in the world. (She listens.) Who could that be?

  Narokov enters with wreaths and bouquets.

  NAROKOV. Here, take them! Those are your daughter’s laurels! You can be proud!

  MME NYEGIN. Whoever saw the like! Why bring us these wreaths? What good are they!

  NAROKOV. Ignorance! These wreaths signify enthusiasm, they signify the recognition of talent in return for the happiness it provides. Laurels are a diploma representing honor and respect.

  MME NYEGIN. How much money thrown away on this brushwood! The money would have been better, with that we could have found a place, but this pile of junk… what can we do with it? Just throw it in the stove.

  NAROKOV. You’d only run through the money, but this will always stay with you as a memento.

  MME NYEGIN. Yes, of course, we’ve got to save every bit of trash! I’ll throw it out the window this very night. You look at this! (She shows him the shawl and turns around before him.) Now that’s what I call a gift! It’s nice, charming, delicate.

  NAROKOV. Well, to each his own, I won’t be jealous of you; it’s your daughter I’m jealous of. I’ll just take a few little leaves for a memento. (He tears off a few little leaves.)

  MME NYEGIN. You can take them all if you want, I won’t cry.

  NAROKOV (takes a sheet of paper out of his pocket). Give this to Alexandra Nikolavna.

  MME NYEGIN. Now what? A note from somebody? I’m so fed up with these stupid things.

  NAROKOV. It’s from me… a poem… I was born in Arcadia too.9

  MME NYEGIN. Where, Prokofyich, where did you say?

  NAROKOV. It’s far from here. You’ve never been there and never will be. (He shows his poem to Mme. Nyegin.) You see there, that little border; it has forget-menots, pansies, cornflowers, and ears of corn. And look there, a bee sitting, and a butterfly flying… I was a whole week drawing it.

  MME NYEGIN. Then you should give it to her yourself.

  NAROKOV. It’s embarrassing. Look here. (He points to his head.) I’m bald, what little hair I have is gray! But my feelings are young, fresh, full of youth, and I’m embarrassed. Here, you give it to her. Only don’t you throw it away! You’re really a coarse woman, you have no feeling. You coarse people like to throw things away, to trample on everything tender, everything refined.

  MME NYEGIN. Oh you! You’re so sensitive. But everyone can’t be like that. Just set it on the table, she’ll see it when she comes.

  NAROKOV (puts the paper on the table). Yes, that’s true, I’m a sensitive man. Goodbye. (He leaves.)

  MME NYEGIN. That man is crazy! But he’s all right, he has a good heart, I’m not afraid of him. Others do things a lot worse, smash crockery and run around biting people. But this one’s peaceful. Somebody’s there, it must be Sasha. (She goes to the door.)

  Alexandra enters carrying a bouquet and a box. She puts them on the table.

  ALEXANDRA. Oh, how tired I am! (She sits down at the table.)

  MME NYEGIN. Should I have the coachman go?

  ALEXANDRA. No, why do that! I’ll just rest a bit, and then we’ll take a ride, for the fresh air. It’s still not too late. After all, he’s been hired for the whole evening.

  MME NYEGIN. In that case let him wait, you don’t want to pay out that money for nothing!

  ALEXANDRA. What’s that shawl you’re wearing?

  MME NYEGIN. Velikatov gave it to me. He says he made money on the benefit. What do you thing, is it pretty?

  ALEXANDRA. It’s a wonderful shawl, and expensive.

  MME NYEGIN. He says he got it for nothing.

  ALEXANDRA. And you believe him! He’s always saying things like that. So he was here?

  MME NYEGIN. Yes, he dropped by and brought the money.

  ALEXANDRA. Why didn’t he try to see me?

  MME NYEGIN. I don’t know. He was in a hurry to go somewhere, maybe he’s leaving.

  ALEXANDRA. That’s possible. How strange he is, you can’t understand him at all. (Pensively.) I think a man like him, if he wanted, could sweep a woman right off her feet.

  MME NYEGIN. No question about it! And you couldn’t blame the woman either, how could you blame her! After all, the heart’s not a stone, and fine fellows like him are few and far between, I don’t suppose you’d meet another man like him your whole life. Not like those meek ones who
don’t do anything worth thinking of. He was telling me about his estate in the country. What a wonderful household he has there!

  ALEXANDRA. That’s not surprising, he’s very rich.

  MME NYEGIN. Don’t you want some tea?

  ALEXANDRA. No, wait awhile. (Looking at the table.) What’s that?

  MME NYEGIN. It’s what Prokofyich brought you as a remembrance.

  ALEXANDRA (looking over the paper). Oh, how nice! What a kind, nice old man he is!

  MME NYEGIN. Yes, he’s a kind, good man. It’s just that he had a bankrupture, and that made him crazy. Well, how are we going to figure out that money?

  ALEXANDRA. What’s there to figure out! First of all we have to pay the debts, and we’ll live on what’s left over.

  MME NYEGIN. And there’ll be only a little left, nothing to get rich on.

  ALEXANDRA. Yes, it’s going to be harder now, without any salary. And where can I go, whom do I know? And I need clothes again.

  MME NYEGIN. About two hundred, maybe two hundred and fifty, there won’t be any more than that left, no matter how we twist it. That’s what we have to live on all summer. Allow a kopeck and a half a day, and a day’s still a day. In the fall they’ll call us to Moscow, they say actresses are needed there.

  ALEXANDRA. I could give up the stage and get married, but Peter Yegorych hasn’t found a position yet. If I could only do some kind of work.

  MME NYEGIN. What, give up the stage! You’ve just got in one day what you wouldn’t earn in three years at some other work.

  ALEXANDRA. We get a lot, but we have to spend a lot.

  MME NYEGIN. Any way you look at it, Sasha, this life of ours isn’t too sweet. I’ll have to tell you, I’m sick of our being so poor.

  ALEXANDRA. Sick of it… yes… sick of it… I’ve thought and thought till I’ve simply given up thinking. Well, let’s sleep on it, we’ll talk it over tomorrow.

  MME NYEGIN. All right, but now let’s have some tea. (She listens.) Who could that be this time?

  Bakin enters.

  BAKIN. I’ve come for a drink of tea, Alexandra Nikolavna!

  ALEXANDRA. Oh, excuse me, I can’t receive you. I’m very tired, I must rest. I want to be alone, to calm down.

  BAKIN. But a half hour, what’s a half hour!

  ALEXANDRA. I really can’t, I’m so worn out.

  BAKIN. Very well, then I’ll drop back in ten or fifteen minutes. That’ll give you time to rest up.

  ALEXANDRA. No, no, do me a favor! Come tomorrow, whenever you want, only not tonight.

  BAKIN. Alexandra Nikolavna, for some reason or other I don’t like changing my intentions. I always want to carry out what I’ve thought of, and, with my persistence, I succeed.

  ALEXANDRA. I’m very glad you succeed, but you must excuse me, I’m going to leave you, I’m very tired.

  BAKIN. All right, you can leave, but I’m going to stay on in this room. I’ll sit right through the night in this chair.

  ALEXANDRA. Now stop joking! This has gone far enough.

  BAKIN. You don’t believe me? Then I’ll prove to you I’m a resolute man.

  MME NYEGIN. And I, dear sir, am a resolute woman who’s about to shout for help.

  BAKIN (to Alexandra). Listen, are you afraid somebody will find me here with you?

  ALEXANDRA. I’m not afraid of anybody or anything.

  BAKIN. All your admirers are eating supper now at the railroad station. The Prince, Velikatov, and Nina Smelsky are with them. And they’re staying there till morning.

  ALEXANDRA. That’s no concern of mine!

  BAKIN. And your fiancé is probably asleep. But then I don’t even believe you love him.

  ALEXANDRA. Oh my God, this is unbearable! I don’t care what you believe.

  BAKIN. You only keep him near you as protection against other men’s attentions, but when you find a man you like you’ll throw him over. It’s always that way.

  ALEXANDRA. All right, I heard you.

  BAKIN. You’re being terribly fastidious. What are you waiting for? What blessing? You see before you a man who is educated, secure… If I don’t come courting, if I don’t say sweet nothings, if I don’t make a declaration of love, it’s because those aren’t my principles. We’re not children, so why pretend! Let’s talk like grown-up people.

  ALEXANDRA. Good-bye. (She goes off.)

  MME NYEGIN. Well, sir, you’ve had your little talk. It’s time now to give people some peace! But if you want to talk, do it with me; I have a ready tongue.

  BAKIN (loudly). All the same I’ll drop in again. (He goes off.)

  MME NYEGIN. I’ll lock up the entrance. I won’t let a soul in now, not even if he’s dying there. (She goes off.)

  A sharp exchange of words is heard off stage. Alexandra enters.

  ALEXANDRA What’s going on there?

  Mme. Nyegin, Vasya, and the tragedian enter. Vasya has a bottle of champagne.

  MME NYEGIN. They’re depraved, they’re really depraved! They forced their way in, they won’t listen to reason at all.

  VASYA. But you can’t act like that, Domna Pantelyevna. We simply must drink to the health of Alexandra Nikolavna, that’s something we can’t do without. What is all this! We’ve come here with honorable and noble intentions, with all due respect! There’s nothing disgraceful at all, really now!

  TRAGEDIAN. Of course not! Since I’m here.

  ALEXANDRA. But you’re troubling yourselves for nothing. I won’t drink anything.

  VASYA. If that’s the way you want, miss. There’ll be all the more left for us, we’ll drink by ourselves. (He shouts in the direction of the partition.) You there, my dear smart girl, bring us some glasses!

  MME NYEGIN. Give me that, I’ll open it. (She takes the bottle and goes off.)

  TRAGEDIAN. You say you won’t drink anything, but I’d like to see you not drink with me here!

  VASYA. You shouldn’t force her, sir.

  TRAGEDIAN. I won’t force her, I’ll ask her.

  Mme Nyegin returns. She places the bottle and glasses on the table.

  VASYA (pours). We’ll start with you, elders first, ma’am.

  MME NYEGIN. I don’t know whether to drink or not. I’m afraid of getting tipsy.

  VASYA. What is all this! What’s there to be afraid of? It’s getting on in the night, so even if you do get tipsy, it’s no great catastrophe. He and I aren’t afraid of that.

  MME NYEGIN (takes the glass). Well, Sasha, congratulations! (She drinks.)

  VASYA (carries a glass to Alexandra). Now let me ask you.

  ALEXANDRA. I already told you I won’t drink anything.

  VASYA. You can’t do that to us, miss. We’ve come with nothing but good will. Just half!

  TRAGEDIAN (falling to his knees). Sasha, Alexandra! Look who’s asking you! Look who’s at your feet! It’s Gromilov, Yerast Gromilov himself!

  ALEXANDRA. Well, all right, I’ll drink a little bit. Only I won’t drink more than that for anything. (She drinks.)

  VASYA (helping the tragedian to his feet). As much as you want, miss. (He takes her glass.) We’ll drink what’s left and find out your thoughts. (He pours glasses.) Now we’ll drink, sir. (He gives a glass to the tragedian.)

  TRAGEDIAN. Congratulate her for the two of us. My eloquence isn’t in good shape tonight.

  VASYA. It is my honor, miss, to congratulate you on your success. A hundred years of life and a million rubles! (He clinks glasses with the tragedian, and they drink.)

  TRAGEDIAN (giving his glass). Pour some more. (Vasya pours; the tragedian drinks.) Is that all?

  VASYA (showing the bottle). That’s all.

  TRAGEDIAN. I see. Let’s go.

  VASYA (to Alexandra). Farewell! Please give me your hand, miss. And excuse our ignorance, miss. Our thanks to this house, now we’ll go to another.

  They leave.

  MME NYEGIN. What muddleheads! Going through town like a whirlwind. Now I’ll lock up, they were just too much for us. (She goes off and soon returns.) Wel
l, now we can drink our tea!

  ALEXANDRA. I’ll be glad to have some.

  MME NYEGIN (at the partition). Matryona, pour each of us a cup of tea. (To Alexandra.) Hand me over that gift there.

  ALEXANDRA (giving a small box). But you’ve already seen what’s there, some earrings and a brooch.

  MME NYEGIN. I just want to put them away. You know they’re worth a lot. (She puts the small box into her pocket.) What’s good about things like these, what’s so pleasant about them, is that in time of need they can be pawned straight off. Not like all that brushwood.

  Matryona brings two cups of tea and goes off.

  ALEXANDRA (sipping the tea). You should see the bouquet Velikatov brought me. Look!

  MME NYEGIN. Well, what about the bouquet! A bouquet’s a bouquet. Money thrown away for nothing, that’s what I think. (She drinks her tea.)

  ALEXANDRA. No, look! The flowers are all expensive. Where do you suppose he got them?

  MME NYEGIN (looking over the bouquet). Yes, it is pretty, you have to say that. (She finds a note.) But what’s this?

  ALEXANDRA (reads the note to herself). Oh, oh!

  MME NYEGIN. What is it?

  ALEXANDRA (grabbing onto her head). Oh no, wait! I have another note. And I forgot it. (She takes a note out of her pocket.) It’s from Peter Yegorych, he gave it to me at the stage door. (She reads it to herself.)

  MME NYEGIN. Read it out loud! What kind of secrets does anybody keep from a mother!

  ALEXANDRA (reads). “Yes, dear Sasha, art is not nonsense, I am beginning to understand that. Tonight I found so much warmth and sincerity in your acting that I simply must tell you I was amazed. I am very happy for you. These are rare and precious qualities of the soul. After the performance some people will probably visit you at home. In the presence of your guests I always feel something unpleasant, either embarrassment or vexation, I feel awkward. They all look at me in a hostile or mocking way, which you yourself know I don’t deserve. Because of these considerations I won’t drop in on you after the theater, but if you should find two or three free minutes, then run out into the garden, I’ll be waiting for you there. Of course, I could drop in on you tomorrow morning, but, excuse me, my heart is filled to the brim, to the point of overflowing…”(She wipes away tears.)