Leaving

by Vaclav Havel

  Rieger Goodbye, Bea.

  Rieger hesitates a moment, then quickly kisses Bea on the cheek. She strokes his hair, then picks up her book and runs off. Klein slowly, somewhat ceremoniously approaches, accompanied by Knobloch, with his rake, and Victor. Rieger quickly stuffs the hat into his pocket.

  Knobloch You have a visitor, Mr Chancellor.

  Rieger Patrick Klein. What a surprise! Please, sit down. Can I get you something?

  Klein Some tea, perhaps –

  Rieger Victor, would you do the honours?

  Victor bows and goes into the villa. Knobloch exits as well.

  Klein So – how’s life? I suppose you have more time for your family now. Or do you miss politics?

  Rieger It’s something of a paradox, but it’s only now that I realise how many supporters I really have. It seems I must, after all, have embodied some values that people hold dear.

  Irena enters from the villa.

  Irena Hi!

  Klein Hello.

  Rieger We were just saying that I have a lot of supporters.

  Irena Yes, many people have expressed their interest and their fellow feeling. Hardly a day goes by without some journalists dropping in, or young students planning to write something about him.

  Rieger Irena’s not exaggerating. But, as Havel once told me, popularity isn’t everything.

  Victor enters from the villa with a cup of tea, followed by Monika. Victor gives the tea to Klein.

  Victor Can I get you anything else?

  Klein No, thank you. Unless there’s a tiny drop of rum to go with it.

  Irena The rum is just inside the door, on the left, above my hats and below where Vilem keeps his shoes.

  Victor nods and exits into the villa.

  Klein Clever young man.

  Rieger That’s Victor, the former secretary of my former secretary Hanuš. He’s helping us separate our private things from those that belong to the Chancellor’s office. You wouldn’t believe how difficult that is. But of course, you’ll go through the same thing one day.

  Rieger laughs long and hard at his own joke.

  And what about you? How are you enjoying your new position?

  Klein You know how it is; so far, I’m just trying to work out who’s with us, and who is merely pretending to be with us.

  Victor comes out of the villa with a bottle of rum. He goes up to Klein and puts a few drops of rum into his tea.

  Thank you, Victor. Do you mind if I ask you for one more tiny little thing? I do love biscuits with my tea.

  Irena They’re on the table, Monika. Unless Oswald has squirrelled them away somewhere. He has his own little system of hiding places. Not long ago, for instance, I discovered that he’d put a box with five kinds of cheese in it behind the refrigerator. Imagine that – five kinds of cheese! God knows how long they’d been there, so of course I threw them out.

  Monika exits into the villa. Victor stands back.

  Rieger I hear you’re about to become a cabinet minister.

  Klein The boss told me that at this point in time, he can’t imagine anyone better for the post, and he’s prepared to put my name forward, so the matter’s on the table, but it’s not yet top of the agenda.

  Rieger Victor, you can go home now. You can carry on in the morning.

  Victor With your permission, I’d like to finish sorting through one more important box.

  Rieger What’s in it?

  Victor Some of your private correspondence.

  Rieger You can burn it.

  Irena No, put it aside, and I’ll go through it later.

  Rieger (shouts) Burn it!

  Klein Your archives shouldn’t really be destroyed. One day they’ll have immeasurable value. At the very least, young Miss Gambacci, at the Intergovernmental Historical Commission, should take a look at them.

  Victor Rest assured, Mr Klein.

  Victor exits into the coach house. Monika enters from the villa with a plate of biscuits. She puts it down in front of Klein, who immediately starts to eat them, and will continue to eat them until his exit.

  Klein Thank you, Miss.

  Monika Monika.

  Klein Thank you, Monika. You are very kind and you have such a nice name. I’ve always had a soft spot for Monikas.

  Irena She’s my friend. Monika, would you please try to wake up Oswald?

  Monika If I can find him.

  Monika exits into the villa.

  Klein May I speak freely in front of Irena?

  Rieger Certainly.

  Klein The reason I came –

  Rieger I’m listening –

  Klein It would be unfortunate for you and your family, and an embarrassment to the new leadership, if you suddenly had to move out of here, given that you’ve made such a contribution to the country, and everyone knows how you’ve made this place your home over all those years, and how fond of it you are, and that you really have nowhere else to go.

  Rieger I appreciate your seeing it that way, Patrick. To tell you the truth, I’d never given it much thought. I suppose I just took it for granted that we’d be able to stay on.

  Klein As did I! I didn’t really pay any attention to the matter until my advisors pointed out that someone could start digging into this – and you can just imagine what a field day a rag like The Keyhole would have with that.

  Rieger What do you suggest?

  Klein That the government rent it out to you. Naturally, for an affordable sum – that’s something we could easily defend.

  Rieger That wouldn’t be so bad. What do you think, Irena?

  Irena As the Queen of Sweden once said to me, nothing is free.

  Klein I haven’t come here to offer some kind of deal, certainly not where one’s hearth and home is concerned. I have to say that any such interpretation would be a personal insult, not only to me, but to the entire leadership. That is really and truly not how we wish to do politics, and anyone who thinks we do would be making a terrible mistake, one that we could simply not let pass without some kind of response.

  Rieger Easy now, Patrick. Irena didn’t mean it that way.

  Victor enters from the coach house carrying a stuffed briefcase.

  Victor Goodbye.

  Klein Look after yourself, Victor. I’m sure we haven’t seen the last of each other.

  Victor We certainly haven’t, Mr Deputy.

  Victor exits.

  Klein On the other hand, it has to be said that the new leadership, Vilem, does not wish to see you as an adversary and it certainly has no intention of bringing anything to a head. What good would that serve? It could only lead to instability. So it’s only logical that part of the agreement would be that you too – at least in public – would not come out against us in any way.

  Rieger But Patrick, you surely can’t expect me to say things – about certain people – that I don’t really believe?

  Klein We couldn’t care less what you think about us.

  Irena So what’s your point?

  Klein (to Rieger) It would be in the interests of political harmony in the country if, at the appropriate time and in the appropriate place and in the appropriate way, you were to let it be known that you support the new leadership because you do not wish to question the democratic system in this country and the legal instruments that are now in place. After all, we too wish to put the individual at the centre of our political agenda, and we too want our country to be a safe and secure place.

  The Voice I have the feeling that this dialogue, as important as it is to the play, might also be somewhat boring. But it’s not entirely my fault. Of course, I have an influence on my own play, undeniably, but the main thing is that, when I write, I try to serve the logic of the thing itself, which seems more important to me than my own feelings. For better or worse, I am merely mediating something that transcends me. I can’t rule out one other possibility: that I’m just making excuses for myself. How easy it is, after all, to blame everything on ‘something beyond ourselves’. Sometim
es, when I see everything that gets blamed on ‘something beyond ourselves’, I feel sincere regret.

  The actors all look at Rieger. A short pause.

  Rieger I’ll give it some thought.

  Klein Vilem – you know I’ve always had the highest regard for you. That’s why I’m asking you to stand with both feet planted firmly on the ground. If I don’t get a positive answer from you by tomorrow, I’ll know what that means.

  Klein gets up, takes one more biscuit from the plate, and calls out to Irena.

  My best to Monika!

  Klein exits.

  Irena Vilem?

  Rieger Yes, darling?

  Irena What was in that private correspondence?

  Rieger I really couldn’t say.

  Irena Something intimate?

  Rieger You know very well I’ve always chucked things of a sensitive nature into the fire.

  Irena Into the fire? Your pants are on fire, you liar! (She calls out in different directions.) Oswald! Oswald! Get up!

  End of Act Two.

  Act Three

  The orchard outside the Rieger villa. A day later. Oswald is alone on stage, rearranging the garden furniture. Irena enters, accompanied by Monika and Grandma. Irena sits down, the other women gather around her.

  Irena Where’s Vilem?

  Oswald The Chancellor is taking a bath.

  Grandma Now? In the afternoon?

  Oswald He’ll be out soon. I heard the water running out of the tub ten minutes ago, and he’s probably now shaving, applying aftershave, gelling and combing his hair. Then all he’ll have to do is get dressed.

  Irena Aha, he’s got an interview. Monika, would you mind?

  Monika The maroon sweater?

  Irena If it’s not wrinkled.

  Monika I’ll check.

  Irena Thanks.

  Monika exits into the villa.

  Oswald, could you please dig out that hand-painted plate we got from the Ceausescus, put the fruit Vlasta and Albín brought yesterday on it, get some napkins, small plates and knives and bring it all out here.

  Grandma Are you expecting those reporters again? I wouldn’t bother telling them anything more. Vilem’s told them everything.

  Oswald bows, and exits into the villa. He passes Hanuš, who is coming down the steps.

  Hanuš Is Vilem not here?

  Irena As you can see.

  Hanuš I wanted to ask him about something. Just some final details about office supplies.

  Irena Don’t tell a soul, but he was really sorry to have to give up the Gandhi.

  Hanuš So was I.

  Hanuš exits into the villa, passing Monika on the steps. She’s bringing make-up, the maroon sweater and dark glasses. She puts everything on the table. Then Irena gets up, strips down to her brassiere and puts the sweater on. She hands her discarded top to Monika, sits down again, and starts putting on her make-up and combing her hair. Monika exits into the villa with the clothing.

  The Voice It happens all the time: I remember something I’d forgotten, but then immediately afterwards, I forget what it is I’ve just remembered. It’s getting serious. I’m always forgetting who’s on stage, who’s just exited, what mood they were in when they left the stage, and so on and so forth. I might easily have someone make an entrance and then never have them leave the stage. Or, on the contrary, they might exit at the beginning, then never return. Or I might require them to enter when they’re already on stage, or exit twice in a row without having entered in between. I think I’ll write poetry instead.

  Monika exits into the villa. A few moments later Rieger enters from the villa. He is nattily dressed and groomed, and he’s visibly applied pancake make-up. His hair has been dyed a dark brown.

  Irena (still putting on make-up) They’re blackmailing you.

  Rieger I know.

  Irena You should never have told them you’d think it over.

  Rieger It’s just a turn of phrase.

  Irena If you endorse them, you’d be spitting in your own face. I couldn’t respect you any more.

  Rieger I know.

  Oswald enters from the villa with a tray, carrying a large hand-painted plate with fruit, along with napkins, small plates, little knives, and a bottle of champagne and flutes. He puts the fruit and the other things on the table and retreats to the background, where he stands, waiting to be of service. Victor enters from the coach house.

  Victor They’re on their way. Could I mention one small thing?

  Rieger Did you burn it?

  Victor I think, Dr Rieger, that you should be firm, but at the same time diplomatic. If you are too dismissive of the new leadership too soon, it could be counter-productive, because it could seem that you simply haven’t been able to accept it – that you are still harbouring a grudge, or nursing some bitterness, or a sense of betrayal, or a feeling that you are irreplaceable, or something like that.

  Irena Some advisor you have!

  Rieger Victor’s not my advisor; he’s the former secretary of my former secretary, Hanuš. Did you burn it?

  Victor I’m sorry, but I had to tell you what I think, forgive me. When they get here, I’ll bring them in.

  Rieger Did you burn it or didn’t you?

  Victor Time! Time! There’s never enough time!

  Victor exits rapidly into the coach house. Irena finishes putting on her make-up and brushing her hair; she puts away her make-up and puts the dark glasses up on her head.

  Rieger Mother, would you look to see if any of our cherries are ready to pick?

  Grandma If you’d like.

  Grandma exits into the villa. She passes Monika on the steps.

  Irena You were strutting about like a peacock in front of that Weissenmütelhofová person yesterday, wasn’t he, Monika?

  Monika shrugs her shoulders.

  It was ghastly to watch. I was utterly ashamed of you. Do you think you have to demean yourself in front of every piece of skirt that happens along? Monika, surely you agree –

  Monika shrugs her shoulders.

  Rieger That’s all nonsense. I behaved with that young lady the same way I’d behave with anyone else.

  Irena Listen to him. A lady? Ssssss –

  Offstage, the ‘Ode to Joy’ sounds, then suddenly stops. Zuzana enters from the villa, carrying an open laptop and earphones with a mobile phone clamped between her ear and shoulder. She heads for the swing.

  Zuzana (into the phone) Now? All right, why not, Lili? Yes … Yes … I can do that. Fine. Brilliant! See you soon … Bye.

  Zuzana puts the mobile phone in her pocket, sits down on the swing, opens the laptop, puts on the earphones and starts working on the computer. She pays no attention to anything going on around her. A pause.

  Irena Do you love me?

  Rieger Yes.

  Irena More than you love this house?

  Rieger Yes.

  Irena More than the orchard?

  Rieger Yes.

  Irena More than politics?

  Rieger Yes.

  Irena More than you love yourself?

  Rieger Yes.

  Irena I think you’re talking complete rubbish.

  Victor enters from the coach house and goes to meet Dick and Bob, who are approaching. Grandma enters from the villa carrying a basket. She walks across the stage and exits.

  The Voice What I love about the theatre are the entrances and the exits and the re-entrances, entering from the wings and onto the stage. It’s like going from one world into another. And on stage, I love gates, fences, walls, windows, and, of course, doors. They are the frontiers between different worlds, cross-sections through space and time that carry information about their contours, their beginnings and their ends. Every wall and every door tells us that there is something on the other side of it, and thus they remind us that beyond every ‘other side’ there is yet another ‘other side’ beyond that. Indirectly, they ask what lies beyond the final ‘beyond’, which in fact opens the theme of the mystery of the universe an
d of Being itself. At least that’s what I think.

  Dick sits down, opens his bag and takes out his notes, a notebook, and two recording devices. He places everything in front of him, then takes out several copies of The Keyhole, shows them to everyone present and then puts them on the table as well.

  Dick Tomorrow’s Keyhole. For you.

  Irena Thanks, Dick. Don’t you have today’s?

  Dick You haven’t seen it?

  Irena We only have yesterday’s.

  Everyone except Zuzana takes a copy; some remain on the table. Irena and Monika leaf through their copies for a while and then put them down. Victor, who is standing a little way off, is holding his copy in his hands. Bob walks around the stage, taking pictures, trying to get shots of people holding The Keyhole.

  Rieger I have an idea, my friends. This is my first major interview after these huge changes in my life, and I enjoy working with you. Let’s have a glass of champagne to celebrate!

  Everyone nods. Oswald immediately passes around the flutes, opens the bottle, and pours it. He removes a small packet of cinnamon from his pocket and starts to put a little in Dick’s champagne.

  Dick No, thanks – not today.

  Bob I’ll have some, thank you.

  Oswald sprinkles some cinnamon into Bob’s glass. There is a general toast.

  Rieger So – here’s to our health. May everything turn out well for every one of us. It may be that difficult times lie ahead. But if we stick together, if we can all just like each other, even just a little, if we listen to each other and try to understand each other, they can’t touch us.

  Irena We’re with you, Vilem. Please, be with us.

  Dick shuffles through his notes until he finds the question he was looking for. He turns on the recording devices. As Rieger responds, he writes down the answers in his notebook.

  Dick (reading) Dr Rieger, could you tell us what the essence of your economic policies were when you were Chancellor?

  Rieger That’s a good question. The essence of my policy was an effort to significantly reduce the burden on taxpayers. All taxes were gradually reduced, some were eliminated altogether, such as the tax on the interest on inherited interest. Lowering taxes was meant to stimulate economic growth, which in turn would enable the government to gradually increase pensions and social security payments, so that everyone would really benefit. Is that clear enough?