by Simon Gray
Stan We hoped you’d stay. We wanted you to stay. We argued – that’s all – argued with you to stay. But force – against your will? Never.
Viktor Also we liked your company. You are very Russian. To us, Robert, you are the cat’s knees.
Stan Bee’s whiskers. Finish now please, George.
Blake I am instructed by my superiors to offer on behalf of the KGB profound apologies for my behaviour.
Stan Now everything is understood at last. Yes, Robert?
Bourke What is understood – what I understand – what I think I understand is that I’m free to go.
Stan Exactly. A free man. You always have been.
Viktor But we would like you to stay. Would prefer it.
Bourke Now. I want to go now, please.
Stan Very well. It will take a few days to arrange your travel.
Bourke But go from here now. This place.
Stan I understand. We will find you a hotel – (Looks at Viktor.)
Viktor The Union Hotel. The Department has a suite there. For important guests.
Stan The Union Hotel. (Nods.)
Bourke I need to be away – need to. This very minute.
Stan Then this very minute we go.
Blake (in Russian) You realise he’ll publish his book.
Stan In English, please, George.
Blake You realise, he’ll publish his book.
Stan Then he publishes his book. (To Bourke.) We don’t want you to. But we can’t stop you. And won’t try.
Viktor Though you did make a promise –
Stan In the wrong circumstances. He thought he had no choice. Robert knows our wishes. He will decide for himself.
Blake (in Russian) But – but you can’t – (Catches Stan’s look. In English.) Do you really want to go to the Union Hotel? Looking as you do. And, well, smelling as you do.
Stan (to Bourke) The Union Hotel will be honoured to have you.
Viktor Yes, I’ll make sure of that.
Blake Please – stay, Robert. Just for a few days. So we can – can talk – one last time at least, please, Robert.
Bourke The name is Sean. Sean Bourke. Sean Alphonsus Bourke.
Blake (picks up Bourke’s bag) Don’t forget this, Sean.
Hands it to Bourke. Bourke goes out, followed by Stan and Viktor. Blake stands as, from the hall comes:
Bourke Oh, Zin – I must say goodbye to my darling Zin.
Stan (in Russian) The comrade is leaving.
Viktor (in Russian) He wants to say goodbye.
Zinaida makes gasping, wailing noise.
Bourke Now don’t take on, my Zin, don’t take on – just one more time – for old times’ sake.
Bourke croons ‘Danny Boy’. Zinaida joins in. Bourke laughs.
And a last cuddle. There. Don’t take on so. Think of me from time to time, eh … Goodbye, George.
Sound of steps, front door closing. Blake stands for a moment. Goes to hatch, knocks on it. Zinaida opens hatch. She is dabbing at her eyes with apron.
Blake (in Russian) Zinaida, a bottle of champagne, please.
He walks to his room. Sits down at desk. Zinaida appears, carrying bottle of champagne and a glass on tray. Enters. Puts down fresh bottle and glass, picks up empty bottle and other glass.
(In Russian.) Thank you, Zinaida. Oh – (making an effort at contact) my medals. (Picks them up.) Would you like to give them a polish?
Zinaida brightens slightly. Breathes on medals, rubs them on her apron, looks at them, shakes her head, puts them on tray, goes out. Blake opens bottle, pours himself a glass. Takes a sip. Looks at tape recorder, rewinds, presses ‘Record’.
(To machine.) To the question, in other words, of whether I have in my conscience – in my heart – any remorse, any regrets, I give this answer: how can I have remorse or regrets when I have devoted my life’s work to mankind? And thus have the privilege, indeed the honour of being where I am now. Here. Here in this country of the future.
Presses ‘Stop’, stares ahead. Picks up champagne glass, holds it out in toast.
To the country of the future!
Raises glass to lips. Blackout.
Curtain.
About the Author
Simon Gray was born in 1936. He began his writing career with Colmain (1963), the first of five novels, all published by Faber. He was the author of many plays for TV and radio, also films, including the 1987 adaptation of J. L. Carr’s A Month in the Country, and TV films including Running Late, After Pilkington (winner of the Prix Italia) and the Emmy Award-winning Unnatural Pursuits. He wrote more than thirty stage plays, among them Butley and Otherwise Engaged (which both received Evening Standard Awards for Best Play), Close of Play, The Rear Column, Quartermaine’s Terms, The Common Pursuit, Hidden Laughter, The Late Middle Classes (winner of the Barclay’s Best Play Award), Japes, The Old Masters (his ninth play to be directed by Harold Pinter) and Little Nell, which premiered at the Theatre Royal Bath in 2007, directed by Peter Hall. Little Nell was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2006, and Missing Dates in 2008. In 1991 he was made BAFTA Writer of the Year. His acclaimed works of non-fiction are An Unnatural Pursuit, How’s That for Telling ’Em, Fat Lady?, Fat Chance, Enter a Fox, The Smoking Diaries, The Year of the Jouncer, The Last Cigarette and Coda. With Hugh Whitemore he adapted his Smoking Diaries for the stage: The Last Cigarette was directed by Richard Eyre in 2009. Simon Gray was appointed CBE in the 2005 New Year’s Honours for his services to Drama and Literature. He died in August 2008.
For more information please visit
www.simongray.org.uk
Also by Simon Gray
collected editions
PLAYS ONE
(Butley, Wise Child, Dutch Uncle, Spoiled, The Caramel Crisis, Sleeping Dog)
PLAYS TWO
(Otherwise Engaged, Dog Days, Molly, Pig in a Poke, Man in a Sidecar, Plaintiffs and Defendants, Two Sundays, Simply Disconnected)
PLAYS THREE
(Quartermaine’s Terms, The Rear Column, Close of Play, Stage Struck, Tartuffe, A Month in the Country, The Idiot)
PLAYS FOUR
(Hidden Laughter, The Common Pursuit, The Holy Terror, They Never Slept, After Pilkington, Old Flames)
PLAYS FIVE
(Cell Mates, Life Support, Just the Three of Us, Japes, Little Nell, The Old Masters, The Late Middle Classes)
stage plays
MELON, MICHAEL, SEPARATELY AND TOGETHER, JAPES TOO, THE PIG TRADE, HULLABALOO, THE LAST CIGARETTE (with Hugh Whitemore)
television plays
DEATH OF A TEDDY BEAR, THE PRINCESS, A WAY WITH THE LADIES, SPOILED, THE DIRT ON LUCY LANE, THE STYLE OF THE COUNTESS
radio plays
THE HOLY TERROR, THE RECTOR’S DAUGHTER, WITH A NOD AND A BOW, SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN, LITTLE NELL, MISSING DATES
television films
THE REAR COLUMN, QUARTERMAINE’S TERMS, THE COMMON PURSUIT, RUNNING LATE, FEMME FATALE, UNNATURAL PURSUITS
non-fiction
THE EARLY DIARIES
(An Unnatural Pursuit, How’s That for Telling ’Em, Fat Lady?)
FAT CHANCE, ENTER A FOX, THE SMOKING DIARIES, THE YEAR OF THE JOUNCER, THE LAST CIGARETTE, CODA
fiction
SIMPLE PEOPLE, COLMAIN, A COMEBACK FOR STARK, LITTLE PORTIA, BREAKING HEARTS
films
BUTLEY, A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY
audio books
THE SMOKING DIARIES, THE YEAR OF THE JOUNCER,
THE LAST CIGARETTE, CODA
Copyright
First published in 1995
by Faber and Faber Ltd
Bloomsbury House
74–77 Great Russell Street
London WC1B 3DA
This ebook edition first published in 2017
All rights reserved
© Simon Gray, 1995
Simon Gray is hereby identified as author of this work in accordance with Section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988
All rights whatsoever in
this work are strictly reserved. Applications for permission for any use whatsoever including performance rights in this translation in the UK must be made in advance, prior to any such proposed use, to Judy Daish Associates Ltd, 2 St Charles Place, London W10 6EG. Applications for performance by amateurs in the United Kingdom should be made in advance, before rehearsals begin, to Samuel French Ltd, 52 Fitzroy Street, London W10 6JR. All other applications for performance by amateurs should be addressed to Judy Daish Associates Ltd, as above. No performance may be given without a licence being first obtained.
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author’s and publisher’s rights, and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly
ISBN 978–0–571–34603–5