by Brian Friel
He tails off in some confusion, unsure that he has made his point, any point, unsure that he has impressed Anna, unsure that she has even listened to him. Pause.
Princess (suddenly emerging) My father always said that the quickest and most efficient way to break in a difficult young horse was to hit him over the head with a crowbar. (She demonstrates.) Bang between the ears! Ha-ha. He was right, you know. I’ve done it myself. And it works! It works! It works! (She vanishes again.)
Pause.
Bazarov Lively music, isn’t it?
Anna So you’re not a total philistine.
Bazarov shrugs.
Bazarov Silly word.
Arkady What word?
Bazarov Philistine.
Arkady No, it’s not. It’s a precise word.
Anna Art can at least help us to know and understand people, can’t it?
Bazarov Living does that. (He lays down the ice-cream dish.) That was good.
Anna Not to the same extent; not in any depth.
Dunyasha enters and picks up various dishes around the lawn.
Bazarov What is there to understand in depth? All men are similar physically and intellectually. Each has a brain, a spleen, heart, lungs. Intellectually? – darker and lighter shadings, that’s all. We’re like trees in the forest. Ask any botanist. Know one birch, know them all.
Dunyasha is about to pick up the dish beside Anna.
Anna I’m not finished yet.
Dunyasha Sorry, miss.
Bazarov And Dunyasha is the most wholesome and uncomplicated birch-tree in the whole of Russia.
Dunyasha What does that mean?
Bazarov It means that you’re beautiful and desirable.
Arkady Don’t listen to him, Dunyasha. Uncle Pavel says he’s a bletherskite.
Dunyasha loves this. She give a great whoop of laughter.
Dunyasha He did not, did he? A bletherskite! That’s great! That’s what he is all right! (She goes off laughing.)
Bazarov (calling) I still think you’re beautiful.
Anna So there is no difference between a stupid person and an intelligent person, between a good person and a bad person?
Bazarov Of course there is, just as there is a difference between a sick person and a healthy person. The man with tuberculosis has the same kind of lungs as you and I but they are in a different condition; and as medicine advances we know how to correct that condition. Moral disease, moral imbalance has different causes – our educational system, religious superstition, heredity, the polluted moral atmosphere our society breathes. But remake society and you eradicate all disease.
Anna Physical and moral?
Bazarov All.
Anna (to Arkady) Does he believe that? (to Bazarov) That if you reform society –
Bazarov Remake.
Anna Then all illness, all evil, all stupidity disappear?
Bazarov Because in our remade society the words stupid and clever, good and bad, will have lost the meaning you invest them with, will probably come to have no meaning at all. Do they not play polkas in the houses of the gentry?
Anna (to Arkady) What do you think?
Arkady I agree with Bazarov. Bazarov’s right.
Anna looks keenly at Bazarov.
Anna (suddenly to Arkady) Could I have some more of that ice-cream?
Arkady (jumping to his feet, eager to serve) Wonderful, isn’t it? I made it myself. Ice-cream, Uncle Pavel?
Pavel What’s that?
Arkady Ice-cream – do you want some?
Bazarov ‘Good heavens, no’.
Pavel Good heavens, no.
Arkady (coldly to Bazarov) What about you?
Bazarov Not for me.
Arkady goes to the Princess.
Arkady Princess, would you like –
She emerges momentarily and scowls at him.
Princess Would I like what? What would I like?
Arkady Sorry. (He flees, tripping on the veranda steps.)
Anna He’s such a nice young man.
Bazarov You have unbalanced him.
Arkady (calling above the piano music) Anybody for icecream?
Katya Me, Arkady. Please.
Arkady Fenichka?
She signals no. He goes to her and dances her round the room in time to the music. Anna claps.
Anna (calling) Very good, Arkady! Lovely!
Bazarov Exquisite.
Anna He’s a very good dancer.
Bazarov (sharply) Altogether he’s such a nice young man.
Anna (calling) Beautiful, Arkady. Very elegant.
Arkady Can’t hear you.
Bazarov He can’t take his eyes off you.
Anna Do you dance?
Bazarov No.
Anna I love dancing.
Bazarov Naturally. All aristocrats love dancing.
Anna I’ve told you, Yevgeny – I’m not an aristocrat. Tell me more about your Nihilism.
Bazarov It’s not mine. I don’t possess it like an estate. Tell me what you believe in.
Anna Routine; order; discipline.
Bazarov That’s how you conduct your life, not what you believe in.
Anna It’s adequate for me.
Bazarov Because you have no beliefs or because your beliefs have no passion?
Anna Passion is a luxury. I make no excursions outside what I know and can handle.
Bazarov These new psychiatrists would say that you avoid belief because belief demands commitment and you’re afraid of commitment. And you’re afraid of commitment because it would demand everything of you. And because you’re not prepared to give everything, you give nothing. And you excuse yourself by calling passion a luxury but you know in your heart that your excuse is a lie.
Anna I’m not a liar, Yevgeny Vassilyich.
Bazarov I haven’t met all that many aristocrats like you in my life –
Anna I am not an –
Bazarov – but I’ve noticed that their brain is divided into two equal parts. One part is totally atrophied – the part that might be capable of generosity, enthusiasm, of a thirst for social change, of the desire for risk, for the big gamble, for that dangerous extreme. So they function, these aristocratic cripples, they function with the portion that is left to them; and like some mutilated organ it becomes unnaturally developed and unnaturally active. Hence your aristocrat’s irrational obsession with wheat-yield and good-management and productivity and efficiency –
Anna And routine and order and discipline. Why are you being so difficult?
Bazarov Perhaps I haven’t the grace for aristocratic ladies like you.
Anna My father, my handsome, gambling, risking, reckless father died when I was twenty. Katerina was only nine. For two years we lived in penury, the kind of grinding poverty I suspect you have never known, Yevgeny. Then I met a man who was twenty-five years older than me. He was very wealthy, eccentric, a hypochondriac, enormously fat. He had no illusions about himself. He asked me to marry him. I thought about it very carefully and then I said yes. We had six years together. I still miss him. He was a kind man.
Bazarov So?
Anna So that’s all. I suppose I’m trying to – Oh I don’t know why I told you that.
Bazarov I’m afraid I’m lost here. I mean – am I to applaud your circumspection in netting a rich old eccentric – or commiserate with you on your bereavement? – or congratulate you on your sudden wealth?
Anna Let’s not talk about it any more.
Bazarov Or are you just teasing my appetite for the full biography? Because if you are, I’m afraid I find it less than gripping. But it does have the makings of the kind of rags-to-riches novelette that someone like Dunyasha, or indeed the very nice young Arkady, would probably find irresistible.
Anna jumps to her feet and would leave but Bazarov catches her by the arms.
Oh my God, Anna – forgive me – I’m sorry – I’m sorry – please, please forgive me –
The music has stopped. Everybody is aware of the scene,
of the raised voices. Everybody is staring at them. Bazarov realizes he is holding her and lets her go.
(lowering his voice) I’ve no idea why I said that – it was unpardonable, unpardonable – I’m sorry – I’m deeply sorry – please forgive me – please.
Silence. Pavel, the only person unaware of the scene, closes his book and walks slowly across the stage towards Anna.
Pavel (applauding the pianists) Bravo! Well done! Lovely! Thank you. Your sister is a very talented pianist.
Anna What are you reading, Pavel Petrovich?
Pavel This? Ne vaut pas la peine d’être lu. The Romance of the Forest by an English novelist called Mrs Ann Ward Radcliffe. A simple lady. But it kills time. Harmlessly.
As he goes into the living-room, Arkady enters carrying two dishes of ice-cream – one for Katya and one for Anna.
(with distaste) Good Lord.
Arkady Good Lord, it’s lovely, Uncle Pavel. Here we are! Who ordered what? Katya – there you are – one vanilla ice-cream coated with chocolate dressing and topped with a single glistening cherry.
Katya Thank you, Arkady. Oh, lovely!
Bazarov (softly to Anna) Please forgive me. I’m deeply sorry. (He exits quickly left.)
Arkady (to Katya) My great pleasure. (He comes outside.) And one without dressing for Anna Sergeyevna Odintsov.
Katya comes down beside him.
Katya Did you really make it yourself?
Arkady Why the surprise? I’m an expert at all foods, amn’t I, Bazarov? Where’s Bazarov? In the flat we shared I did all the cooking and he did all the washing and cleaning.
Katya (to Anna) You’re pale. Are you all right?
Anna I’m fine – fine – we’ll soon have to go, Katerina.
Katya No, we’re not leaving for some time. I like it here.
Nikolai and Fenichka come down.
Nikolai I really enjoyed that. I haven’t played piano duets since Maria and I used to sit in there and – (recovering) – oh, not for years and years. Did we go on too long?
Anna Not long enough. We had a lovely evening.
Nikolai I hope it’s the first of many. It’s beginning to get cold. Do you think the Princess is warm enough?
Anna She’s all right. Anyway it’s time we got the carriage ready.
Nikolai Piotr! Piotr! He must be somewhere around. Ah, Prokofyich, would you see to Madam Odintsov’s carriage?
Prokofyich Certainly, madam.
Anna pushes the parasol aside.
Anna Time to move, Auntie Olga. We have a long journey before us.
Princess Long journeys – short journeys – my father always said they all end up in the same place: nowhere, nowhere, nowhere.
Anna takes her arm and together they go into the living-room. Arkady watches Anna as she goes.
Katya You were to show me the litter of pups, Arkady.
Arkady Sorry?
Katya The litter of pups – you were to show me them.
Arkady So I was. We’ll go just now. They’re in the stable.
Katya How many are there?
Arkady Four. Would you like one?
Katya What do you mean – would I like one? We talked about this all morning and you said I could have the pick of the litter. Don’t you remember?
Arkady Of course I remember. And it’s the pick of the litter you’ll get, Katerina.
Katya Katya! Katya! Katya! We talked about that, too! I told you I loathe Katerina. Anna’s the only one who calls me Katerina.
Arkady Sorry, Katya. The pick of the litter – your choice – whatever one you want. Or take two of them. Or three of them. Or take them all.
Katya ‘Take them all’! You’re an awful clown, you know.
Arkady Why?
Katya Just the way you go on. If you want my honest opinion, I think you’re not a very mature person yet.
Arkady Really?!
Katya But that will come in time.
Arkady Oh, good. Then I’ll be like you.
Katya No, no – always a little behind. But close enough. Come on – Anna wants to leave soon.
She leads him off left. Nikolai and Fenichka move downstage. Dunyasha comes into the living-room and tidies around. She is singing.
Nikolai I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Arkady has fallen for young Katya. I noticed, when we were playing the piano, she kept watching him.
Fenichka I think it’s Anna Sergeyevna he likes.
Nikolai Do you think so? Oh, I would hope not. Anna Sergeyevna is a splendid young woman but much too sophisticated for Arkady. Sit down beside me. You must be tired. You had a busy day.
Fenichka I was tired earlier but I’m fine now. When are the boys leaving?
Nikolai The end of next week, I believe. And I’m glad – no, not that they’re leaving – (whispers) – but that Bazarov is finally going to his parents. Hasn’t seen them for three whole years! Can you imagine – not since he started college!
Fenichka Some people live like that. It doesn’t mean he doesn’t care for them.
Nikolai That’s true. Maybe it’s just a matter of being alert to certain sensibilities. He’s fond of you – Bazarov.
Fenichka Is he?
Nikolai Oh, yes. He’s more relaxed with you than with anybody else in the house.
Fenichka I like him, too. Strange man.
Nikolai And Arkady’s also fond of you, thank heaven!
Fenichka I’m very fond of Arkady.
Dunyasha exits. They are alone.
Nikolai And of Mitya. Calls him ‘little half-brother’.
Fenichka I’ve heard him. It’s funny to see them playing together.
Nikolai We had a long talk the other day. We were alone in the garden here. It was like old times – just the two of us. And then do you know what he did out of the blue? He scolded me!
Fenichka Arkady?
Nikolai Quite severely. He said I shouldn’t have allowed you to live above that laundry for so long.
Fenichka (becoming embarrassed) What Arkady doesn’t know is that the room above the laundry is the warmest room in the house.
Nikolai It is also damp. Anyhow his point was that you were pregnant and you should have been in the main building; that it was most insensitive of me. And he’s right.
Fenichka That’s all over, Nikolai. I’m in the main house now. You’re right – it is getting cold.
Nikolai He said, too, that we should be married. Yes. He had no doubts whatever. He thinks it’s ridiculous we’re not married. Remarkable, isn’t it?
Fenichka What is?
Nikolai That that is his attitude. And I found it very reassuring. More than reassuring – encouraging, most encouraging. Wouldn’t you agree?
Fenichka Oh, yes; most encouraging.
Nikolai And of course Pavel would be in favour. No question about his attitude.
Fenichka Has he said that to you?
Nikolai He doesn’t have to say it – I know Pavel. Convention – decorum. Oh, yes, Pavel will want the proprieties observed. So, since I now know what Arkady thinks – and unlike his dithering old father he hadn’t a moment’s hesitation – and since I’ve always known that Pavel would be in favour –
Fenichka buries her face in her handkerchief and cries. Nikolai watches her in alarm and bewilderment.
Fenichka? Fenichka, what’s the matter with –? My God, what have I done wrong? Did I do anything? – did I say anything? Did somebody hurt you? Who hurt you? Please don’t cry, Fenichka. Please. Tell me what’s the matter with you. Fenichka? Fenichka?
She continues to cry. He continues to watch her in bewilderment.
SCENE THREE
End of June.
Arkady and Bazarov are sitting at the dining-room table in Bazarov’s home. With them are Bazarov’s father, Vassily Ivanyich Bazarov, and his mother, Arina Vlassyevna. Vassily Ivanyich is in his early sixties, a tall, thin, pipe-smoking man dressed in an old military jacket. He is very ill at ease in the presence of his guests and talks too much –
and is aware that he is talking too much – to hide his unease.
Arina Vlassyevna is a small, plump woman in her fifties. The first impression is of a quiet, simple country woman. But she is alert to every nuance in the conversation and watches her son and his friend to gauge their reaction to her husband’s compulsive talking. Two servants attend the table – Timofeich, an old retainer, almost decrepit, and Fedka, a very young boy who is employed only because of the visitors. Fedka is barefooted.
Lunch has just finished.
Vassily Very good question, Arkady Nikolayevich: how do I pass the time? Excellent question. And I will tell you the answer to that question. Timofeich, more blackcurrant tea for our guest.
Arkady Just a little, (to Arina) That was a very nice lunch. Thank you.
Arina You’re welcome.
Bazarov gets to his feet and paces around the room.
Vassily Yevgeny?
Bazarov None for me.
Arina (privately to Bazarov) Take another biscuit.
Bazarov (playfully shaking his head) Shhh!
Arina I’m going to have to fatten you up over the next two months.
Bazarov responds by puffing out his cheeks and his chest and miming a fat man.
Vassily How do I pass the time? I’m a bit like ancient Gaul: I’m divided into tres partes, as our friend Caesar might put it. One part is the reader. Another part is the gardener. And the third part is the practising doctor – even though I’m supposed to have retired years ago. Not a day passes but there’s a patient at my door, (to Arina) That wouldn’t be incorrect, my pet, would it? And interestingly enough all of those three parts add up to one complete integer. My reading is all medical reading. My gardening is all medical gardening – I believe I have the best garden of medicinal herbs in the whole province. That wouldn’t be inaccurate, my pet, would it? Nature itself as healer – it’s the answer, you know. As our friend Paracelsus puts it: I trust in herbis, in verbis et in lapidibus.