Plays by Aleksandr Nikolaevich Ostrovsky Part 54

ULYaNA. Heavens, he's out of his head! You've lost your mind! Go and see for yourself if you don't believe us.

KRASNoV. [_At the door_] Lukerya Danilovna!

ULYaNA. Call, call; she ran over there, too. _Enter_ KuRITSYN.

SCENE IV

_The same and_ KuRITSYN

KuRITSYN. What are you yelling for, are you teaching your wife? That's good for her, so she won't run away from home.

KRASNoV. But where is she? Where is she? Spare me; you're tearing me to pieces.

KuRITSYN. She'll come back; she doesn't spend the night there.

ULYaNA. You'd better calm yourself, brother; sit down.

KuRITSYN. We'll all wait for her, the lady.

KRASNoV. She petted me, fondled me, pressed me close to her heart.

TATYaNA _enters quietly and looks around_.

SCENE V

_The same and_ TATYaNA

KRASNoV. Where have you been? Have you had a good time? Speak, don't hide it! Why are you silent? Speak! You see: everybody has come to view my shame.

ULYaNA. Why don't you talk, you shameless creature! You think you can get out of it by silence? We saw how you went over there and came back.

KuRITSYN. Trample on her, brother, trample on her hard; she'll talk.

KRASNoV. Don't torment me! Tell me, what am I to think of you? What? Are these people lying? Then I'll turn 'em out, head over heels! Or maybe they're telling the truth? Deliver me from my sinful thoughts! Tell me, which of you is my enemy? Were you there?

TATYaNA. What's the use of lying, since you've all seen me. I was there.

KRASNoV. [_Beside himself_] There, good people, there--that's how it is!

What shall I do now? What can I--pardon me, a sinner, for doing you wrong!

How other men's wives behave, I don't know; but this is the way in our family.

ULYaNA. Now we'll watch your pride. How will you show yourself among people now, shameless woman? You've disgraced our brother, disgraced him!

AFoNYA. Viper, viper!

KuRITSYN. What's the use of looking at her! She ought to pay the penalty right off.

_ARKHiP comes in._

SCENE VI

_The same and_ ARKHiP

ARKHiP. What punishment has G.o.d sent us? Why so much noise? Is there a fire? You know I can't see.

ULYaNA. The sweet bride has been up to mischief! If I were in brother's place, I'd take her and crush her.

KRASNoV. Away, away! Don't, don't anybody lay a finger on her! I'm her husband, so I'm her judge. Now tell me, why did you do it? Why did you go astray? Were you drawn into the net of sin? Perhaps you didn't dream of such a thing of your own accord. Perhaps you didn't expect it? Or did you rush into sin of your own free will? How about you now? Do you repent or not? Or maybe you think that was the right thing to do? Speak! Why are you silent? Are you abashed before people, or are you happy? Are you ashamed, or are you glad of what you've done? Are you made of stone? Roll at every one's feet, crucify yourself! Or will you tell me outright that you did it to spite me! I want to know what to do with you--spare you, or kill you.

Did you love me at least a little bit; is there any reason for my sparing you? Or did you cheat me all the time? Did I only dream of happy days?

TATYaNA. [_With tears_] I'm guilty, Lev Rodionych. I deceived you. I never loved you, and don't love you now. You'd better leave me, rather than have both of us suffer. Better that we part!

KRASNoV. How part? Where shall we go? No, you lie! Whom shall I punish for my shame? You say you don't love me, and never did, while I went around town and boasted that a beautiful lady loved me. How shall I take revenge for this insult? Go in the kitchen! You can't be a wife, so be a cook! You couldn't walk hand in hand with your husband, so fetch water for him. You have aged me in a day, and now I'll make sport of your beauty! Every day that the fair sun rises, you'll get nothing from me but slaps and curses all your life; maybe some time when I'm angry, I'll kill you like a dog.

Some one give me a knife!

TATYaNA _runs out_.

AFoNYA. Brother! brother! She's going, she's going away.

KRASNoV. She won't escape me!

AFoNYA. She's going to the gentleman. I heard them planning to go away to the country.

KRASNoV. Who'll take her from me, if I won't give her up? Who in the whole world is strong enough to take her from me? If they take her they'll have to tear my arms off.

AFoNYA. [_Looking out of the door_] Brother, she's getting ready! She's leaving, brother!

KRASNoV. [_Pus.h.i.+ng him aside_] Stand aside! A woman leaves her husband only for the grave, for nowhere else! [_Goes out. The cry of_ TATYaNA _is heard_: "Let me go!" _He comes back_] Bind me! I've killed her.

AFoNYA. Serves her right.

ULYaNA. Ah, my dear! What will happen to you now?

ARKHiP. Where is he? Where is he? [AFoNYA _leads him_] What have you done?

Who gave you the right? Is she guilty only towards you? First of all, she is guilty before G.o.d; and you, a proud and willful man, have taken it upon yourself to judge? You couldn't wait for the merciful judgment of G.o.d; so now go to the judgment of man, yourself! Bind him!

KuRITSYN. He didn't expect it, he didn't foresee it, but he fell into sorrow! Sorrow walks not through the woods, but among men.