Plays by Aleksandr Nikolaevich Ostrovsky Part 9

LEONiD. And so you will let me kiss you? [_He kisses her timidly_] No, no, let me kiss your hand.

NaDYA. [_Hides her hand_] No, no, how could you! What do you mean....

LEONiD. Why not? I'll tell you what, you are the most precious thing on earth to me.

NaDYA. Is that really so?

LEONiD. You see, no one ever loved me before.

NaDYA. Aren't you fooling?

LEONiD. No, truly!.... Truly, no one has ever loved me. Honest to G.o.d....

NaDYA. Don't swear; I believe you without it.

LEONiD. Let's go sit down on the bench.

NaDYA. Yes, let's. [_They sit down._

LEONiD. Why do you tremble so?

NaDYA. Am I trembling?

LEONiD. You are.

NaDYA. Then, it must be that I feel a bit chilly.

LEONiD. Just let me wrap you up. He covers her with one side of his cloak, embracing her as he holds it around her. She takes his hand and holds it.

NaDYA. And now let's sit this way and talk.

LEONiD. What are we going to talk about? I shall say only one thing to you: I love you.

NaDYA. You will say it, and I shall listen.

LEONiD. You'll get tired of one and the same thing.

NaDYA. Maybe you'll get tired of it; I never shall.

LEONiD. Then let me speak. I love you, little Nadya. [_He rises and kisses her._

NaDYA. Why do you do that? Just sit quietly, as we said we would.

LEONiD. Shall we sit like this, with our hands folded?

NaDYA. [_Laughing_] Like that. Hear, a nightingale is singing in the thicket. Sit down and listen. How nice it is to listen!

LEONiD. Like this?

NaDYA. Yes, as we sit together. It seems as if I could sit here all my life and listen. What could be better, what more could one want?....

LEONiD. Nadya, dear, that would really be a bore.

NaDYA. What fellows you men are! You get sick of things in no time. But I, you see, am ready to sit out the whole night, to look at you, without lowering my eyes. It seems as if I should forget the whole world!

_Tears start in her eyes, she bends her head, and then looks at_ LEONiD _fixedly and musingly._

LEONiD. Now it would be nice to go rowing; it is warm, the moon is s.h.i.+ning.

NaDYA. [_Absently and almost mechanically_] What is it, sir?

LEONiD. To go rowing; I should row you out to the little island. It is so pleasant there, on the island. Well, let's go. [_He takes her by the hand._

NaDYA. [_In a revery_] Where, sir?

LEONiD. Where, where? I told you; didn't you hear me?

NaDYA. Oh, forgive me, dearest master. I was thinking and didn't hear anything. Dearest master, forgive me!

[_She lays her head upon his shoulder._

LEONiD. I say, let's go to the island.

NaDYA. [_Nestling up to him_] Oh, wherever you please! Even to the end of the world! If only with you.... Take me wherever you want.

LEONiD. Nadya, you are so good, so sweet, that it seems as if I must burst out crying, just to look at you. [_They approach the boat_] Good-by, Liza.

LiZA. [_Coming from the bushes, she makes a warning gesture_] Look out, you two! [LEONiD _and_ NaDYA _sit down in the boat and move away_] There, they've gone! And I must wait here for them! This is awful, simply awful!

At night, in the garden, and all alone, too! What a fix for me--afraid of everything, and.... [_She glances about her_] Heavens, this is deadly! If there were only somebody here, it would be all right, I'd have somebody to talk to. Holy Saints! Somebody's coming! [_She looks_] Oh, all right; just our old folks from the fair. [_She hides herself._

SCENE III

_Enter_ POTaPYCH _in an overcoat and a broad-brimmed hat, and with a cane, somewhat tipsy;_ GAVRiLOVNA _in an old-fas.h.i.+oned bonnet. They sit down on the bench._

POTaPYCH. No, Gavrilovna, not that ... don't say that!... Our lady is so ... such a kind mistress!... Here, we asked if we could go to the fair, and she said to go along.... But what they say about her ... that I don't know: it's not my business, and so I don't know anything about it.

GAVRiLOVNA. Why _not_ let us go, Potapych? You and I are not youngsters; we shan't be spoiled!

POTaPYCH. You can't let the young folks go, because you must have models for everything, Gavrilovna. Whatever models a person has in front of him, he may, very likely ... most probably....

GAVRiLOVNA. Well, why did she let Grisha go? She said she wouldn't; well, and then she ought not to have done it.

POTaPYCH. Vasilisa Peregrinovna stirred me up a lot on Grisha's account a while ago ... she stirred me up a lot, but I don't know. It's not my business, so I don't know anything about it.

GAVRiLOVNA. What's this you were saying about models? It would be better for her to show a better example herself! As it is, she only keeps shouting: "Watch, I tell you, watch the girls!" But what's the use of watching them? Are they all babies? Every person has his own brains in his head. Let every one think for himself. All you need to do is to look out for the five-year-olds, that they don't spoil something or other. What a life for a girl! There's nothing worse on earth! But the mistress doesn't want to consider whether a girl gets much fun out of life. Well, _does_ she get much? Say!