AKOULiNA. The tea things? All right.
[Brings the things.
NIKiTA (unpacks spirits, rusks, and salt herrings). That"s for myself.
This is yarn for the wife. The paraffin is out there in the pa.s.sage, and here"s the money. Wait a bit (takes a counting-frame); I"ll add it up. (Adds.) Wheat-flour, 80 kopeykas, oil ... Father, 10 roubles ...
Father, come let"s have some tea!
[Silence. AKiM sits on the oven and winds the bands round his legs. Enter ANiSYA with samovar.
ANiSYA. Where shall I put it?
NIKiTA. Here on the table. Well! have you been to the Elder? Ah, that"s it! Have your say and then eat your words. Now then, that"s enough. Don"t be cross; sit down and drink this. (Fills a wine-gla.s.s for her.) And here"s your present.
[Gives her the parcel he had been sitting on. ANiSYA takes it silently and shakes her head.
AKiM (gets down and puts on his sheepskin, then comes up to the table and puts down the money). Here, take your money back! Put it away.
NIKiTA (does not see the money). Why have you put on your things?
AKiM. I"m going, going, I mean; forgive me, for the Lord"s sake.
[Takes up his cap and belt.
NIKiTA. My gracious! Where are you going to at this time of night?
AKiM. I can"t, I mean what d"ye call "em, in your house, what d"ye call "em, can"t stay I mean, stay, can"t stay, forgive me.
NIKiTA. But are you going without having any tea?
AKiM (fastens his belt). Going because, I mean, it"s not right in your house, I mean, what d"you call it, not right, Nikita, in the house, what d"ye call it, not right! I mean, you are living a bad life, Nikita, bad,--I"ll go.
NIKiTA. Eh, now! Have done talking! Sit down and drink your tea!
ANiSYA. Why, father, you"ll shame us before the neighbors. What has offended you?
AKiM. Nothing what d"ye call it, nothing has offended me, nothing at all! I mean only, I see, what d"you call it, I mean, I see my son, to ruin, I mean, to ruin, I mean my son"s on the road to ruin, I mean.
NIKiTA. What ruin? Just prove it!
AKiM. Ruin, ruin; you"re in the midst of it! What did I tell you that time?
NIKiTA. You said all sorts of things! Akim. I told you, what d"ye call it, I told you about the orphan la.s.s. That you had wronged an orphan-- Marina, I mean, wronged her!
NIKiTA. Eh! he"s at it again. Let bygones be bygones.... All that"s past!
AKiM (excited). Past! No, lad, it"s not past. Sin, I mean, fastens on to sin--drags sin after it, and you"ve stuck fast, Nikita, fast in sin! Stuck fast in sin! I see you"re fast in sin. Stuck fast, sunk in sin, I mean!
NIKiTA. Sit down and drink your tea, and have done with it!
AKiM. I can"t, I mean can"t what d"ye call it, can"t drink tea.
Because of your filth, I mean; I feel what d"ye call it, I feel sick, very sick! I can"t what d"ye call it, I can"t drink tea with you.
NIKiTA. Eh! There he goes rambling! Come to the table.
AKiM. You"re in your riches same as in a net--you"re in a net, I mean.
Ah, Nikita, it"s the soul that G.o.d needs!
NIKiTA. Now really, what right have you to reprove me in my own house?
Why do you keep on at me? Am I a child that you can pull by the hair?
Nowadays those things have been dropped!
AKiM. That"s true. I have heard that nowadays, what d"ye call it, that nowadays children pull their fathers" beards, I mean! But that"s ruin, that"s ruin, I mean!
NIKiTA (angrily). We are living without help from you, and it"s you who came to us with your wants!
AKiM. The money? There"s your money! I"ll go begging, begging I mean, before I"ll take it, I mean.
NIKiTA. That"s enough! Why be angry and upset the whole company!
[Holds him by the arm.
AKiM (shrieks). Let go! I"ll not stay. I"d rather sleep under some fence than in the midst of your filth! Faugh! G.o.d forgive me!
[Exit.
NIKiTA. Here"s a go!
AKiM (reopens the door). Come to your senses, Nikita! It"s the soul that G.o.d wants!
[Exit.
AKOULiNA (takes cups). Well, shall I pour out the tea?
[Takes a cup. All are silent.
MiTRITCH (roars). Oh Lord be merciful to me a sinner!
[All start.
NIKiTA (lies down on the bench). Oh, it"s dull, it"s dull! (To AKOULiNA.) Where"s the concertina?
AKOULiNA. The concertina? He"s bethought himself of it. Why, you took it to be mended. I"ve poured out your tea. Drink it!
NIKiTA. I don"t want it! Put out the light.... Oh, how dull I feel, how dull!
[Sobs.
CURTAIN