[Runs away.
NIKiTA (rises). How can I go? How can I take the holy icon in my hands? How am I to look her in the face! (Lies down again.) Oh, if there were a hole in the ground, I"d jump in! No one should see me, and I should see no one! (Rises again.) No, I shan"t go.... May they all go to the devil, I shan"t go! (Takes the rope and makes a noose, and tries it on his neck.) That"s the way!
[Enter MATRYoNA. NIKiTA sees his mother, takes the rope off his neck, and again lies down in the straw.
MATRYoNA (comes in hurriedly). Nikita! Nikita, I say! He don"t even answer! Nikita, what"s the matter? Have you had a drop too much? Come, Nikita dear; come, honey! The people are tired of waiting.
NIKiTA. Oh dear, what have you done with me? I"m a lost man!
MATRYoNA. But what is the matter then? Come, my own; come, give them your blessing, as is proper and honorable, and then it"ll all be over!
Why, the people are waiting!
NIKiTA. How can I give blessings?
MATRYoNA. Why, in the usual way! Don"t you know?
NIKiTA. I know, I know! But who is it I am to bless? What have I done to her?
MATRYoNA. What have you done? Eh, now he"s going to remember it! Why, who knows anything about it? Not a soul! And the girl is going of her own accord.
NIKiTA. Yes, but how?
MATRYoNA. Because she"s afraid, of course. But still she"s going.
Besides, what"s to be done now? She should have thought sooner! Now she can"t refuse. And his kinsfolks can"t take offense either. They saw the girl twice, and get money with her too! It"s all safe and sound!
NIKiTA. Yes, but what"s in the cellar?
MATRYoNA (laughs). In the cellar? Why, cabbages, mushrooms, potatoes, I suppose! Why remember the past?
NIKiTA. I"d be only too glad to forget it; but I can"t! When I let my mind go, it"s just as if I heard.... Oh, what have you done with me?
MATRYoNA. Now, what are you humbugging for?
NIKiTA (turns face downward). Mother! Don"t torment me! I"ve got it up to there!
[Puts his hand to his throat.
MATRYoNA. Still it has to be done! As it is, people are talking. "The master"s gone away and won"t come; he can"t make up his mind to give his blessing." They"ll be putting two and two together. As soon as they see you"re frightened they"ll begin guessing. "The thief none suspect who walks bold and erect!" But you"ll be getting out of the frying-pan into the fire! Above all, lad, don"t show it; don"t lose courage, else they"ll find out all the more!
NIKiTA. Oh dear! You have snared me into a trap!
MATRYoNA. That"ll do, I tell you; come along! Come in and give your blessing, as is right and honorable;--and there"s an end of the matter!
NIKiTA (lies face down). I can"t!
MATRYoNA (aside). What has come over him? He seemed all right, and suddenly this comes over him! It seems he"s bewitched! Get up, Nikita!
See! There"s Anisya coming; she"s left her guests!
[ANiSYA enters, dressed up, red and tipsy.
ANiSYA. Oh, how nice it is, mother! So nice, so respectable! And how the people are pleased.... But where is he?
MATRYoNA. Here, honey, he"s here; he"s laid down on the straw and there he lies! He won"t come!
NIKiTA (looking at his wife). Just see, she"s tipsy too! When I look at her my heart seems to turn! How can one live with her? (Turns on his face.) I"ll kill her some day! It"ll be worse then!
ANiSYA. Only look, how he"s got all among the straw! Is it the drink?
(Laughs.) I"d not mind lying down there with you, but I"ve no time!
Come, I"ll lead you! It is so nice in the house! It"s a treat to look on! A concertina! And the women singing so well! All tipsy! Everything so respectable, so nice!
NIKiTA. What"s nice?
ANiSYA. The wedding--such a jolly wedding! They all say it"s quite an uncommon fine wedding. All so respectable, so nice! Come along! We"ll go together! I have had a drop, but I can give you a hand yet!
[Takes his hand.
NIKiTA. (pulls it back with disgust). Go alone! I"ll come!
ANiSYA. What, are you humbugging for? We"ve got rid of all the bother, we"ve got rid of her as came between us; now we have nothing to do but to live and be merry! And all so respectable, and quite legal! I"m so pleased! I have no words for it! It"s just as if I were going to marry you over again! And oh, the people, they are pleased! They"re all thanking us! And the guests are all of the best: Ivan Mosevitch is there, and the Police Officer; they"ve also been singing songs of praise!
NIKiTA. Then you should have stayed with them! What have you come for?
ANiSYA. True enough, I must go back! Else what does it look like! The hosts both go and leave the visitors! And the guests are all of the best!
NIKiTA (gets up and brushes the straw off himself). Go, and I"ll come at once!
MATRYoNA. Just see! He listens to the young bird, but wouldn"t listen to the old one! He would not hear me, but he follows his wife at once!
(MATRYoNA and ANiSYA turn to go.) Well, are you coming?
NIKiTA. I"ll come directly! You go and I"ll follow! I"ll come and give my blessing! (The women stop.) Go on! I"ll follow! Now then, go! (Exit women. Sits down and takes his boots off.) Yes, I"m going! A likely thing! No, you"d better look at the rafter for me! I"ll fix the noose and jump with it from the rafter, then you can look for me! And the rope is here just handy. (Ponders.) I"d have got over it, over any sorrow--I"d have got over that. But this now--here it is, deep in my heart, and I can"t get over it! (Looks towards the yard.) Surely she"s not coming back? (Imitates ANiSYA.) "So nice, so nice. I"d lie down here with you." Oh, the baggage! Well, then, here I am! Come and cuddle when they"ve taken me down from the rafter! There"s only one way!
[Takes the rope and pulls it.
[MiTRITCH, who is tipsy, sits up and won"t let go of the rope.
MiTRITCH. Shan"t give it up! Shan"t give it to no one! I"ll bring it myself! I said I"d bring the straw--and so I will! Nikita, is that you? (Laughs.) Oh, the devil! Have you come to get the straw?
NIKiTA. Give me the rope!
Mitrich. No, you wait a bit! The peasants sent me! I"ll bring it....
(Rises to his feet and begins getting the straw together, but reels for a time, then falls.) It has beaten me. It"s stronger....
NIKiTA. Give me the rope!
MiTRITCH. Didn"t I say I won"t! Oh, Nikita, you"re as stupid as a hog!
(Laughs.) I love you, but you"re a fool! You see that I"m drunk ...
devil take you! You think I need you?... You just look at me; I"m a Non ... fool, can"t say it--Non-commissioned Officer of Her Majesty"s very First Regiment of Grenadier Guards! I"ve served Tsar and country, loyal and true! But who am I? You think I"m a warrior? No, I"m not a warrior; I"m the very least of men, a poor lost orphan! I swore not to drink, and now I had a smoke, and.... Well then, do you think I"m afraid of you? No fear; I"m afraid of no man! I"ve taken to drink, and I"ll drink! Now I"ll go it for a fortnight; I"ll go it hard! I"ll drink my last shirt; I"ll drink my cap; I"ll p.a.w.n my pa.s.sport; and I"m afraid of no one! They flogged me in the army to stop me drinking!
They switched and switched! "Well," they say, "will you leave off?"
"No," says I! Why should I be afraid of them? Here I am! Such as I am, G.o.d made me! I swore off drinking, and didn"t drink. Now I"ve took to drink, and I"ll drink! And I fear no man! "Cos I don"t lie; but just as.... Why should one mind them--such muck as they are! "Here you are," I say; that"s me. A priest told me, the devil"s the biggest bragger! "As soon," says he, "as you begin to brag, you get frightened; and as soon as you fear men then the hoofed one just collars you and pushes you where he likes!" But as I don"t fear men, I"m easy! I can spit in the devil"s beard, and at the sow his mother!