ACT II
The scene represents the village street. To the left the outside of Peter"s hut, built of logs, with a porch in the middle; to the right of the hut the gates and a corner of the yard buildings. Anisya is beating hemp in the street near the corner of the yard. Six months have elapsed since the First Act.
ANiSYA [stops and listens] Mumbling something again. He"s probably got off the stove.
Akoulina enters, carrying two pails on a yoke.
ANiSYA. He"s calling. You go and see what he wants, kicking up such a row.
AKOULiNA. Why don"t you go?
ANiSYA. Go, I tell you! [Exit Akoulina into hut] He"s bothering me to death. Won"t let out where the money is, and that"s all about it. He was out in the pa.s.sage the other day. He must have been hiding it there.
Now, I don"t know myself where it is. Thank goodness he"s afraid of parting with it, so that at least it will stay in the house. If only I could manage to find it. He hadn"t it on him yesterday. Now I don"t know where it can be. He has quite worn the life out of me.
Enter Akoulina, tying her kerchief over her head.
ANiSYA. Where are you off to?
AKOULiNA. Where? Why, he"s told me to go for Aunt Martha. "Fetch my sister," he says. "I am going to die," he says. "I have a word to say to her."
ANiSYA [aside] Asking for his sister? Oh my poor head! Sure he wants to give it her. What shall I do? Oh! [To Akoulina] Don"t go! Where are you off to?
AKOULiNA. To call Aunt.
ANiSYA. Don"t go I tell you, I"ll go myself. You go and take the clothes to the river to rinse. Else you"ll not have finished by the evening.
AKOULiNA. But he told me to go.
ANiSYA. You go and do as you"re bid. I tell you I"ll fetch Martha myself. Take the shirts off the fence.
AKOULiNA. The shirts? But maybe you"ll not go. He"s given the order.
ANiSYA. Didn"t I say I"d go? Where"s Nan?
AKOULiNA. Nan? Minding the calves.
ANiSYA. Send her here. I dare say they"ll not run away. [Akoulina collects the clothes, and exit].
ANiSYA. If one doesn"t go he"ll scold. If one goes he"ll give the money to his sister. All my trouble will be wasted. I don"t myself know what I"m to do. My poor head"s splitting. [Continues to work].
Enter Matryona, with a stick and a bundle, in outdoor clothes.
MATRYoNA. May the Lord help you, honey.
ANiSYA [looks round, stops working, and claps her hands with joy] Well, I never expected this! Mother Matryona, G.o.d has sent the right guest at the right time.
MATRYoNA. Well, how are things?
ANiSYA. Ah, I"m driven well-nigh crazy. It"s awful!
MATRYoNA. Well, still alive, I hear?
ANiSYA. Oh, don"t talk about it. He doesn"t live and doesn"t die!
MATRYoNA. But the money--has he given it to anybody?
ANiSYA. He"s just sending for his sister Martha--probably about the money.
MATRYoNA. Well, naturally! But hasn"t he given it to any one else?
ANiSYA. To no one. I watch like a hawk.
MATRYoNA. And where is it?
ANiSYA. He doesn"t let out. And I can"t find out in any way. He hides it now here, now there, and I can"t do anything because of Akoulina. Idiot though she is, she keeps watch, and is always about. Oh my poor head!
I"m bothered to death.
MATRYoNA. Oh, my jewel, if he gives the money to any one but you, you"ll never cease regretting it as long as you live! They"ll turn you out of house and home without anything. You"ve been worriting, and worriting all your life with one you don"t love, and will have to go a-begging when you are a widow.
ANiSYA. No need to tell me, mother. My heart"s that weary, and I don"t know what to do. No one to get a bit of advice from. I told Nikita, but he"s frightened of the job. The only thing he did was to tell me yesterday it was hidden under the floor.
MATRYoNA. Well, and did you look there?
ANiSYA. I couldn"t. The old man himself was in the room. I notice that sometimes he carries it about on him, and sometimes he hides it.
MATRYoNA. But you, my la.s.s, must remember that if once he gives you the slip there"s no getting it right again! [Whispering] Well, and did you give him the strong tea?
ANiSYA. Oh! oh!... [About to answer, but sees neighbour and stops].
The neighbour (a woman) pa.s.ses the hut, and listens to a call from within.
NEIGHBOUR [to Anisya] I say, Anisya! Eh, Anisya! There"s your old man calling, I think.
ANiSYA. That"s the way he always coughs,--just as if he were screaming.
He"s getting very bad.
NEIGHBOUR [approaches Matryona] How do you do, granny? Have you come far?
MATRYoNA. Straight from home, dear. Come to see my son. Brought him some shirts--can"t help thinking of these things, you see, when it"s one"s own child.
NEIGHBOUR. Yes, that"s always so. [To Anisya] And I was thinking of beginning to bleach the linen, but it is a bit early, no one has begun yet.
ANiSYA. Where"s the hurry?
MATRYoNA. Well, and has he had communion?
ANiSYA. Oh dear yes, the priest was here yesterday.