PRINCE ABRÉZKOV [smiling]. C’est compter sans son hôte! That is quite out of the question now. I think it’s best to submit, and help him to get married.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. To a divorced woman — and have him meet his wife’s husband?… I can’t think how you can speak of it so calmly. Is she a woman a mother could wish to see as the wife of her only son — and such a son?
PRINCE ABRÉZKOV. But what is to be done, my dear friend? Of course it would be better if he married a girl whom you knew and liked; but since that’s impossible … Besides it’s not as if he were going to marry a gipsy, or goodness knows who …! Lisa Protásova is a very nice good woman. I know her, through my niece Nelly, and know her to be a modest, kind-hearted, affectionate and moral woman.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. A moral woman — who makes up her mind to leave her husband!
PRINCE ABRÉZKOV. This is not like you! You’re unkind and harsh! Her husband is the kind of man of whom one says that they are their own worst enemies; but he is an even greater enemy to his wife. He is a weak, fallen, drunken fellow. He has squandered all his property and hers too. She has a child.… How can you condemn her for leaving such a man? Nor has she left him: he left her.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. Oh, what mud! What mud! And I have to soil my hands with it!
PRINCE ABRÉZKOV. And how about your religion?
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. Of course, of course! To forgive, “As we forgive them that trespass against us.” Mais, c’est plus fort que moi!
PRINCE ABRÉZKOV. How could she live with such a man? If she had not loved anyone else she would have had to leave him. She would have had to, for her child’s sake. The husband himself — an intelligent kind-hearted man when he is in his senses — advises her to do it.…
Enter Victor, who kisses his mother’s hand and greets Prince Abrézkov.
VICTOR. Mother, I have come to say this: Elisabeth Andréyevna will be here in a minute, and I beg, I implore you — if you still refuse your consent to my marriage …
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA [interrupting him] Of course I still refuse my consent …
VICTOR [continues his speech and frowns] In that case I beg, I implore you, not to speak to her of your refusal! Don’t settle matters negatively …
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. I don’t expect we shall mention the subject. For my part, I certainly won’t begin.
VICTOR. And she is even less likely to. I only want you to make her acquaintance.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. The one thing I can’t understand is how you reconcile your desire to marry Mrs. Protásova, who has a husband living, with your religious conviction that divorce is contrary to Christianity.
VICTOR. Mother, this is cruel of you! Are we really so immaculate that we must always be perfectly consistent when life is so complex? Mother, why are you so cruel to me?
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. I love you. I desire your happiness.
VICTOR [to Prince Abrézkov] Prince!
PRINCE ABRÉZKOV. Of course you desire his happiness. But it is not easy for you and me, with our grey hairs, to understand the young; and it is particularly difficult for a mother grown accustomed to her own idea of how her son is to be happy. Women are all like that.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. Yes, yes indeed! You are all against me! You may do it, of course. Vous êtes majeur. … But you will kill me!
VICTOR. You are not yourself. This is worse than cruelty!
PRINCE ABRÉZKOV [to Victor] Be quiet, Victor. Your mother’s words are always worse than her deeds.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. I shall tell her how I think and feel, but I will do it without offending her.
PRINCE ABRÉZKOV. Of that I am sure.
Enter footman.
PRINCE ABRÉZKOV. Here she is.
VICTOR. I’ll go.
FOOTMAN. Elisabeth Andréyevna Protásova.
VICTOR. I am going. Please, Mother! [Exit.]
Prince Abrézkov also rises.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. Ask her in. [To Prince Abrézkov] No, you must please stay here!
PRINCE ABRÉZKOV. I thought you’d find a tête-à-tête easier.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. No, I’m afraid … [Is restless] If I want to be left tête-à-tête with her, I will nod to you. Cela dépendra. … To be left alone with her may make it difficult for me. But I’ll do like that if … [Makes a sign].
PRINCE ABRÉZKOV. I shall understand. I feel sure you will like her. Only be just.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. How you are all against me!
Enter Lisa, in visiting dress and hat.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA [rising] I was sorry not to find you in, and it is kind of you to call.
LISA. I never dreamed that you’d be so good as to call.… I am so grateful to you for wishing to see me.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA [pointing to Prince Abrézkov] You are acquainted?
PRINCE ABRÉZKOV. Yes, certainly. I have had the pleasure of being introduced. [They shake hands and sit down] My niece Nelly has often mentioned you to me.
LISA. Yes, she and I were great friends [glancing timidly at Anna Dmítrievna], and we are still friendly. [To Anna Dmítrievna] I never expected that you would wish to see me.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. I knew your husband well. He was friendly with Victor, and used to come to our house before he left for Tambóv. I think it was there you married?
LISA. Yes, it was there we married.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. But after his return to Moscow he never visited us.
LISA. Yes, he hardly went out anywhere.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. And he never introduced you to me.
Awkward silence.
PRINCE ABRÉZKOV. The last time I met you was at the theatricals at the Denísovs’. They went off very well; and you were Acting.
LISA. No … Yes … Of course … I did Act. [Silence again]. Anna Dmítrievna, forgive me if what I am going to say displeases you, but I can’t and don’t know how to dissemble! I have come because Victor Miháylovich said … because he — I mean, because you wished to see me.… But it is best to speak out [with a catch in her voice] … It is very hard for me.… But you are kind.
PRINCE ABRÉZKOV. I’d better go.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. Yes, do.
Prince Abrézkov takes leave of both women, and exit.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. Listen, Lisa … I am very sorry for you, and I like you. But I love Victor. He is the one being I love in the world. I know his soul as I know my own. It is a proud soul. He was proud as a boy of seven.… Not proud of his name or wealth, but proud of his charActer and innocence, which he has guarded. He is as pure as a maiden.
LISA. I know.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. He has never loved any woman. You are the first. I do not say I am not jealous. I am jealous. But we mothers — your son is still a baby, and it is too soon for you — we are prepared for that. I was prepared to give him up to his wife and not to be jealous — but to a wife as pure as himself …
LISA. I … have I …
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. Forgive me! I know it was not your fault, but you are unfortunate. And I know him. Now he is ready to bear — and will bear — anything, and he would never mention it, but he would suffer. His wounded pride would suffer, and he would not be happy.
LISA. I have thought of that.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. Lisa, my dear, you are a wise and good woman. If you love him you must desire his happiness more than your own. And if that is so, you will not wish to bind him and give him cause to repent — though he would never say a word.
LISA. I know he wouldn’t! I have thought about it, and have asked myself that question. I have thought of it, and have spoken of it to him. But what can I do, when he says he does not wish to live without me? I said to him: “Let us be friends, but do not spoil your life; do not bind your pure life to my unfortunate one!” But he does not wish for that.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. No, not at present.…
LISA. Persuade him to leave me, and I will agree. I love him for his own happiness and not for mine. Only help me! Do not hate me! Let us lovingly work together for his happiness!
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. Yes, yes! I have grown fond of you. [Kisses her. Lisa cries] And yet, and yet it is dreadful! If only he had loved you before you married …
LISA. He says he did love me then, but did not wish to prevent a friend’s happiness.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. Ah, how hard it all is! Still, we will love one another, and God will help us to find what we want.
VICTOR [entering] Mother, dear! I have heard everything! I expected this: you are fond of her, and all will be well!
LISA. I am sorry you heard. I should not have said it if …
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. Still, nothing is settled. All I can say is, that if it were not for all these unfortunate circumstances, I should have been glad. [Kisses her].
VICTOR. Only, please don’t change!
Curtain.
Scene 2
A PLAINLY FURNISHED room; bed, table, sofa. Fédya alone.
A knock at the door. A woman’s voice outside. Why have you locked yourself in, Theodore Vasílyevich? Fédya! Open …!
FÉDYA [gets up and unlocks door] That’s right! Thank you for coming. It’s dull, terribly dull!
MÁSHA. Why didn’t you come to us? Been drinking again? Eh, eh! And after you’d promised!
FÉDYA. D’you
