Plays by Aleksandr Nikolaevich Ostrovsky Part 4

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. My dear, you always serve me only water.

GAVRiLOVNA. It isn't good for you to drink strong tea, madam.

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. It's not your business to worry about me!

GAVRiLOVNA. It dries up the chest, and you're all dried up as it is.

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. What a life! What a life! I am not dried up from tea-drinking, my dear, but from the insults of the world.

GAVRiLOVNA. Insults! You insult everybody yourself, as if something were stirring you up!

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. Don't you dare talk to me like that. Just remember who you are. I once owned serfs myself; at my place, such people as you didn't dare peep, they walked the chalk. I didn't let your sort get high-headed!

GAVRiLOVNA. That time's gone by. G.o.d gives a vicious cow no horns.

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. Oh, you monsters, wretches! You want me to die. Soon I shall die, soon; my soul feels its fast approaching end! _Raising her eyes heavenward_ Shelter me from men, O lid of my coffin! Take me to thee, moist earth! Then you'll be happy; then you'll be joyful!

POTaPYCH. We? What's it to us?.... Tend to your own business.

GAVRiLOVNA. While G.o.d is patient with your sins.

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. For my sins I have already been tortured here. I mourn now the sins of others.

GAVRiLOVNA. It would be better for you not to bother with other people's sins. Now you're getting ready to die, yet you talk about the sins of others. Aren't you afraid?

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. Afraid of what? Why should I be afraid?

GAVRiLOVNA. Of that little black man with the hook. He's waiting for you now, I guess.

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. Where am I? Where am I? My G.o.d! Just as if I were in a slough; monsters....

_From the left side_ MADAM ULANBeKOV, NaDYA, LiZA, _and_ GRiSHA _come in_.

SCENE II

_The same and_ MADAM ULANBeKOV, GRiSHA, NaDYA, _and_ LiZA.

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. Did our benefactress deign to attend prayer service?

MADAM ULANBeKOV. Yes, I went to vespers in town; to-day is a holiday there.

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. Did you distribute generous alms among the people present?

MADAM ULANBeKOV. No, I only called in Pustaya Street at old man NEGLIGeNTOV's. He asked me to set up his nephew; you see, the nephew is my G.o.dson. I'm sorry for these people!

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. And you, dear soul, are a benefactress to all. To all alike, to all! You do favors to people who aren't even worth your looking at.

MADAM ULANBeKOV. [_Sits down_] Never mind, my dear. One must do good to his neighbor.

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. But do they feel that good? Can they understand, heartless creatures, how great is your condescension to them?

MADAM ULANBeKOV. It's all the same to me, my dear! One must do good for his own sake, for his own soul. Then I stopped in to see the chief of police, and asked him to make NEGLIGeNTOV head-clerk.

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. But, my benefactress, is he worthy?

MADAM ULANBeKOV. Don't interrupt! A strange man, our chief of police! I ask him, and he says: "There's no job!" I say to him: "You evidently don't understand who's asking you?" "Well!" says he, "do you expect me to drive out a good man for your G.o.dson?" Churlish fellow! However, he promised!

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. To think of his hesitating! I cannot understand how he could even talk back to you. Here his ill-breeding shows up at once.

Maybe NEGLIGeNTOV, because of his life, isn't worth saying much about; nevertheless, the chief ought to do everything in the world for him for your sake, no matter how worthless a scamp NEGLIGeNTOV might be.

MADAM ULANBeKOV. Don't you forget that he's my G.o.dson!

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. And for that very reason, benefactress, I add: he is your G.o.dson; well, and that's all there is to it; the chief of police ought not to listen to any kind of gossip. And, besides, what things they do say!

They say that he's utterly worthless, that his uncle got him a court job, but he won't stay with it. He was gone a whole week, they say, somewhere or other about three miles down the highroad, near the tavern, fis.h.i.+ng. Yes, and that he is a drunkard beyond his years. But whose business is it? He must be worthy of it, since you ask it.

MADAM ULANBeKOV. I've never heard that. I've never seen him drunk; but I spoke to the chief of police on his behalf, because he's my G.o.dson. I take his mother's place.

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. I know, benefactress, I know; every one knows that if you take a notion, you, my benefactress, can make a man out of mud; but if you don't take a notion to do so, he'll fall into insignificance no matter how brainy he may be. He's to blame himself, because he didn't deserve it!

MADAM ULANBeKOV. I'm sure I never did any one any harm.

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. Harm? You, who because of your angelic heart wouldn't hurt even a fly! Of course all we mortals are not without sins; you have done many things; you can't please everybody. Indeed, to tell the truth, my dear benefactress, there are people enough who complain about you.

MADAM ULANBeKOV. Who complains about me? What a lie!

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. It's impossible for you to know everything, dear benefactress. And it's not worth while for you, in your gentility, to trouble yourself about every low-lived person. And though they do complain, what's the use of paying attention; are they worth your notice? Since you do so many good deeds for others, G.o.d will forgive you, our benefactress.

MADAM ULANBeKOV. All the same, I want to know whom I have offended?

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. Well, there are some persons, benefactress.

MADAM ULANBeKOV. [_Forcibly_] But who? Speak!

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. Don't be angry, benefactress! I spoke as I did because you yourself know how touchy people are nowadays--never satisfied.

MADAM ULANBeKOV. You spoke as you did in order to cause me some unpleasantness.

VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA. May my eyes burst if I did.

MADAM ULANBeKOV. Well, I know you. You're never at rest in your own soul unless you're about to say something mean. You will please be more careful; otherwise you'll drive me out of patience one of these days; it'll be all the worse for you. [_Silence_] Serve the tea.

GAVRiLOVNA. Right away, mistress.

_She pours out two cups_. POTaPYCH _hands them to_ MADAM ULANBeKOV _and to_ VASILiSA PEREGRiNOVNA.

MADAM ULANBeKOV. Pour Grisha a cup, too; he went with me to-day, and he's tired out.