The Live Corpse Part 1

The Live Corpse.

by Leo Tolstoy.

ACT I

SCENE 1

Protasov's[1] flat in Moscow. The scene represents a small dining-room.

[1] Protasov is his family name, but the name by which he is usually addressed is Fedya, an abbreviation of his Christian name--Theodore.

The ceremonious form of address would be Theodore Vasilyevich.

Anna Pavlovna, a stout grey-haired lady, tightly laced, is sitting alone at the tea-table on which is a samovar. Enter nurse, carrying a teapot.

NURSE. May I have a little hot water, ma'am?

ANNA PaVLOVNA. Yes. How's Baby?

NURSE. He's restless.... There's nothing worse than for a lady to nurse her baby herself! She has her troubles, and the child must suffer. What can her milk be like, when she lies awake crying all night?

ANNA PaVLOVNA. But she seems quieter now.

NURSE. Quiet, indeed! It makes one ill to see her. She's been writing something, and crying.

Enter Sasha.

SaSHA [to Nurse] Lisa is looking for you.

NURSE. I'm coming, I'm coming. [Exit].

ANNA PaVLOVNA. Nurse says she keeps on crying.... Why can't she control herself?

SaSHA. Well really, mother, you are amazing!... A woman has left her husband, her child's father, and you expect her to be calm!

ANNA PaVLOVNA. Well, not calm ... But what's done is done! If I, her mother, not only allowed my daughter to leave her husband, but am even glad she has done it, that shows he deserved it. One ought to rejoice, not to grieve, at the chance of freeing oneself from such a bad man!

SaSHA. Mother, why say such things? You know it's not true! He's not bad--but on the contrary, he's a wonderful man, in spite of his weaknesses.

ANNA PaVLOVNA. Yes indeed, a "wonderful" man--as soon as he has money in his pocket--his own or other people's....

SaSHA. Mother! He has never taken other people's!

ANNA PaVLOVNA. Yes he has--his wife's! Where's the difference?

SaSHA. But he gave all his property to his wife!

ANNA PaVLOVNA. Of course, when he knew that otherwise he was sure to squander it all!

SaSHA. Squander or not, I only know that a wife must not separate from her husband, especially from such a one as Fedya.

ANNA PaVLOVNA. Then, in your opinion she ought to wait till he has squandered everything, and brought his gipsy mistresses into the house?

SaSHA. He has no mistresses!

ANNA PaVLOVNA. That's the misfortune--he seems to have bewitched you all! But not me--no! He won't come over me! I see through him, and he knows it. Had I been in Lisa's place I should have left him a year ago.

SaSHA. How lightly you say it!

ANNA PaVLOVNA. Not lightly at all. It's not a light thing for me, as a mother, to see my daughter divorced. Believe me it's not! But yet it is better than ruining a young life.... No, I'm thankful to G.o.d that she has at last made up her mind, and that it is all over.

SaSHA. Perhaps it's not all over!

ANNA PaVLOVNA. Oh! If he only consents to a divorce....

SaSHA. What good will that do?

ANNA PaVLOVNA. This good; that she is young, and may again be happy.

SaSHA. Oh mother! It's dreadful to hear you speak so! Lisa can't love another.

ANNA PaVLOVNA. Why not, when she's free? Many a man a thousand times better than your Fedya might turn up who would be only too happy to marry Lisa.

SaSHA. Mother, it's not right! I know you're thinking of Victor Karenin....

ANNA PaVLOVNA. And why shouldn't I? He has loved her these ten years, and she loves him.

SaSHA. Yes, but not as a husband! They have been friends from childhood.

ANNA PaVLOVNA. We know those friends.h.i.+ps! If only the obstacles were out of the way!

Enter Maid.

ANNA PaVLOVNA. What is it?

MAID. The mistress has sent the porter with a note for Mr. Karenin.

ANNA PaVLOVNA. What mistress?

MAID. _Our_ mistress--Mrs. Protasova.

ANNA PaVLOVNA. Well?

MAID. Mr. Karenin has sent back word that he will come round at once.

ANNA PaVLOVNA [surprised] We were just speaking of him! Only I can't think why ... [to Sasha] Do you know?

SaSHA. Perhaps I do, and perhaps I don't!