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REDEMPTION AND TWO OTHER PLAYS
By LEO TOLSTOY
Introduction By ARTHUR HOPKINS
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION BY ARTHUR HOPKINS
REDEMPTION
THE POWER OF DARKNESS
FRUITS OF CULTURE
INTRODUCTION
After making a production of _Redemption_, the chief feeling of the
producer is one of deep regret that Tolstoi did not make more use of
the theatre as a medium. His was the rare gift of vitalization: the
ability to breathe life into word-people which survives in them so
long as there is any one left to turn up the pages they have made
their abode.
In the world of writing, many terms that should be illuminative have
become meaningless. So often has the barren been called "pregnant,"
the chill of death "the breath of life," the atrophied "pulsating,"
that when we really come upon a work with beating heart we find it
difficult to give it place that has not already been stuffed to
suffocation with misplaced dummies.
We seat it at table with staring wax figures and bid it to join the
feast. There is no exclusion act in art, no passport bureau, not even
hygienic segregation.
In writing the briefest introduction to Tolstoi's work, I am appointed
by the publisher, a sort of reception committee of one to escort the
work to some fitting place where it may enjoy the surroundings and
deference it deserves.
The place to which I escort it is built of words, but what words have
been left me by the long procession of previous committees? Where they
have been truthfully used they have been glorified, and offer all the
rarer material for my structure, but how often have they been
subjected to base use. Perhaps some day we will learn the proper
respect of such simple words as love and truth and life, and then when
we meet them in books we shall know how to greet them.
The study of _Redemption_ is so simple that it needs no illumination
from me. The characters may walk in strange lands without
introduction. They are part of us. Fédya is in all of us. His one cry
"There has always been so much lacking between what I felt and what I
could do" instantly makes him brother to all mankind. His simultaneous
physical degeneration and spiritual regeneration is the glory that all
people have invested in death. Tolstoi's cry against convention that
disregards spiritual struggle, and system that ignores human growth,
will find answering cries in many breasts in many lands.
Utterly disregarding effect, technique or method, Tolstoi has explored
his own soul and there touched hands with countless other souls, and
since he has trod the path of countless millions who will come after
him, the mementos of his journey will long be sought.
ARTHUR HOPKINS.
The translation of _Redemption_ here published is the one produced by
Mr. Arthur Hopkins at the Plymouth Theatre, New York, in the season of
1918-1919. The part of FÉDYA was played by Mr. John Barrymore.
REDEMPTION
CHARACTERS
THEODORE VASÍLYEVICH PROTOSOV (FÉDYA).
ELISABETH ANDRÉYEVNA PROTOSOVA (LISA). His wife.
MÍSHA. Their son.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Lisa's mother.
SASHA. Lisa's younger, unmarried sister.
VICTOR MICHAELOVITCH KARÉNIN.
SOPHIA DMÍTRIEVNA KARÉNINA.
PRINCE SERGIUS DMÍTRIEVICH ABRÉSKOV.
MASHA. A gypsy girl.
IVÁN MAKÁROVICH. An old gypsy man. Masha's parent.
NASTASÏA IVÁNOVNA. An old gypsy woman. Masha's parent.
OFFICER.
MUSICIAN.
FIRST GYPSY MAN.
SECOND GYPSY MAN.
GYPSY WOMAN.
GYPSY CHOIR.
DOCTOR.
MICHAEL ALEXÁNDROVICH AFRÉMOV.
STÁKHOV. One of Fédya's boon companions.
BUTKÉVICH. One of Fédya's boon companions.
KOROTKÓV. One of Fédya's boon companions.
IVÁN PETROVICH ALEXÁNDROV.
VOZNESÉNSKY. Karénin's secretary.
PETUSHKÓV. An artist.
ARTIMIEV.
WAITER IN THE PRIVATE ROOM AT THE RESTAURANT.
WAITER IN A LOW-CLASS RESTAURANT.
MANAGER OF THE SAME.
POLICEMAN.
INVESTIGATING MAGISTRATE.
MÉLNIKOV.
CLERK.
USHER.
YOUNG LAWYER.
PETRÚSHIN. A lawyer.
LADY.
ANOTHER OFFICER.
ATTENDANT AT LAW COURTS.
PROTOSOVS' NURSE.
PROTOSOVS' MAID.
AFRÉMOV'S FOOTMAN.
KARÉNINS' FOOTMAN.
ACT I
SCENE I
Protosovs' flat in Moscow. The scene represents a small dining room.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA, a stout, gray-haired lady, tightly laced, is sitting
alone at the tea-table on which is a samovár.
Enter NURSE carrying a tea-pot.
NURSE (enters R. I, over to table C.). Please, Madam, may I have some
water?
ANNA PÁVLOVNA (sitting R. of table C.). Certainly. How is the baby
now?
NURSE. Oh, restless, fretting all the time. There's nothing worse than
for a lady to nurse her child. She has her worries and the baby
suffers for them. What sort of milk could she have, not peeping all
night, and crying and crying?
[SASHA enters R. I, strolls to L. of table C.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. But I thought she was more calm now?
NURSE. Fine calm! It makes me sick to look at her. She's just been
writing something and crying all the time.
SASHA (to nurse). Lisa's looking for you.
[Sits in chair L. of table C.
NURSE. I'm going.
[Exits R. I.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Nurse says she's always crying. Why can't she try and
calm herself a little?
SASHA. Well, really, Mother, you're amazing. How can you expect her to
behave as if nothing had happened when she's just left her husband and
taken her baby with her?
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Well, I don't exactly, but that's all over. If I
approve of my daughter's having left her husband, if I'm ever glad,
well, you may be quite sure he deserved it. She has no reason to be
miserable--on the contrary, she ought to be delighted at being freed
from such a wretch.
SASHA. Mother! Why do you go on like this? It's not the truth and you
know it. He's not a wretch, he's wonderful. Yes, in spite of all his
weakness.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. I suppose you'd like her to wait till he'd spent every
kopec they had, and smile sweetly when be brought his gypsy mistresses
home with him.
SASHA. He hasn't any mistresses.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. There you go again. Why, the man's simply bewitched
you, but I can see through him, and he knows it. If I'd been Lisa, I'd
left him a year ago.
SASHA. Oh, how easily you speak of these serious things.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Not easily, not easily at all. Do you suppose it's
agreeable for me to have my daughter admit her marriage a failure? But
anything's better than for her to throw away her life in a lie. Thank
God, she's made up her mind to finish with him for good.
SASHA. Maybe it won't be for good.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. It would be if only he'd give her a divorce.
SASHA. To what end?
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Because she's young and has the right to look for
happiness.
SASHA. It's awful to listen to you. How could she love some one else?
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Why not? There are thousands better than your Fédya,
and they'd be only too happy to marry Lisa.
SASHA. Oh, it's not nice of you. I feel, I can tell, you're thinking
about Victor Karénin.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Why not? He loved her for ten years, and she him, I
believe.
SASHA. Yes, but she doesn't love him as a husband. They grew up
together; they've just been friends.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Ah, those friendships! How should you know what keeps
them warm! If only they were both free!
[Enter a MAID L. U.
Well?
MAID. The porter's just come back with an answer to the note.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. What note?
MAID. The note Elizaveta Protosova sent to Victor Karénin.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Well? What answer?
MAID. Victor Karénin told the porter he'd be here directly.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Very well.
[MAID exits L. U.
[To SASHA.
Why do you suppose she sent for him? Do you know?
SASHA. Maybe I do and maybe I don't.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. You're always so full of secrets.
SASHA. Ask Lisa, she'll tell you.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Just as I thought! She sent for him at once.
SASHA. Yes, but maybe not for the reason you think.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Then what for?
SASHA. Why, Mother, Lisa cares just about as much for Victor Karénin
as she does for her old nurse.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. You'll see. She wants consolation, a special sort of
consolation.
SASHA. Really, it shows you don't know Lisa at all to talk like this.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. You'll see. Sasha. Yes, I shall see.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA (alone to herself). And I am very glad. I'm very, very
glad.
[Enter MAID.
MAID. Victor Karénin.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Show him here and tell your mistress.
[MAID shows in KARÉNIN and exits door R. I.
KARÉNIN (goes C. and stands behind table C.). (Shaking hands with Anna
Pávlovna.) Elizaveta Andreyevna sent me a note to come at once. I
should have been here to-night anyway. How is she? Well, I hope.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Not very. The baby has been upset again. However,
she'll be here in a minute. Will you have some tea?
KARÉNIN. No, thank you.
[Sits chair R.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Tell me, do you know that he and she--.
KARÉNIN. Yes, I was here two days ago when she got this letter. Is she
positive now about their separating?
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Oh, absolutely. It would be impossible to begin it all
over again.
KARÉNIN. Yes. To cut into living things and then draw back the knife
is terrible. But are you sure she knows her mind?
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. I should think so. To come to this decision has caused
her much pain. But now it's final, and he understands perfectly that
his behavior has made it impossible for him to come back on any terms.
KARÉNIN. Why?
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. After breaking every oath he swore to decency, how
could he come back? And so why shouldn't he give her her freedom?
KARÉNIN. What freedom is there for a woman still married?
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Divorce. He promised her a divorce and we shall insist
upon it.
KARÉNIN. But your daughter was so in love with him?
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Her love has been tried out of existence. Remember she
had everything to contend with: drunkenness, gambling, infidelity--
what was there to go on loving in such a person?
KARÉNIN. Love can do anything.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. How can one love a rag torn by every wind? Their
affairs were in dreadful shape; their estate mortgaged; no money
anywhere. Finally his uncle sends them two thousand rubles to pay the
interest on the estate. He takes it, disappears, leaves Lisa home and
the baby sick--when suddenly she gets a note asking her to send him
his linen.
KARÉNIN. I know.
[Enter LISA R.I. KARÉNIN crosses to LISA.
I'm sorry to have been a little detained.
[Shakes hands with LISA.
LISA. Oh, thank you so much for coming. I have a great favor to ask of
you. Something I couldn't ask of anybody else.
KARÉNIN. I'll do everything I can.
[LISA moves away a few steps down R.
LISA. You know all about this.
[Sits chair R.
KARÉNIN. Yes, I know.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Well, I think I'll leave you two young people to
yourselves. (To SASHA.) Come along, dear, you and I will be just in
the way.
[Exit L. U. ANNA PÁVLOVNA and SASHA.
LISA. Fédya wrote to me saying it was all over between us. (She begins
to cry.) That hurt me so, bewildered me so, that--well, I agreed to
separate. I wrote to him saying I was willing to give him up if he
wanted me to.
KARÉNIN. And now you're sorry?
LISA (nodding). I feel I oughtn't to have said yes. I can't. Anything
is better than not to see him again. Victor dear, I want you to give
him this letter and tell him what I've told you, and--and bring him
back to me.
[Gives VICTOR a letter.
KARÉNIN. I'll do what I can.
[Takes letter, turns away and sits chair R. of table C.
LISA. Tell him I will forget everything if only he will come back. I
thought of mailing this, only I know him: he'd have a good impulse,
first thwarted by some one, some one who would finally make him act
against himself.
[Pause.
Are you--are you surprised I asked you?
KARÉNIN. No. (He hesitates.) But--well, candidly, yes. I am rather
surprised.
LISA. But you are not angry?
KARÉNIN. You know I couldn't be angry with you.
LISA. I ask you because I know you're so fond of him.
KARÉNIN. Of him--and of you too. Thank you for trusting me. I'll do
all I can.
LISA. I know you will. Now I'm going to tell you everything. I went
to-day to Afrémov's, to find out where he was. They told me he was
living with the gypsies. Of course that's what I was afraid of. I know
he'll be swept off his feet if he isn't stopped in time. So you'll go,
won't you?
KARÉNIN. Where's the place?
LISA. It's that big tenement where the gypsy orchestra lives, on the
left bank below the bridge. I went there myself. I went as far as the
door, and was just going to send up the letter, but somehow I was
afraid. I don't know why. And then I thought of you. Tell him, tell
him I've forgotten everything and that I'm here waiting for him to
come home. (Crosses to KARÉNIN--a little pause.) Do it out of love for
him, Victor, and out of friendship for me.
[Another pause.
KARÉNIN. I'll do all I can.
[He bows to her and goes out L.U. Enter SASHA L.U., goes L. over
near table C.
SASHA. Has the letter gone? (LISA nods.) He had no objections to
taking it himself?
[LISA, R. C., shakes head.
SASHA (L.C.). Why did you ask him? I don't understand it.
LISA. Who else was there?
SASHA. But you know he's in love with you.
LISA. Oh, that's all past. (Over to table C.) Do you think Fédya will
come back?
SASHA. I'm sure he will, but--
[Enter ANNA PÁVLOVNA.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Where's Victor Karénin?
LISA. Gone.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Gone?
LISA. I've asked him to do something for me.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. What was it? Another secret?
LISA. No, not a secret. I simply asked him to take a letter to Fédya.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. To Fedor Protosov?
LISA. Oh, to Fédya, Fédya.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Then it's not going to be over?
LISA. I can't let him leave me.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Oh, so we shall commence all over again?
LISA. I'll do anything you like, but I can't give him up.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. You don't mean you want him to come back?
LISA. Yes, yes.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Let that reptile into the house again!
LISA. Please don't talk like that. He's my husband.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Was your husband.
LISA. No. He's still my husband.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Spendthrift. Drunkard. Reprobate. And you'll not part
from him!
LISA. Oh, Mother, why do you keep on hurting me! You seem to enjoy it.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Hurt you, do I? Enjoy it, do I? Very well, then, if
that's the case, I'd better go.
[Pause.
I see I'm in your way. You want me to go. Well, all I can say is I
can't make you out. I suppose you're being "modern" and all that. But
to me, it's just plain disgusting. First, you make up your mind to
separate from your husband, and then you up and send for another man
who's in love with you--
LISA. Mother, he's not.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. You know Karénin proposed to you, and he's the man you
pick out to bring back your husband. I suppose you do it just to make
him jealous.
LISA. Oh, Mother, stop it. Leave me alone.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. That's right. Send off your mother. Open the door to
that awful husband. Well, I can't stand by and see you do it. I'll go.
I'm going. And God be with you and your extraordinary ways.
[Exit L. U. with suppressed rage.
LISA (sinking into a chair R. of table C.). That's the last straw.
SASHA. Oh, she'll come back. We'll make her understand. (Going to the
door and following after her mother.) Now, Mother darling, listen--
listen--
[Exit L. U.
[All lights dim to black out.
CURTAIN