Brian Friel Plays 2 (28 page)

Pavel
(
looking
straight
at
Fenichka
) Ah. Then I was wrong. Yet again.

Fenichka
They’re coming straight here after church. That was the arrangement.

Pavel
(
still
looking
straight
at
Fenichka
)
My mistake. I get things wrong, Fenichka. Sorry.

Fenichka
Tomorrow night.

Pavel
I see.
Bon.
Bon.

Bazarov
I think I should call Prokofyich.

Arkady
(
holding
on
)
Katya has finally chosen a name for her pup, Pavel.

Pavel
Pup? What pup?

Arkady
The borzoi pup she got from us at the beginning of the summer! She’s going to call it Pavel!

Brief
laughter.
Nikolai
joins
them.

Pavel
I suppose it’s one way to be remembered?

Nikolai
We’re all ready for departure, are we, Yevgeny? Good. Great. And Piotr’s driving you, is he? Good. Excellent. (
He
calls
.) Piotr!

Arkady
Prokofyich’s taking him, Father.

Nikolai
Prokofyich? (
softly
) Much better. Much more
reliable. You should be in Petersburg well before night.

Bazarov
I’m not going to Petersburg. I’m going home.

Nikolai
Good. Good. Excellent in fact. I’m sure your parents will be delighted to have you. Indeed. Just as we were.

Bazarov
Thank you for all your hospitality, Nikolai Petrovich.

Nikolai
It was my pleasure. It was our pleasure. We’ll all miss you – won’t we? I’ll miss all those early morning walks we had – occasionally. And Pavel will miss those – those – those stirring political discussions. And Arkady will miss the student banter. And Fenichka – Fenichka – Fenichka will miss your excellent medical advice – won’t you? And –

Pro
ko
fy
ich
appears
left.
Absurdly
stiff-backed
and
formal.
He
stares
at
a
point
above
everybody’s
head.

Prokofyich
(
loudly
)
I beg your pardon.

Nikolai
What is it, Prokofyich?

Prokofyich
The carriage is about to depart.

Nikolai
Yes, we know, Prokofyich. Thank you.

Prokofyich
I merely mention the fact in case any person wishes to travel in it. (
He
lifts
the
cases
and
exits
stiffly
.)

They
stare
after
him
in
astonishment
and
amusement.
A
quick,
stifled
giggle
from
Fenichka.
One
from
Arkady.
Then
Fenichka
explodes.
Then
they
all
laugh,
excessively,
in
relief.
Bazarov
only
smiles.
He
observes
the
happy
family
group
from
the
outside.

Nikolai
Shhh! He’ll hear you.

Arkady
He couldn’t – he couldn’t even look at us!

Nikolai
I know – I know –

Arkady
In case any person – any person wishes to travel in it!

Fenichka
It’s going to be a – a – a – (
She
breaks
down
again
.)

Pavel
A what?

Fenichka
Can’t say it.

Nikolai
Shhh!

Arkady
I know what she’s trying to – (
He
breaks
down
.)

Pavel
A what?

Fenichka
It’s going to be a very chatty journey!

Again
they
explode.
Then
as
suddenly
the
laughter
dies.
Silence.

Nikolai
Oh dear – oh dear – oh dear.

Arkady
It was that eye fixed on the sky.

Fenichka
I know. And the shoulders back.

Nikolai
Poor old Prokofyich. But we mean no harm, do we? No, no; we mean no harm at all.

Arkady
About to depart. Oh, I’m sore. Very sore.

Silence.
Bazarov
goes
to
Nikolai.

Bazarov
Again, thank you for everything.

Nikolai
You’ll come and stay with us again – perhaps.

They
shake
hands.
Bazarov
now
goes
to
Pavel.

Bazarov
(
bowing
)
Pavel Petrovich.

They
shake
hands.

Pavel
Thank you.
Adieu.

Bazarov
goes
to
Fenichka.
He
takes
her
hand.

Bazarov
I wish you every happiness, Fenichka. Take care of yourself.

Fenichka
You, too, Yevgeny.

He
goes
to
Arkady
and
holds
out
his
hand.

Bazarov
Arkady.

Arkady
hesitates
and
then
impulsively
embraces
him.

Arkady
I don’t give a damn what you say! Mid-September! After the exams! That’s settled! And make it two kegs. (
He
releases
Bazarov.
He
is
crying
.)
Come on, you twisted, perverse bastard! Clear out to hell! Move! Move!

He
pushes
Bazarov
in
front
of
him.
They
exit.
Nikolai
follows
them,
then
Pavel.

He’s coming, Prokofyich! Here’s your passenger!

Fenichka
is
alone
on
stage.
She
listens
to
the
voices
off.
The
lines
overlap.

Nikolai
(
off
)
Put the bags at your feet.

Arkady
(
off
)
Where’s your jacket?

Pavel
(
off
)
Good luck, Yevgeny.

Bazarov
(
off
)
Thank you very much.

Arkady
(
off
)
All set?

Bazarov
(
off
)
I left a book somewhere.

Arkady
(
off
)
It’s in your hand. Fool.

Bazarov
(
off
)
Thank you again.

Nikolai
(
off
)
Good luck with the exams.

Arkady
(
off
)
Mid-September. That’s settled.

Pavel
(
off
)
Have a good journey.

Arkady
(
off
) Give my love to your father and mother.

Bazarov
(
off
)
Goodbye.

Arkady
(
off
)
Write me, Bazarov.

Bazarov
(
off
)
I will.

Nikolai
(
off
)
Goodbye.

Pavel
(
off
) Goodbye.

A
chorus
of
goodbyes.
Fenichka
waves
tentatively
and
says
‘goodbye
’
quietly.

Dunyasha,
who
has
been
watching
from
the
living-
room,
now
comes
down
and
stands
behind
Fenichka.
Fenichka
turns
and
sees
her.
She
is
sobbing
helplessly.

Dunyasha
All he had to do, Fenichka – all he had to do was raise his little finger and I’d have kissed his feet.

Fenichka
Oh, Dunyasha –

Dunyasha
Oh God, I would have, Fenichka. Just raise his little finger.

She
throws
her
arms
around
Fenichka
and
sobs.
Fenichka
holds
her.

Fenichka
Shhh. I know, Dunyasha. I know. I know.

Vassily
Yes, yes, that was a memorable lunch. I recall every detail of that lunch with total clarity. Oh yes, that was one of the happiest occasions ever in this house. We’d been expecting you for so long, you see – for years, for heaven’s sake! And now here you were, in this very room, around this very table. And all I can say now – and I was aware of it then, too – was that your presence alone quickened these ancient bones again.
Omnia
animat,
format,
alit,
as Cicero says …
omnia
animat
… That doesn’t sound like Cicero, does it? … Oh yes, that was a lunch to remember. That’s the event that furnished us with the richest and warmest memories – that’s not inaccurate, my pet, is it? … (
He
looks
around
and
realizes
she
is
not
there
.)
Where had she placed us? I was here. And she was there. And you were sitting where you’re sitting now. And Yevgeny was over there. And I have one particularly vivid recollection. I had just told you that story of the retired major who practises medicine ‘just for the good of the community’; and the two of you gazed at me for a second and then suddenly collapsed with laughter; and there you both are, spread across the table, convulsed, unable to speak! Oh, that’s a particularly vivid memory. ‘Just for the good of the community’. Couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak.

Timofeich
shuffles
in.
He
seems
even
more
decrepit
than
before.
He
begins
pottering
aimlessly
with
the
dishes
on
the
table.

And Timofeich was looking after us as usual, weren’t you, Timofeich?

Timofeich
She’s awake.

Vassily,
suddenly
alert,
leads
Timofeich
to
the
side
so
that
Arkady
will
not
hear
the
conversation.
Arkady
is
scarcely
aware
that
Timofeich
is
there.

Vassily
Well?

Timofeich
No change.

Vassily
Did she speak?

Timofeich
Not a word.

Vassily
Is she still in bed?

Timofeich
She’s in the study.

Vassily
What’s she doing there?

Timofeich
Sitting.

Vassily
On the couch?

Timofeich
On the swivel chair. You should comb her hair for her. (
Timofeich
returns
to
the
table
.)

Vassily
Leave that stuff, Timofeich. And stay with her, will you?

Timofeich
She can’t go on without food in her. You should get her to eat.

Vassily
(
suddenly
fearful
)
Where’s my medicine bag, Timofeich?

Timofeich
points
to
a
high
shelf
where
the
bag
is
almost
hidden.

Ah! Good man. Thank you. Thank you.

Timofeich
What are you thanking me for? You hid it there yourself.

Timofeich
exits.
Vassily
assumes
the
smile
again
and
the
breezy
manner.

Vassily
He’s been a tower of strength to me, old Timofeich. I don’t know what I’d have done without him.

Arkady
How is Arina Vlassyevna?

Vassily
She’ll be with us in a while. Arina Vlassyevna is – what’s the cliché? – she is as comfortable as can be expected – everything considered – considering everything. But we were discussing that lunch, weren’t we? Oh, that was a memorable occasion. Do you happen to remember a boy who helped at table that day? – a very young boy? – in his bare feet? – Fedka? I have a confession to make about Fedka: Fedka wasn’t a servant of ours at all. We hired Fedka for that occasion. To impress you, my friend. To give Yevgeny’s background that tiny bit of extra weight.
Vanitas
vanitatum
et
omnia
vanitas.
Ecclesiastes, I think. But don’t trust me on that. I can still quote with some accuracy but the attribution … the attribution seems to … That lunch, yes. And Fedka. I had asked Father Alexei could he recommend somebody. And what did he present us with? – the butcher’s second son with the running nose and not a shoe to his name – in a manner of speaking. Serving at the table, barefoot! Good Lord. I can laugh at it now. I remember I said, ‘Arkady Nikolayevich will think he’s staying with some sort of primitives.’ And Yevgeny lifted his head – you know how he lifts his face and turns it slightly sideways – and gave me that sharp, quick eye of his – and he said – he said – and nobody’s wittier than Yevgeny as you well know – he lifted his head and he gave me – gave me – (
He
breaks
down:
sudden,
uncontrollable
sobbing.
He
recovers
almost
immediately
.) I should pray to God, they say. How can I go on? – that’s what I say to God. How do you expect me to go on? – I say. What do you think we’re made of? – I say.

Pause.

Arkady
It was very late when I got back from Petersburg. My father was waiting up for me. ‘I’ve got very bad news for you, son. I can’t tell you how bad the news is.’ ‘It’s Bazarov,’ I said. ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘It’s Bazarov.’

Pause.

Vassily
At the end of that first week there were so many people sick and dying that we decided to split up: he took the whole town and the region to the north and west. I had the south and east. Some nights he didn’t get home at all. And when the epidemic spread to the neighbouring province we didn’t see him for days on end. ‘All for the bloody peasants,’ he said to me. ‘Everything for the bloody peasants, damn them!’ And then I came in this night – it was Friday – amn’t I correct, my pet? There was a light under his bedroom door. And I was tiptoeing past when he called me. He was sitting up in the bed, propped up against the pillow; and even though the candle was behind his head the first thing I noticed was how bright, how bright his eyes shone. And he said in that ironic tone of his, ‘Father,’ he said, ‘I’m going to make you a present of a much larger practice. I’m going to present you with the town and the region to the north and west.’ ‘What does that mean?’ I said. (
His
voice
begins
to
waver
.)
‘It means,’ he said – ‘It means,’ he said – ‘It means that I’m considering retiring. What’s your opinion of this, Dr Bazarov? Does it look like typhus?’ And he pulled up the sleeve of his night-shirt and held his bare arm over to the candle and there were the purple blotches.

Arkady
is
now
crying
quietly.

Arkady
I’m sorry for behaving like this …

Vassily
There was nothing we could do. His mother made him lime-flower tea and she tried to feed him spoonfuls of beetroot and cabbage soup. But he was too weak to
swallow anything. And the next morning – that was Sunday – amn’t I right, my pet? – yes, I am – that was Sunday – he opened his eyes and said, ‘Do something for me, Father. Send a messenger to Anna Sergeyevna Odintsov and tell her that Yevgeny Vassilyich Bazarov is dying.’

Arkady
All Katya knew was that a messenger came to the house and that within five minutes Anna was gone.

Vassily
And late that same evening a grey carriage with red wheels and drawn by four horses drew up at our door and a footman in dark green livery opened the carriage door and this lady in a black veil and a black mantle got out. She told me she was Anna Sergeyevna Odintsov and asked to see my son. I argued with her. I said it was too dangerous. But she was determined. So I brought her to him. I left them together. She stayed with him for half an hour. He was too weak to talk. She just sat with him and held his hand.

Arkady
Nobody has seen her since. She didn’t go home when she left here. She sent the carriage home and she went on to Moscow. She probably wants to be by herself for a while.

Vassily
He passed away that same evening. His mother sent for Father Alexei. He was dead by then but Father Alexei gave him the last rites anyway.

Arkady
My father didn’t know what to do. I was somewhere in the Petersburg area buying a new thresher – that’s all he knew. But where I was staying – how to get in touch with me – he was at his wits’ end. Finally he sent Piotr to look for me – just to walk the streets of Petersburg and look for me. And all the time I was in our old flat. That never occurred to them.

Vassily
We tried to get word to some friends. Timofeich did the best he could. I thought it best to have a short
wake because of the nature of the illness and because his mother was a little …
perturbata.
So we buried him on Monday morning, early. A quiet funeral; his mother, Father Alexei, Timofeich, myself. And Fedka, the worthy Fedka, properly shod. It was nice of him to come. And brave. A few prayers. Flowers. The usual. I’ll take you there if you wish. It’s only a ten-minute walk. But if you prefer not … some people find cemeteries … difficult. There’s something not right about a father burying his son, isn’t there? Some disorder in the proper ordering of things, isn’t it? It’s not the way things should be, is it?

Arkady
He was the best friend I ever had, Vassily Ivanyich.

Pause.

Vassily
(
almost
in
a
whisper
but
with
a
sudden
and
astonishing
passion
)
Damn you, Almighty Father! I will not stand for it! I certainly will not stand for it!

Arkady
He was the only real friend I ever had.

Vassily
What’s that?

Arkady
(
suddenly
resolute
)
I’m going to carry on his work, Vassily Ivanyich! I’m going to dedicate myself to his memory and to the work he was so involved in! I have none of his brains and none of his talent. But whatever talent I have and whatever energy I have I will give to the revolution, to Bazarov’s revolution.

Vassily
(
dreamily
)
Oh, yes. Politics are very important.

Arkady
He never thought I was capable of much. But I am! I am! And I am now more than ever because I’m doing it for him!

Vassily
pats
him
on
the
shoulder.

Vassily
Every so often he would regain consciousness. One time he opened his eyes and he said, ‘I am no loss to
Russia. A cobbler would be a loss to Russia. A butcher would be a loss. A tailor would be a loss. I am no loss.’ It never occurred to him the loss he’d be to his mother and me.

Arkady
If you would take me to the cemetery, I’d like to make my solemn promise to him there.

Arina
enters,
her
hair
dishevelled,
wearing
slippers
and
an
odd
assortment
of
clothes.
When
she
enters
her
face
is
vacant.
Then
she
sees
Vassily
and
she
smiles.
Vassily
greets
her
with
great
warmth
and
enthusiasm.
Arkady
gets
to
his
feet.

Vassily
Ah – Arina! Now that’s an improvement! Now you’re looking really well, my pet! Do you know that you slept for almost three hours? And who’s going to do the housework if my wife lies in bed and spends the day sleeping? Tell me that, my sweet and beautiful wife? And look who’s here! Look who’s come to see us!

She
looks
blankly
at
Arkady.

Yes! It’s Arkady, my pet! It is, indeed! Arkady Nikolayevich! The very moment he heard he came straight over. He was afraid he’d have to leave without seeing you.

Arkady
All I can say, Arina Vlassyevna – (
He
begins
to
cry
again.
) – all I can say is that – that – that – that I’m shattered, just shattered.

Vassily
We’ve looked after ourselves as you can see. But what we’ve got to do now is get you something to eat. What can I offer you? What would tempt you? I have it! Arina Vlassyevna is partial to a cup of blackcurrant tea! The very thing!

Arkady
I’ll never forgive myself that I wasn’t here. I was away in Petersburg. I didn’t hear a thing until late last night.

Vassily
(
breezy,
busy
)
One small cup of blackcurrant tea and two very tiny but very appetizing home-made biscuits – that’s what this aristocratic lady requires and that is what she is going to eat. What does Cicero say?
Tantum
cibi
et
potionis
– we should drink and eat just enough to restore our strength – no more, no less.