annajanska, the bolshevik empress-第1章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Annajanska； the Bolshevik Empress
by George Bernard Shaw
ANNAJANSKA is frankly a bravura piece。 The modern variety theatre
demands for its 〃turns〃 little plays called sketches； to last
twenty minutes or so； and to enable some favorite performer to
make a brief but dazzling appearance on some barely passable
dramatic pretext。 Miss Lillah McCarthy and I； as author and
actress； have helped to make one another famous on many serious
occasions； from Man and Superman to Androcles； and Mr Charles
Ricketts has not disdained to snatch moments from his painting
and sculpture to design some wonderful dresses for us。 We three
unbent as Mrs Siddons； Sir Joshua Reynolds and Dr Johnson might
have unbent； to devise a turn for the Coliseum variety theatre。
Not that we would set down the art of the variety theatre as
something to be condescended to； or our own art as elephantine。
We should rather crave indulgence as three novices fresh from the
awful legitimacy of the highbrow theatre。
Well； Miss McCarthy and Mr Ricketts justified themselves easily
in the glamor of the footlights； to the strains of Tchaikovsky's
1812。 I fear I did not。 I have received only one compliment on my
share； and that was from a friend who said； 〃It is the only one
of your works that is not too long。〃 So I have made it a page or
two longer； according to my own precept： EMBRACE YOUR REPROACHES：
THEY ARE OFTEN GLORIES IN DISGUISE。
Annajanska was first performed at the Coliseum Theatre in
London on the 21st January； 1918； with Lillah McCarthy as
the Grand Duchess； Henry Miller as Schneidekind； and Randle
Ayrton as General Strammfest。
ANNAJANSKA； THE BOLSHEVIK EMPRESS
The General's office in a military station on the east front in
Beotia。 An office table with a telephone； writing materials；
official papers； etc。； is set across the room。 At the end of the
table； a comfortable chair for the General。 Behind the chair； a
window。 Facing it at the other end of the table； a plain wooden
bench。 At the side of the table； with its back to the door； a
common chair； with a typewriter before it。 Beside the door； which
is opposite the end of the bench； a rack for caps and coats。
There is nobody in the room。
General Strammfest enters； followed by Lieutenant Schneidekind。
They hang up their cloaks and caps。 Schneidekind takes a little
longer than Strammfest； who comes to the table。
STRAMMFEST。 Schneidekind。
SCHNEIDEKIND。 Yes； sir。
STRAMMFEST。 Have you sent my report yet to the government？ ＇He
sits down。＇
SCHNEIDEKIND ＇coming to the table＇。 Not yet； sir。 Which
government do you wish it sent to？ ＇He sits down。＇
STRAMMFEST。 That depends。 What's the latest？ Which of them do you
think is most likely to be in power tomorrow morning？
SCHNEIDEKIND。 Well； the provisional government was going strong
yesterday。 But today they say that the Prime Minister has shot
himself； and that the extreme left fellow has shot all the
others。
STRAMMFEST。 Yes： that's all very well； but these fellows always
shoot themselves with blank cartridge。
SCHNEIDEKIND。 Still； even the blank cartridge means backing down。
I should send the report to the Maximilianists。
STRAMMFEST。 They're no stronger than the Oppidoshavians； and in
my own opinion the Moderate Red Revolutionaries are as likely to
come out on top as either of them。
SCHNEIDEKIND。 I can easily put a few carbon sheets in the
typewriter and send a copy each to the lot。
STRAMMFEST。 Waste of paper。 You might as well send reports to an
infant school。 ＇He throws his head on the table with a groan。＇
SCHNEIDEKIND。 Tired out； Sir？
STRAMMFEST。 O Schneidekind； Schneidekind； how can you bear to
live？
SCHNEIDEKIND。 At my age； sir； I ask myself how can I bear to die？
STRAMMFEST。 You are young； young and heartless。 You are excited
by the revolution： you are attached to abstract things like
liberty。 But my family has served the Panjandrums of Beotia
faithfully for seven centuries。 The Panjandrums have kept our
place for us at their courts； honored us； promoted us； shed their
glory on us； made us what we are。 When I hear you young men
declaring that you are fighting for civilization； for democracy；
for the overthrow of militarism； I ask myself how can a man shed
his blood for empty words used by vulgar tradesmen and common
laborers： mere wind and stink。 ＇He rises； exalted by his theme。＇
A king is a splendid reality； a man raised above us like a god。
You can see him； you can kiss his hand； you can be cheered by his
smile and terrified by his frown。 I would have died for my
Panjandrum as my father died for his father。 Your toiling
millions were only too honored to receive the toes of our boots
in the proper spot for them when they displeased their betters。
And now what is left in life for me？ ＇He relapses into his chair
discouraged。＇ My Panjandrum is deposed and transported to herd
with convicts。 The army； his pride and glory； is paraded to hear
seditious speeches from penniless rebels； with the colonel
actually forced to take the chair and introduce the speaker。 I
myself am made Commander…in…Chief by my own solicitor： a Jew；
Schneidekind！ a Hebrew Jew！ It seems only yesterday that these
things would have been the ravings of a madman： today they are
the commonplaces of the gutter press。 I live now for three
objects only： to defeat the enemy； to restore the Panjandrum； and
to hang my solicitor。
SCHNEIDEKIND。 Be careful； sir： these are dangerous views to utter
nowadays。 What if I were to betray you？
STRAMMFEST。 What！
SCHNEIDEKIND。 I won't； of course： my own father goes on just like
that； but suppose I did？
STRAMMFEST ＇chuckling＇。 I should accuse you of treason to the
Revolution； my lad； and they would immediately shoot you； unless
you cried and asked to see your mother before you died； when they
would probably change their minds and make you a brigadier。
Enough。 ＇He rises and expands his chest。＇ I feel the better for
letting myself go。 To business。 ＇He takes up a telegram： opens
it： and is thunderstruck by its contents。＇ Great heaven！ ＇He
collapses into his chair。 This is the worst blow of all。
SCHNEIDEKIND。 What has happened？ Are we beaten？
STRAMMFEST。 Man； do you think that a mere defeat could strike me
down as this news does： I； who have been defeated thirteen times
since the war began？ O； my master； my master； my Panjandrum！ ＇he
is convulsed with sobs。＇
SCHNEIDEKIND。 They have killed him？
STRAMMFEST。 A dagger has been struck through his heart
SCHNEIDEKIND。 Good God！
STRAMMFEST。 and through mine； through mine。
SCHNEIDEKIND ＇relieved＇。 Oh； a metaphorical dagger！ I thought you
meant a real one。 What has happened？
STRAMMFEST。 His daughter the Grand Duchess Annajanska； she whom
the Panjandrina loved beyond all her other children； hashas
＇he cannot finish。＇
SCHNEIDEKIND。 Committed suicide？
STRAMMFEST。 No。 Better if she had。 Oh； far far better。
SCHNEIDEKIND ＇in hushed tones＇。 Left the Church？
STRAMMFEST ＇shocked＇。 Certainly not。 Do not blaspheme； young man。
SCHNEIDEKIND。 Asked for the vote？
STRAMMFEST。 I would have given it to her with both hands to save
her from this。
SCHNEIDEKIND。 Save her from what？ Dash it； sir； out with it。
STRAMMFEST。 She has joined the Revolution。
SCHNEIDEKIND。 But so have you； sir。 We've all joined the
Revolution。 She doesn't mean it any more than we do。
STRAMMFEST。 Heaven grant you may be right！ But that is not the
worst。 She had eloped with a young officer。 Eloped； Schneidekind；
eloped！
SCHNEIDEKIND ＇not particularly impressed＇。 Yes； Sir。
STRAMMFEST。 Annajanska； the beautiful； the innocent； my master's
daughter！ ＇He buries his face in his hands。＇
The telephone rings。
SCHNEIDEKIND ＇taking the receiver＇。 Yes： G。H。Q。 Yes。。。Don't bawl：
I'm not a general。 Who is it speaking？。。。Why didn't you say so？
don't you know your duty？ Next time you will lose your
stripe。。。Oh； they've made you a colonel； have they？ Well； they've
made me a field…marshal： now what have you to say？。。。Look here：
what did you ring up for？ I can't spend the day here listening to
your cheek。。。What！ the Grand Duchess ＇Strammfest starts。
