ivanoff-第13章
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are！ Do you remember that you came to me once and lied to me
about your love？ I believed you； and left my mother； my father；
and my faith to follow you。 Yes； you lied to me of goodness and
honour； of your noble aspirations and I believed every word…
IVANOFF。 I have never lied to you； Annie。
ANNA。 I have lived with you five years now； and I am tired and
ill； but I have always loved you and have never left you for a
moment。 You have been my idol； and what have you done？ All this
time you have been deceiving me in the most dastardly way…
IVANOFF。 Annie； don't say what isn't so。 I have made mistakes；
but I have never told a lie in my life。 You dare not accuse me of
that！
ANNA。 It is all clear to me now。 You married me because you
expected my mother and father to forgive me and give you my
money； that is what you expected。
IVANOFF。 Good Lord； Annie！ If I must suffer like this； I must
have the patience to bear it。 ＇He begins to weep。＇
ANNA。 Be quiet！ When you found that I wasn't bringing you any
money； you tried another game。 Now I remember and understand
everything。 ＇She begins to cry＇ You have never loved me or been
faithful to menever！
IVANOFF。 Sarah！ That is a lie！ Say what you want； but don't
insult me with a lie！
ANNA。 You dishonest； degraded man！ You owe money to Lebedieff；
and now； to escape paying your debts； you are trying to turn the
head of his daughter and betray her as you have betrayed me。 Can
you deny it？
IVANOFF。 ＇Stifled with rage＇ For heaven's sake； be quiet！ I can't
answer for what I may do！ I am choking with rage and II might
insult you！
ANNA。 I am not the only one whom you have basely deceived。 You
have always blamed Borkin for all your dishonest tricks； but now
I know whose they are。
IVANOFF。 Sarah； stop at once and go away； or else I shall say
something terrible。 I long to say a dreadful； cruel thing ＇He
shrieks＇ Hold your tongue； Jewess！
ANNA。 I won't hold my tongue！ You have deceived me too long for
me to be silent now。
IVANOFF。 So you won't be quiet？ ＇He struggles with himself＇ Go；
for heaven's sake！
ANNA。 Go now； and betray Sasha！
IVANOFF。 Know then that youare dying！ The doctor told me that
you are dying。
ANNA。 ＇Sits down and speaks in a low voice＇ When did he
IVANOFF。 ＇Clutches his head with both hands＇ Oh； how guilty I
amhow guilty！ ＇He sobs。＇
The curtain falls。
About a year passes between the third and fourth acts。
ACT IV
A sitting…room in LEBEDIEFF'S house。 In the middle of the wall at
the back of the room is an arch dividing the sitting…room from
the ballroom。 To the right and left are doors。 Some old bronzes
are placed about the room； family portraits are hanging on the
walls。 Everything is arranged as if for some festivity。 On the
piano lies a violin； near it stands a violoncello。 During the
entire act guests； dressed as for a ball； are seen walking about
in the ball…room。
Enter LVOFF； looking at his watch。
LVOFF。 It is five o'clock。 The ceremony must have begun。 First
the priest will bless them； and then they will be led to the
church to be married。 Is this how virtue and justice triumph？ Not
being able to rob Sarah； he has tortured her to death； and now he
has found another victim whom he will deceive until he has robbed
her； and then he will get rid of her as he got rid of poor Sarah。
It is the same old sordid story。 ＇A pause＇ He will live to a fine
old age in the seventh heaven of happiness； and will die with a
clear conscience。 No； Ivanoff； it shall not be！ I shall drag your
villainy to light！ And when I tear off that accursed mask of
yours and show you to the world as the blackguard you are； you
shall come plunging down headfirst from your seventh heaven； into
a pit so deep that the devil himself will not be able to drag you
out of it！ I am a man of honour； it is my duty to interfere in
such cases as yours； and to open the eyes of the blind。 I shall
fulfil my mission； and to…morrow will find me far away from this
accursed place。 ＇Thoughtfully＇ But what shall I do？ To have an
explanation with Lebedieff would be a hopeless task。 Shall I make
a scandal； and challenge Ivanoff to a duel？ I am as excited as a
child； and have entirely lost th e power of planning anything。
What shall I do？ Shall I fight a duel？
Enter KOSICH。 He goes gaily up to LVOFF。
KOSICH。 I declared a little slam in clubs yesterday； and made a
grand slam！ Only that man Barabanoff spoilt the whole game for me
again。 We were playingwell； I said 〃No trumps〃 and he said
〃Pass。〃 〃Two in clubs；〃 he passed again。 I made it two in hearts。
He said 〃Three in clubs；〃 and just imagine； can you； what
happened？ I declared a little slam and he never showed his ace！
If he had showed his ace； the villain； I should have declared a
grand slam in no trumps！
LVOFF。 Excuse me； I don't play cards； and so it is impossible for
me to share your enthusiasm。 When does the ceremony begin？
KOSICH。 At once； I think。 They are now bringing Zuzu to herself
again。 She is bellowing like a bull； she can't bear to see the
money go。
LVOFF。 And what about the daughter？
KOSICH。 No； it is the money。 She doesn't like this affair anyway。
He is marrying her daughter； and that means he won't pay his
debts for a long time。 One can't sue one's son…in…law。
MARTHA； very much dressed up； struts across the stage past LVOFF
and KOSICH。 The latter bursts out laughing behind his hand。
MARTHA looks around。
MARTHA。 Idiot！
KOSICH digs her in the ribs and laughs loudly。
MARTHA。 Boor！
KOSICH。 ＇Laughing＇ The woman's head has been turned。 Before she
fixed her eye on a title she was like any other woman； but there
is no coming near her now！ ＇Angrily＇ A boor； indeed！
LVOFF。 ＇Excitedly＇ Listen to me； tell me honestly； what do you
think of Ivanoff？
KOSICH。 He's no good at all。 He plays cards like a lunatic。 This
is what happened last year during Lent： I； the Count； Borkin and
he； sat down to a game of cards。 I led a…
LVOFF ＇Interrupting him＇ Is he a good man？
KOSICH。 He？ Yes； he's a good one！ He and the Count are a pair of
trumps。 They have keen noses for a good game。 First； Ivanoff set
his heart on the Jewess； then； when his schemes failed in that
quarter； he turned his thoughts toward Zuzu's money…bags。 I'll
wager you he'll ruin Zuzu in a year。 He will ruin Zuzu； and the
Count will ruin Martha。 They will gather up all the money they
can lay hands on； and live happily ever after！ But； doctor； why
are you so pale to…day？ You look like a ghost。
LVOFF。 Oh； it's nothing。 I drank a little too much yesterday。
Enter LEBEDIEFF with SASHA。
LEBEDIEFF。 We can have our talk here。 ＇To LVOFF and KOSICH＇ Go
into the ball…room； you two old fogies； and talk to the girls。
Sasha and I want to talk alone here。
KOSICH。 ＇Snapping his fingers enthusiastically as he goes by
SASHA＇ What a picture！ A queen of trumps！
LEBEDIEFF。 Go along； you old cave…dweller； go along。
KOSICH and LVOFF go out。
LEBEDIEFF。 Sit down； Sasha； there ＇He sits down and looks about
him＇ Listen to me attentively and with proper respect。 The fact
is； your mother has asked me to say this； do you understand？ I am
not speaking for myself。 Your mother told me to speak to you。
SASHA。 Papa； do say it briefly！
LEBEDIEFF。 When you are married we mean to give you fifteen
thousand roubles。 Please don't let us have any discussion about
it afterward。 Wait； now！ Be quiet！ That is only the beginning。
The best is yet to come。 We have allotted you fifteen thousand
roubles； but in consideration of the fact that Nicholas owes your
mother nine thousand； that sum will have to be deducted from the
amount we mean to give you。 Very well。 Now； beside that…
SASHA。 Why do you tell me all this？
LEBEDIEFF。 Your mother told me to。
SASHA。 Leave me in peace！ If you had any respect for yourself or
me you could not permit yourself to speak to me in this way。 I
don't want your money！ I have not asked for it； and never shall。
LEBEDIEFF。 What are you attacking me for？ The two rats in Gogol's
fable sniffed first and then ran away； but you attack without
even sniffing。
SASHA。 Leave me in peace； and do not offend my ears with your
two…penny c
