Redemption and two other plays Part 16

MAGISTRATE. Did Victor Karenin and Elizaveta Andreyevna know you were alive when you left your clothes on the bank of the river and disappeared?

FeDYA. Of course not. I really wished to commit suicide. But-- however, why should I tell you? The fact's enough. They knew nothing of it.

MAGISTRATE. You gave a somewhat different account to the police officer. How do you explain that?

FeDYA. Which police officer? Oh yes, the one who arrested me in that dive. I was drunk, and I lied to him--about what, I don't remember.

But I'm not drunk now and I'm telling you the whole truth. They knew nothing; they thought I was dead, and I was glad of it. Everything would have stayed all right except for that d.a.m.ned beast Artimiev. So if any one's guilty, it's I.

MAGISTRATE. I perceive you wish to be generous. Unfortunately the law demands the truth. Come, why did you receive money from them?

[FeDYA is silent.

Why don't you answer me? Do you realize that it will be stated in your deposition that the accused refused to answer these questions, and that will harm (he includes LISA and VICTOR in a gesture) all of you?

[FeDYA remains silent.

Aren't you ashamed of your stubborn refusal to aid these others and yourself by telling the entire truth?

FeDYA (breaking out pa.s.sionately). The truth--Oh, G.o.d! what do you know about the truth? Your business is crawling up into a little power, that you may use it by tantalizing, morally and physically, people a thousand times better than you.... You sit there in your smug authority torturing people.

MAGISTRATE. I must ask you----

FeDYA (interrupts him). Don't ask me for I'll speak as I feel.

(Turning to CLERK.) And you write it down. So for once some human words will get into a deposition.

[Raising his voice, which ascends to a climax during this speech.

There were three human beings alive: I, he, and she.

[He turns to his wife with a gesture indicating his love for her.

He pauses, then proceeds.

We all bore towards one another a most complex relation. We were all engaged in a spiritual struggle beyond your comprehension: the struggle between anguish and peace; between falsehood and truth.

Suddenly this struggle ended in a way that set us free. Everybody was at peace. They loved my memory, and I was happy even in my downfall, because I'd done what should have been done, and cleared away my weak life from interfering with their strong good lives. And yet we're all alive. When suddenly a b.a.s.t.a.r.d adventurer appears, who demands that I abet his filthy scheme. I drive him off as I would a diseased dog, but he finds you, the defender of public justice, the appointed guardian of morality, to listen to him. And you, who receive on the 20th of each month a few kopeks' gratuity for your wretched business, you get into your uniform, and in good spirits proceed to torture--bully people whose threshold you're not clean enough to pa.s.s. Then when you've had your fill of showing off your wretched power, oh, then you are satisfied, and sit and smile there in your d.a.m.ned complacent dignity. And....

MAGISTRATE (raising his voice. Rising excitedly). Be silent or I'll have you turned out.

FeDYA. G.o.d! Who should I be afraid of! I'm dead, dead, and away out of your power. (Suddenly overcome with the horror of the situation.) What can you do to me? How can you punish me--a corpse?

[Beating his breast.

MAGISTRATE. Be silent! (To CLERK, who is down L.) Take him out!

[FeDYA turns, seeing his wife, he falls on his knees before her ... kisses the hem of her dress, crying bitterly.

[Slowly he rises, pulls himself together with a great effort, then exits L.

[The lights dim and out.

CURTAIN

SCENE IV

A corridor at the lower courts; in the background a door opposite which stands a GUARD; to the right is another door through which the PRISONERS are conducted to the court. IVaN PETROVICH in rags enters L., goes to this last door, trying to pa.s.s through it.

GUARD (at door R. C.). Where do you think you're going, shoving in like that?

IVaN PETROVICH. Why shouldn't I? The law says these sessions are public.

GUARD. You can't get by and that's enough.

IVaN PETROVICH (in pity). Wretched peasant, you have no idea to whom you are speaking.

GUARD. Be silent!

[Enter a YOUNG LAWYER from R. I.

LAWYER (to Petrovich). Are you here on business?

IVaN PETROVICH. No. I'm the public. But this wretched peasant won't let me pa.s.s.

LAWYER. There's no room for the public at this trial.

IVaN PETROVICH. Perhaps, but I am above the general rule.

LAWYER. Well, you wait outside; they'll adjourn presently.

[He is just going into courtroom through door R. C. when PRINCE SERGIUS enters L. and stops him.

PRINCE SERGIUS. How does the case stand?

LAWYER. The defense has just begun. Petrushin is speaking now.

PRINCE SERGIUS. Are the Karenins bearing up well?

LAWYER. Yes, with extraordinary dignity. They look as if they were the judges instead of the accused. That's felt all the way through, and PETRuSHIN is taking advantage of it.

PRINCE SERGIUS. What of Protosov?

LAWYER. He's frightfully unnerved, trembling all over, but that's natural considering the sort of life he's led. Yes, he's all on edge, and he's interrupted, both judge and jury several times already.

PRINCE SERGIUS. How do you think it will end?

LAWYER. Hard to say. The jury are mixed. At any rate I don't think they'll find the Karenins guilty of premeditation. Do you want to go in?

PRINCE SERGIUS. I should very much like to.