graf Leo Tolstoy

“ Leoníd Fyódoritch enters, but, seeing his wife and the Peasants, wishes to retreat.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. No, no, come here, please! I told you the land must not be sold on credit, and everybody told you so, but you let yourself be deceived like the veriest blockhead.
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. How? I don't understand who is deceiving?
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. You ought to be ashamed of yourself! You have grey hair, and you let yourself be deceived and laughed at like a silly boy. You grudge your son some three hundred roubles which his social position demands, and let yourself be tricked of thousands—like a fool! ”

“ BETSY. And I thought they were the beaters. Are you not beaters?
FIRST PEASANT. No, no, lady. We have come to see Leoníd Fyódoritch about the signing into our possession of the title-deeds to some land.
BETSY. Then how is it? Vovo was expecting some beaters who were to come to-day. Are you sure you are not the beaters? [The Peasants are silent] How stupid they are! [Goes to Vasíly Leoníditch's door] Vovo? [Laughs] .
MÁRYA KONSTANTÍNOVNA. But we met him just now upstairs!
BETSY. Why need you remember that? Vovo, are you there?
Petrístchef enters. ”

“ TÁNYA. Why, don't you see? They will be astonished. The peasants had the paper, and now it's here. I will teach ...
BETSY. Why, of course! Simon is the medium to-day!
TÁNYA. Well, I'll teach him ... [Laughs so that she can't continue] I'll tell him to squeeze with his hands any one he can get hold of! Of course, not your father—he'd never dare do that—but any one else; he'll squeeze till it's signed.
BETSY [laughing] But that's not the way it is done. Mediums never do anything themselves.
TÁNYA. Oh, never mind. It's all one; I daresay it'll turn out all right.
Enter Theodore Ivánitch. ”

“ TÁNYA. The point is ... well, the point is, that Simon wants to marry me.
THEODORE IVÁNITCH. Is that it? I thought I noticed ...
TÁNYA. Well, why should I hide it? I am an orphan, and you know yourself how matters are in these town establishments. Every one comes bothering; there's that Gregory Miháylitch, for instance, he gives me no peace. And also that other one ... you know. They think I have no soul, and am only here for their amusement.
THEODORE IVÁNITCH. Good girl, that's right! Well, what then?
TÁNYA. Well, Simon wrote to his father ”

“ GREGORY. Do you think it's the same as among you peasants,—marry at fifteen?
FIRST PEASANT. And that man, for example, is he also in the musitional line?
146 GREGORY [mimicking him] “Musitional” indeed! You don't understand anything!
FIRST PEASANT. That's just so. And stupidity, one might say, is our ignorance.
THIRD PEASANT. Oh Lord! [Gipsy songs and guitar accompaniment are heard from Vasíly Leoníditch's room] .
Enter Simon, followed by Tánya, who watches the meeting between father and son.
GREGORY [to Simon] What do you want?
SIMON. I have been to Mr. Kaptchítch. ”

“ THEODORE IVÁNITCH. They'll dirty the floor.
TÁNYA. They've scraped their shoes, and I'll wipe the floor up afterwards. [To Peasants] Here, stand just here.
Peasants come forward carrying presents tied in cotton handkerchiefs: cake, eggs, and embroidered towels. They look around for an icón before which to cross themselves; not finding one, they cross themselves looking at the staircase.
GREGORY [to Theodore Ivánitch] . There now, Theodore Ivánitch, they say Pironnet's boots are an elegant shape. But those there are ever so much better. ”

“ PROFESSOR [to Leoníd Fyódoritch] Do you notice how the medium's trance acts on Grossman? He is beginning to vibrate.
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Yes, yes ... can the lights be extinguished now?
SAHÁTOF. But why is darkness necessary?
PROFESSOR. Darkness? Because it is a condition of the manifestation of mediumistic energy, just as a given temperature is a condition necessary for certain manifestations of chemical or dynamic energy.
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. But not always. Manifestations have been observed by me, and by many others, both by candlelight and daylight. ”

“ How are we to get along? We have so little land. We'll say nothing about the cattle; a hen, let's say, there's no room to let a hen run about.
Leoníd Fyódoritch goes up to the door and stops. Enter, descending the staircase, Anna Pávlovna and doctor, followed by Vasíly Leoníditch, who is in a merry and playful mood and is putting some bank-notes into his purse. ”

“ We do not ask for faith; all we demand of you is to investigate! How can I help believing in this ring? Yet this ring came from there!
SAHÁTOF. From there? What do you mean? From where?
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. From the other world. Yes!
SAHÁTOF [smiling] That's very interesting—very interesting!
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Well, supposing we admit that I'm a man carried away by an idea, as you think, and that I am deluding myself. Well, but what of Alexéy Vladímiritch Krougosvétlof—he is not just an ordinary man, but a distinguished professor, and yet he admits it to be a fact. And not he alone. ”

“ SECOND FOOTMAN. That's a bold young man you've got.
THEODORE IVÁNITCH. A worthless fellow, not fit for service. He used to be an office boy and has got spoilt. I advised them not to take him, but the mistress liked him. He looks well on the carriage when they drive out.
FIRST FOOTMAN. I should like to send him to our Count; he'd put him in his place! Oh, he don't like those scatterbrains. “If you're a footman, be a footman and fulfil your calling.” Such pride is not befitting.
Petrístchef comes running downstairs, and takes out a cigarette. ”

“ Alexéy Vladímiritch, it is a pencil!
PROFESSOR. All right, all right! I am watching both him and Grossman!
Grossman rises and feels the things that have fallen on the table.
SAHÁTOF. Excuse me, excuse me! I should like to see whether it is not the medium who is doing it all himself?
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Do you think so? Well, sit by him and hold his hands. But you may be sure he is asleep.
SAHÁTOF [approaches. Tánya lets a thread touch his head. He is frightened, and stoops] . Ye ... ye ... yes! Strange, very strange! [Takes hold of Simon's elbow. Simon howls] . ”

“ THEODORE IVÁNITCH. The note he brought has been sent in, and he has been told to wait until Anna Pávlovna comes down.
VASÍLY LEONÍDITCH [looks at Peasants and notices the money] And what is this? Money? For whom? Is it for us? [To Theodore Ivánitch] Who are they?
THEODORE IVÁNITCH. They are peasants from Koursk. They are buying land.
VASÍLY LEONÍDITCH. Has it been sold them?
THEODORE IVÁNITCH. No, they have not yet come to any agreement. They are too stingy.
VASÍLY LEONÍDITCH. Eh? Well, we must try and persuade them. [To the Peasants] Here, I say, are you buying land? Eh? ”

“ The Peasants have taken off their outer garments and sit drinking tea at the table, and perspiring. Theodore Ivánitch is smoking a cigar at the other side of the stage. The discharged Cook is lying on the brick oven, and is unseen during the early part of the scene.
THEODORE IVÁNITCH. My advice is, don't hinder him! If it's his wish and hers, in Heaven's name let him do it. She is a good, honest girl. Never mind her being a bit dressy; she can't help that, living in town: she is a good girl all the same. ”

“ LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH [smiling] No, you need not be afraid, there is nothing bad in that. It only proves him to be a medium—simply a medium. I knew him to be a medium before this.
TÁNYA. So that's what it is! And I was afraid!
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. No, there's nothing to be afraid of. [Aside] . That's capital! Kaptchítch can't come, so we will test him to-night.... [To Tánya] No, my dear, don't be afraid, he will be a good husband and ... that is only a kind of special power, and every one has it, only in some it is weaker and in others stronger. ”

“ Tánya enters with plates for the presents, and stands listening.
SAHÁTOF [smiling] Oh yes, yes. But here is one puzzling point:—how is it that the mediums are always of the, so-called, educated class, such as Kaptchítch and Márya Ignátievna? If there were such a special force, would it not be met with also among the common people—the peasants?
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Oh yes, and it is! That is very common. Even here in our own house we have a peasant whom we discovered to be a medium. A few days ago we called him in—a sofa had to be moved, during a séance—and we forgot all about him. ”

“ VASÍLY LEONÍDITCH. But where is there?
GREGORY. Just in the same place!
VASÍLY LEONÍDITCH. They're not!
GREGORY. Well, come and see. [Exeunt Gregory and Vasíly Leoníditch] .
THIRD PEASANT. Say now, might we not in the meantime just go and wait, say, in some lodging-house or somewhere?
TÁNYA. No, no, wait a little. I'll go and bring you some plates to put the presents on. [Exit] .
134 Enter Sahátof and Leoníd Fyódoritch, followed by Theodore Ivánitch.
The Peasants take up the presents, and pose themselves.
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH [to Peasants] Presently, presently! Wait a bit! ”

“ TÁNYA. I don't know how to answer. Only one thing,—let me go home.
Enter Betsy unobserved.
ANNA PÁVLOVNA [to Leoníd Fyódoritch] There, you see! You are being made a fool of.
FRUITS OF CULTURE. Act IV.
Anna Pávlovna. There, you see! You are being made a fool of.
TÁNYA. Let me go home, Anna Pávlovna!
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. No, my dear! You may have caused us a loss of thousands of roubles. Land has been sold that ought not to be sold!
TÁNYA. Let me go, Anna Pávlovna!
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. No; you'll have to answer for it! Such tricks won't do. We'll have you up before the Justice of the Peace! ”

“ LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Well then, shall we risk a séance with our new medium?
PROFESSOR. Yes, certainly. He is a powerful medium, there is no doubt about it. And it is especially desirable that the séance should take place to-day with the same people. Grossman will certainly respond to the influence of the mediumistic energy, and then the connection and identity of the different phenomena will be still more evident. You will see then that, if the medium is as strong as he was just now, Grossman will vibrate. ”

“ Doctor! Doctor! Peter Petróvitch!... He's gone too!... [Exit, sobbing, followed by Leoníd Fyódoritch] .
All stand silent for a long time.
THIRD PEASANT. Botheration take them all! If one don't mind, the police will be after one here. And I have never been to law in all my born days. Let's go to some lodging-house, lads!
THEODORE IVÁNITCH [to Tánya] What are we to do?
TÁNYA. Never mind, Theodore Ivánitch, let them sleep with the coachman.
THEODORE IVÁNITCH. How can we do that? The coachman was complaining as it is, that his place is full of dogs. ”

“ Your reverence might take a little trouble over it, and we should give you full thankings from the Commune for your trouble.
THIRD PEASANT. Do try, honey! We can't live! We have so little land. Talk of cattle—why, we have no room to keep a hen! [They bow] .
THEODORE IVÁNITCH. I am sorry for you, friends, but I can't think of any way to help you. I understand your case very well, but he has refused. So what can one do? Besides, the lady is also against it. Well, give me your papers—I'll try and see what I can do, but I hardly hope to succeed. [Exit] .
Tánya and the three Peasants sigh. ”

“ Something was hidden in the kitchen, and all the gentlefolk came down, and the mistress saw the peasants. There was such a row! “How is this,” she says; “these people may be infected, and they are let into the kitchen!” ... She is terribly afraid of this infection.
Enter Gregory.
THEODORE IVÁNITCH. Gregory, you go and help Jacob. I'll stay here. He can't manage alone.
217 GREGORY. He's awkward, that's why he can't manage. [Exit] .
FIRST FOOTMAN. And what is this new mania they have got? This infection!... So yours also is afraid of it?
THEODORE IVÁNITCH. She fears it worse than fire! ”

“ FIRST PEASANT. That's just it, she did raise a storm that time—awful!
SECOND PEASANT. That time it looked as if the master was going to step in, but seeing that the missus was about to blow the very roof off the house, he slams the door. Have your own way, thinks he. ”

“ SAHÁTOF. That is quite comprehensible and correct; but if, as you are kind enough to inform us, the plunging of the medium into a trance produces perturbations of the spiritual ether, allow me to ask why (as is usually supposed to be the case in spiritualistic séances) these perturbations result in an activity on the part of the souls of dead people?
PROFESSOR. It is because the molecules of this spiritual ether are nothing but the souls of the living, the dead, and the unborn, and any vibration of the spiritual ether must inevitably cause a certain vibration of its atoms. ”

“ The phenomena are not caused by the medium, but by psychic energy acting through a medium, and that is a very different thing. The whole matter lies in the law of equivalents.
187 SAHÁTOF. Yes, certainly, but ...
Enter Tánya, who hides behind the hangings.
LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Only remember that we cannot reckon on any results with certainty, with this medium any more than with Home or Kaptchítch. We may not succeed, but on the other hand we may even have perfect materialisation.
SAHÁTOF. Materialisation even? What do you mean by materialisation? ”