(voice)

Five arshins of tape, a pound of cheese a-a-and tooth powder. That's it. I still have an hour before I leave to go to my country house, enough time for a nap

the writing on the cushions under his feet: From an admirer. Falls asleep.

SERVANT: Pavel Vassilich! Pavel Vassilich! There is a lady here. She is asking about you. She’s been waiting an hour or so.

PAVEL VASSILICH: Hmm…What in the hell! Tell her I’m busy.

SERVANT: Well, Pavel Vassilich! She came five times before. She says she really needs to see you. She is on the brink of tears.

PAVEL VASSILICH: Well…Let her into my study.

SERVANT: Pavel Vassilich please put this on (helps him into his jacket )

MURASHKINA: Of course you don't remember me. It was my pleasure to meet you at the Kurdski's. I…I…am  Murashkina. Yes…

PAVEL VASSILICH: (puzzled) please have a seat.

MURASHKINA: Mercie.

PAVEL VASSILICH: What can I do for 113 you?

MURASHKINA: You see I am Murashkina…Murashkina, I am…I am a great admirer of your talent. I always enjoy your articles. Don't think that I am flattering you. I read you constantly. I myself know what it’s like to be an author. It is not alien to me. Well of course I dare not call myself a writer and yet. My drop of honey has been added to the honey-hive. I have within a certain time published my three short stories for children … then and there. I’ve often done translation and my late brother worked for "Delo" … democratic magazine.

PAVEL VASSILICH: How can I help you?

MURASHKINA: I know your talent, your views, Pavel Vassilich. I would like to know your opinion. To put it accurately, I would like to ask your advice…I must say…pardon pour l'expression, excuse my expression, I was bearing a baby…I have delivered a …drama, yes! Drama. And before I send it to the censors, Pavel Vassilich, I would like to know your opinion.

PAVEL VASSILICH: All right! Leave it here. I will read it!

MURASHKINA: Pavel Vassilich, I know you’re busy. I know how you value every minute. And I know that deep in your heart you are now telling me to go to hell! But will you be so kind as to let me read my drama for you now? Will you be nice?

PAVEL VASSILICH: I would love to, But now, madam I’m so..very busy. I am leaving now…

MURASHKINA: Pavel Vassilich, I am at your mercy. Be generous! Tomorrow I’m leaving for Kazan, so I would like to know your opinion today. Will you give me a gift! Just half an hour of your attention. Only half an hour, Pavel Vassilich, I pray! I pray!!

 PAVEL VASSILICH (brings her to the sofa and helps her sit down) Half an hour. Well, I am ready to listen to you!

MURASHKINA: Half an hour, dear Pavel Vassilich. “Drama in two acts with prologue and epilogue” "What were the nightingales singing about?" Characters: Landowner Shepcherygin, 60 years old. His views are conservative. His face shows importance. His sister Concordia Ivanovna, 65 years old, manifests mementoes of her former beauty, her manners are aristocratic. Drinks vodka. His daughter Anna Sergeievna, 35 years old, suffers because she is a virgin… Valentin, the student, 40 years old, generous, helps his ill father. Zigzagovski, landowner, rich, corrupted, product of his time. Pertukarski, telegraphist, 55 years old, bastard. Kuchkin, judge, scoundrel, but generally speaking, an honest man. Vodyankin, merchant. He is limping on his left leg. Never appears on stage. Pronskaya, princess, comma. 75 years old. Has sticky fingers. Sylvester, valet. Feklusha, maid - old servants. Have an intimate relationship. Perigaev - retired colonel.

PAVEL VASSILICH: What a hell you have brought!

MURASHKINA:…with a dog. Never appears on stage. Baron fon Shputzen, an old bachelor. Has an adult daughter. His daughter Caleria, 50 years old. shows traces of her former beauty. Dressed in a narrow silk blouse. Men and women of the settlement. Men and women dwellers Act 1. A luxurious parlour at Shepcherygins house. Antique expensive meuble furniture stands surrounded on either side by portraits of ancestors. Autumn faded flowers are in the vases. The valet and the maid are dusting the luxurious sitting room The valet: the master is mad at the young miss! He was so angry with his daughter yesterday that he did not come down for lunch. She has spent all her inheritance to build the school and the hospital in the village. The valet exits. Feklusha alone: those are well, who have learnt all sciences. The fair say: live and learn. Pause.

PAVEL VASSILICH: Why should I listen to this nonsense of yours? Am I to blame that you have written this drama.

MURASHKINA: Enter Anna. She is pale and gorgeous. Anna: Feklusha give me valerian drops. I have not slept all night. Pause.

PAVEL VASSILICH: My God. The notebook is so Thick! What torture!

MURASHKINA: Scene seven. Anna alone. I have been thinking of Valentine all night. What a nobleman! He’s the son of a poor teacher and he helps his ill parent absolutely gratis otherwise he would be able to have a brilliant career! Scene nine. Pause. Enter Feklusha. She is pale. 117

PAVEL VASSILICH: My wife has ordered to me to buy… and bring to the country house

MURASHKINA: Dear miss! Dear miss!

PAVEL VASSILICH: …to bring to the country house five arshins of tape, a pound of cheese and…

MURASHKINA: Anna: here he is!

PAVEL VASSILICH: and…

MURASHKINA: Be quick!

PAVEL VASSILICH: and …some tooth powder.

MURASHKINA: Scene ten. Why? Anna: Now we must have a talk. Where is the happiness that you promised me! Forgive me, Pavel Vassilich, this is private! This is from my biography…Oh my God! Scene twelve. Pause.

PAVEL VASSILICH: I must not lose the sample of broadcloth. Where have I put it? Probably is in my blue jacket.

MURASHKINA: Valentin getting pale: I am not able to think rationally. I don’t know my ambition in this life. Doubts and lack of self-confidence have deprived my soul of peace. Where? What is my credo? And yet…I must…

PAVEL VASSILICH: Dirty flies! They had their time to spatter my wife’s portrait! Now I must order the servant…I must order Olga to wash it.

MURASHKINA:…it is a hard burden for my fragile shoulders… Valentin has gotten pale. Anna has gotten pale: I love him! I love him more than life. Baron Shputzen: Anna Sergeievna you forget that your love is destroying your father! Anna looks at Valentin. How pale he is! Valentin getting pale: I cannot think rationally. I have no goal in my life. Doubts, lack of selfconfidence have worn my soul. Where? What is my credo? Pavel Vassilich, don’t you think that this monologue of Valentin’S is a little bit longer, than it should be?

PAVEL VASSILICH: No! Not at all! It’s very nice.

MURASHKINA: Oh, you are so very kind! Just so very kind! Oh, how happy I am! Anna is looking lovingly at Valentin. Valentin getting pale: Yes! But this relationship of ours are not supposed to be continued! Ah! Forgive my tears Pavel Vassilievich…a-a-ah!

PAVEL VASSILICH: Is it really possible in these dog days that such a pretty bellymountain is so inspired?

Murashkina: Valentin! Oh, I am sorry! Pavel Vassilievich…a-a-ah! This is again a very private moment. This is from my life. Anna has gotten pale: you are focused on the analysis! You have stopped living in your heart. You are young enough but you don’t believe your feelings. You trust your head. Valentin getting pale: what is the heart? This is a notion of anatomy. Certain conditional terms define feelings. I don’t acknowledge it. Valentin is laughing sardonically. A-ha-ha! Anna has gotten pale. She is embarrassed: and love? Is love just a product of associations and ideas? Pavel Vassilich: you’d better forget playwriting…you’d better eat cold kvas soup and nap at the basement door.

MURASHKINA: Anna…she has gotten pale: Say truthfully. Have you ever loved someone? Valentin: Don’t salt my wounds! They still hurt. Anna…she has gotten pale: Silence! Valentin making an aside: How pale she is! We must have a frank talk, Valentin! Where is the happiness you promised me. Valentin says to her: What are you thinking about? It seems to me that you are unhappy? A-a-ah! Forgive my tears, Pavel Vassilievich…a-a-ah! This moment is also from my biography. Scene 17. Enter Silvester: How noble he is!

PAVEL VASSILICH: Is it going to have an end?

MURASHKINA: He is generously supporting his ill father.

PAVEL VASSILICH: Oh. My God! If this torture lasts ten minutes more, I will cry for help!

MURASHKINA: Here he is! Let him in immediately!

PAVEL VASSILICH: This is unbearable!

MURASHKINA: Sylvester: they are together again! Oh, it’s bad luck! She has refused such a man. Such a gentleman! Yes! Gentleman of the Emperor’s bedchamber…She has refused mister Lyarlyarski. Curtain. Act two. The stage set is a village lane. There is the school to the right and the hospital to the left. Villagers sit on the stairs. They are singing: On Saturday…Nasty weather…One can’t go…one can’t go to the fi-i-ield!

PAVEL VASSILICH: How many acts are there all in all?

MURASHKINA: Five! Scene one. Enter Valentin. He is pale. You called me, Anna? Why? Anna: Don’t make me explain the reason. Pause. Anna. You cannot leave! Valenting, embracing Anna: You have raised me from the dead! You have shown me the way! You have refreshed me as spring rain refreshes the awakening soil. But late! Too late! The incurable disease is worming its way into my chest! Valentin is crying. Anna is crying.

PAVEL VASSILICH: Haven’t I taken my salt! What am I talking about? Yes, about my salt. It’s very likely that…I have catarrh of the stomach.

MURASHKINA: Scene eleven. The same, Baron Shputzen, district police officer, witnesses. Valentin has become pale: Take me! Anna: Take me! I belong to him! I will follow him. Take me with him! I love him! I love him more than my life.

PAVEL VASSILICH: Some birdы seem to be sitting on the window-sill. A sparrow!

MURASHKINA: I love him more than my life. District police officers and witnesses have seized Valentin. He is trying hard to get out of the tenacious hands of the limbs of law. Valentin: Let me go! Anna gets pale: Take me! Leave him alone! Valentin: There is no force that could separate us! Valentin gets pale. Valentin is looking through the school window. One can see the villagers carrying their goods. Valentin: Let me leave! Anna gets pale. What is going on here? Anna Sergeievna! What are you doing to your elderly parent? She instilled in me great and infinite love! She instilled in me unlimited happiness! Scene twenty. Comma. What is going on here? Baron Shputzen: Anna Sergeievna! What are you doing to your elderly father? You keep forgetting that you destroy him! You will kill him so! You will kill! I cannot stand it anymore! I need some fresh air!

PAVEL VASSILICH: A-a-ah!

MURASHKINA: Valentin is holding Anna in his arms. She is weeping. O-ho-ho! Valentin is laughing sardonically. Valentin has gotten pale: I must leave. A-a-ah!

PAVEL VASSILICH: (hits Murashkina) Arrest me I have killed her! Music.

Voice: The Jury acquitted him.

THE END.