yatkin.
VARVARA: Nicholas?
DASHA: Nicholas himself.
VARVARA (after a silence): All right. Since he did
so without mentioning it to me, he must have had
reasons for doing so. But in the future I shall ask
you to be more careful. That Lebyatkin does not
have a good reputation.
MARIA: Oh, no! And if he comes, you must send
him to the kitchen. That's his place. You can give
him coffee if you wish. But I hold him in utter
contempt.
ALEXEY YEGOROVICH (coming in): A certain Mr.
Lebyatkin is very insistent about being an-
nounced.
MAURICE: Allow me to say, madame, that he is
not the kind of man to be received in good soci-
ety..
VARVARA: Yet I am going to receive him. (To
ALEXEY YEGOROVICH) Tell him to come up.
(ALEXEY YEGOROVICH leaves.) Since you must
know, I received anonymous letters informing
me that my son is a monster and warning me
against a crippled woman destined to play a
large part in my life. I want to get to the bottom
of the matter.
PRASCOVYA: I, too, have received those letters.
And you know what they say about this woman
and Nicholas. . . .
VARVARA: I know.
5i Scene 4
(LEBYATKIN comes in, titillated without being
quite drunk. He goes toward VARVARA STAVRO-
GIN.)
LEBYATKIN: I have come,. madame�
VARVARA: Sit down in that chair, sir. You can be
heard just as well from there. (He wheels about
and goes and sits down.) Now, will you intro-
duce yourself?
LEBYATKIN (rising): Captain Lebyatkin. I have
come, madame�
VARVARA: Is this person your sister?
LEBYATKIN: Yes, madame. She eluded my vigi-
lance for ... I wouldn't want you to think that
I was saying anything bad about my sister, but
. . . (He taps his forehead with his finger.)
VARVARA: Did this misfortune happen long ago?
LEBYATKIN: On a certain day, madame, yes, a
certain day ... I have come to thank you for
having taken her in. Here are twenty rubles. (He
goes toward her as the others all bestir themselves
as if to protect VARVARA STAVROGIN.)
VARVARA: Why, you must be mad, my man.
LEBYATKIN: NO, madame. Rich is your dwelling
and poor is the dwelling of the Lebyatkins, but
Maria my sister, nee Lebyatkin, the nameless
Maria would not have accepted from anyone but
you the ten rubles you gave her. From you,
madame, and from you alone she will accept
anything. But while she accepts with one hand,
she gives with the other to one of your charities.
VARVARA: That is done through my porter, sir, and
you may do so as you leave. I beg you therefore
to put your money away and not to wave it in
First Part 52
my face. I shall thank you also to sit down again.
Now explain yourself and tell me why your
sister can accept anything from me.
LEBYATKIN: Madame, that is a secret that I shall
carry to the grave with me.
VARVARA: Why?
LEBYATKIN: May I ask you a question openly, in
the Russian manner, from the depths of my
heart?
VARVARA: I am listening.
LEBYATKIN: Is it possible to die just because of
too noble a soul?
VARVARA: That is a question I have never asked
myself.
LEBYATKIN: Really never? Well, if that's the way
it is . . . (He strikes his chest vigorously.) Be
silent, heart; there is no hope!
(MARIA TIMOFEYEVNA bUTStS OUt laUghlflg.)
VARVARA: Stop talking in conundrums, sir, and
answer my question. Why can she accept any-
thing from me?
LEBYATKIN: Why? Oh, madame, every day for
millennia the whole of nature has been asking the
Creator "Why?" and we are still awaiting the
reply. Is Captain Lebyatkin to be the only one
to answer? Would that be fair? I should like to
be named Paul and yet I am named Ignatius.
Why? I am a poet, with the soul of a poet, and
yet I live in a pigsty. Why?
VARVARA: YOU are expressing yourself bombas-
tically, and I look upon that as insolent.
LEBYATKIN: NO, madame, not insolent. I am just
an infinitesimal insect, but the insect does not
53 Scene 4
complain. A man is sometimes forced to put up
with the dishonor of his family rather than to
speak the truth. So Lebyatkin will not complain;
he will not say one word too many. You must,
madame, admit his greatness of soul!
(ALEXEY YEGOROVICH comes in, showing great
emotion.)
ALEXEY YEGOROVICH: Nicholas Stavrogin has
come.
(All turn toward the door. Hasty steps are heard
and PETER VERKHOVENSKY enters.)
STEPAN: But . . .
PRASCOVYA: But it's . . .
PETER: Greetings, Varvara Stavrogin.
STEPAN: Peter! Why, it's Peter, my son! (He
rushes up and embraces PETER.)
PETER: All right. All right. Don't get excited. (He
breaks away.) Just imagine, I rush in expecting
to find Nicholas Stavrogin. He left me a half-
hour ago at Kirilov's and asked me to meet him
here. He will be here any minute, and I am
happy to announce this good news.
STEPAN: But I haven't seen you in ten years.
PETER (moving from one person to another in the
room): All the more reason for not going all
to pieces. Behave yourself! Oh, Lisa, how happy
I am! And your esteemed mother hasn't for-
gotten me? How are your legs? Dear Varvara
Stavrogin, I had told my father, but naturally he
forgot. ...
STEPAN: Man enfant, quelle joie!
PETER: Yes, you love me. But leave me alone. Ah!
Here is Nicholas!
First Part 54
(STAVROGIN enters.)
VARVARA: Nicholas! (At the tone of her voice,
STAVROGIN stops dead.) I beg you to tell me at
once, before you take even one step, whether it
is true that this woman here is your legitimate
wife.
(STAVROGIN stares at her, smiles, then walks to-
ward her and kisses her hand. With the same
calm stare he walks toward MARIA TIMOFEYEVNA.
MARIA gets up with an expression of painful de-
light on her face.)
STAVROGIN (with extraordinary gentleness and af-
fection) : You must not stay here.
MARIA: May I, right here and now, kneel down
before you?
STAVROGIN (smiling): No, you may not. I am not
your brother or your fiance or your husband, am
I? Take my arm. With your permission, I shall
take you home t
o your brother. (She casts a
frightened look toward LEBYATKIN.) Fear noth-
ing. Now that I am here, he will not touch you.
MARIA: Oh, I fear nothing. At last you have come.
Lebyatkin, call for the carriage.
(LEBYATKIN leaves, STAVROGIN gives his arm to
MARIA TIMOFEYEVNA, who takes it with a radiant
expression on her face. But as she walks she
stumbles and would fall but for STAVROGIN hold-
ing her. He leads her toward the exit, showing
her great consideration, amid an absolute silence.
LISA, who has risen from her chair, sits down
again with a shudder of disgust. As soon as they
have left, everyone stirs.)
55 Scene 4
VARVARA (to PRASCOVYA DROZDOV) : Well, did you
hear what he just said?
PRASCOVYA: Of course. Of course! But why didn't
he answer you?
PETER: Why, he couldn't, I assure you!
VARVARA (suddenly looking at him): Why not?
What do you know about it?
PETER: I know all about it. But the story was too
long for Nicholas to relate just now. I can tell it
to you, for I saw it all.
VARVARA: If you give me your word of honor that
what you say will not hurt Nicholas in any
way . . .
PETER: Quite the contrary! He will even be grate-
ful to me for having spoken. You see, we were
together in St. Petersburg five years ago and
Nicholas was leading�how shall I put it?�an
ironic life. Yes, that's the word. He was bored
then, but did not want to fall into despair. Hence
he did nothing and went out with anyone at all.
Through nobility of soul, you might say, like a
man above all that sort of thing. In short, he
spent his time with knaves. Thus it is that he
knew that Lebyatkin, a fool and parasite. He and
his sister were living in abject poverty. One day
in a cabaret someone insulted that lame girl.
Nicholas got up, seized the insulter by the collar,
and with a single blow threw him out. That's all.
[VARVARA: What do you mean, "that's all"?
PETER: Yes, that's where it all started. The lame
girl fell in love with her Knight, who neverthe-
less never spoke two sentences to her. People
First Part 56
made fun of her. Nicholas was the only one who
didn't laugh and treated her with respect. ]
STEP AN: Why, that is very chivalrous.
[PETER: Yes, you see, my father feels the same
way the lame girl did. Kirilov, on the other hand,
did not.
VARVARA: Why not?
PETER: He used to say to Nicholas: "It's because
you treat her like a duchess that she is losing all
self-possession."
LISA: And what did the Knight reply?
PETER: "Kirilov," he said, "you think I am making
fun of her, but you are wrong. I respect her, for
she is worth more than all of us."
STEP AN: Sublime! And even, you might say, chiv-
alrous. . . .]
PETER: Yes, chivalrous. Unfortunately, the lame
girl eventually came to imagine that Nicholas
was her fiance. Finally, when Nicholas had to
leave Petersburg, he arranged to leave behind an
annual allowance for the lame girl.
LISA: Why that?
PETER: I don't know. A whim perhaps�the kind
a man indulges in when he is prematurely tired of
existence. Kirilov, on the other hand, claimed
that it was the fancy of a blase young man who
wanted to see how far he could lead a half-crazy
cripple. But I am sure that's not true.
VARVARA (in a state of rapture): Why, of course
not! It's just like Nicholas! It's just like me!
Being carried away like that, blind generosity
taking up the defense of anything weak, infirm,
57 Scene 4
perhaps even unworthy . . . (She looks at STE-
PAN TROFIMOVICH.) . . . protecting the creature
for years on end . . . Why, it's me all over
again! Oh, I have been guilty toward Nicholas!
As for that poor creature, it's very simple: I shall
adopt her.
PETER: And you will be doing right. For her
brother persecutes her. He got it into his head
that he had a right to dispose of her allowance.
Not only does he take everything she has, not
only does he beat her and take her money, but
he drinks it all up, he insults her benefactor,
threatens to drag him before the law if the al-
lowance is not paid to him directly. In fact, he
considers Nicholas's gift as if it were a sort of
tribute.
LISA: A tribute for what?
PETER: Well, how should I know? He talks of his
sister's honor, of his family. But honor is a vague
word, isn't it? Very vague.
SHATOV: Is it a vague word, really? (All look at
him.) Dasha, is it a vague word to you? (DASHA
looks at him.) Answer me.
DASHA: No, brother, honor exists.
(STAVROGIN enters, VARVARA rises and goes rapidly
toward him.)
VARVARA: Oh, Nicholas, will you forgive me?
STAVROGIN: I am the one to be forgiven, Mother.
I should have explained to you. But I was sure
that Peter Verkhovensky would inform you.
VARVARA: Yes, he did. And I am happy. . . . You
were chivalrous.
First Part 58
STEP AN: Sublime is the word.
STAVROGIN: Chivalrous, indeed! So that's how you
see it? I suppose I owe this compliment to Peter
Verkhovensky. And you must believe him,
Mother. He lies only in exceptional circum-
stances, (PETER VERKHOVENSKY and STAVROGIN
look at each other and smile.) Good, but I beg
your forgiveness once more for my attitude. {In
a harsh, crisp voice) In any case, the subject is
closed now. There's no point in bringing it up
again.
(LISA bursts out with a hysterical laugh.)
STAVROGIN: Good day, Lisa. I hope you are well.
LISA: Please forgive me. I believe you know Mau-
rice Nicolaevich. Good Lord, Maurice, how is it
possible to be so tall?
MAURICE: I don't understand.
LISA: Oh, nothing ... I was just thinking. . . .
Supposing that I were lame, you would lead me
through the streets, you would be chivalrous,
wouldn't you? You would be devoted to me?
MAURICE: Most certainly, Lisa. But why talk of
such a misfortune?
LISA: Most certainly you would be chivalrous.
Well, you so tall and I crippled and deformed,
we'd make a ridiculous couple.
(VARVARA STAVROGIN and PRASCOVYA DROZDOV go
toward LISA. But STAVROGIN turns and goes to-
ward DASHA.)
STAVROGIN: I've heard of your marriage, Dasha,
and I want to congratulate you. (DASHA turns her
head away.) My cong
ratulations are sincere.
59 Scene 4
DASHA: I know it.
PETER: Why these congratulations? Am I to as-
sume that there is some good news?
PRASCOVYA: Yes, Dasha is getting married.
PETER: Why, it's wonderful! Accept my con-
gratulations too. But you have lost your bet. You
told me in Switzerland that you would never get
married. Decidedly, it's an epidemic. Do you
know that my father is getting married too?
STEPAN: Peter!
PETER: Well, didn't you write me so? To be sure,
you weren't very clear. First you declare your-
self to be delighted and then you ask me to save
you; you tell me that the girl is a pure diamond,
but that you must get married to cover sins com-
mitted in Switzerland; you ask my consent�
what a topsy-turvy world this is!�and you beg
me to save you from this marriage. (To the
others, laughing) What on earth could he mean?
But that's the way his generation is�big words
and vague ideas! (He seems suddenly to become
aivare of the effect of his ivords.) Well, what's
the matter? ... It looks as if I've pulled a
boner. . . .
VARVARA (stepping toward him with flushed face) :
Did Stepan Trofimovich write you that in so
many words?
PETER: Yes, here is his letter. It is long, like all of
his letters. I never read them all the way through,
I must confess. Besides, he doesn't care, for he
writes them especially for posterity. But there's
no harm in what he says.
First Part
60
VARVARA: Nicholas, was it Stepan Trofimovich
who informed you of this marriage? In the same
manner, I suppose?
STAVROGIN: He did write me, in fact, but a very-
noble letter.
VARVARA: That's enough! (She turns toward STE-
PAN TROFIMOVICH.) Stepan Trofimovich, I expect
a great service of you. I expect you to leave this
house and never appear in my presence again.
(STEPAN TROFIMOVICH steps toward her and bows
with great dignity, then goes over toward DASHA.)
STEPAN: Dasha, forgive me for all this. I thank
you for having accepted.
DASHA: I forgive you, Stepan Trofimovich. I feel
nothing but affection and esteem for you. You,
at least, continue to respect me.
PETER (striking his forehead): Now I understand!
Why, he meant with Dasha! Forgive me, Dasha.
I didn't know. If only my father had had the
sense to tell me instead of indulging in innuendo!
STEPAN (looking at him): Is it possible that you
knew nothing! Is it possible that you are not put-
ting on an act?
PETER: Well, you see, Varvara Stavrogin, he's not
only an aged child, he's also an aged naughty
child. How could I have understood? A sin com-
mitted in Switzerland! Just try to make out what
he means!
STAVROGIN: Be quiet, Peter, your father acted
nobly. And you have insulted Dasha, whom all
of us here respect.
(SHATOV gets up and walks toward STAVROGIN,
who smiles at him but ceases to smile when SHA-
61 Scene 4
TOV is close to him. Everyone stares at them. Si-
lence. Then SHATOV slaps him as hard as he can.
VARVARA screams, STAVROGIN seizes SHATOV by the
shoulders, then lets him go and puts his hands
behind his back, SHATOV backs up as STAVROGIN
stares at him. STAVROGIN smiles, bows, and leaves.)
LISA: Maurice, come here. Give me your hand!
(Pointing to STAVROGIN) YOU see that man? You
won't see any better. Maurice, before all let me
declare that I have agreed to be your wife!
MAURICE: Are you sure, Lisa, are you sure?
LISA (staring at the door through which STAVROGIN
has gone out, her -face bathed in tears): Yes,
yes, I am sure!
CURTAIN
SECOND PART
ISsm*-
SCENE 5
At Varvara Stavrogin,s. ALEXEY YEGOROVICH holds
on his arm a coat, a scarf, and a hat. In front of him
STAVROGIN is dressing to go out. PETER VERKHOVEN-
SKY, looking sullen, is near the table.
STAVROGIN {to PETER) : And if you speak to me
again like that, you will feel my cane.
PETER: There was nothing insulting in my propo-
sition. If you really think of marrying Lisa . . .
STAVROGIN: . . . you can free me from the only
obstacle separating me from her. I know it, but
don't say it again. I'd rather not have to use my
cane on you. My gloves, Alexey.
ALEXEY: It is raining, sir. At what time shall I ex-
pect you?
STAVROGIN: At two o'clock at the latest.
ALEXEY: Very well, sir. (STAVROGIN takes his cane
and is about to leave by the small door.) May
God bless you, sir. But only if you are planning
a good deed.
STAVROGIN: What?
ALEXEY: May God bless you. But only if you are
planning a good deed.
STAVROGIN {after a silence and with his hand on
ALEXEY'S arm): My good Alexey, I remember
the time when you used to carry me in your