Shipwreck. Tom Stoppard
one who understands what the question is: why should anyone obey anyone else?
GRANOVSKY Because that’s what society means. You might as well ask, why should an orchestra play together? And yet it can play together without being socialist.
TURGENEV That’s true!—my mother keeps an orchestra at Spasskoye. What I find even harder to grasp, however, is that she also owns the nightingales.
HERZEN Bringing in Russia always seems to confuse things. I’m not saying socialism is history’s secret plan, it just looks like the rational step.
GRANOVSKY To whom?
HERZEN To me. Not just me. The future is being scrawled on the factory walls of Paris.
GRANOVSKY Why? Why necessarily? We have no factory districts. Why should we wait to be inundated from within by our very own industrialised Goths? Everything you hold dear in civilisation will be smashed on the altar of equality … the equality of the barracks.
HERZEN You judge the common people after they’ve been brutalised. But people are good, by nature. I have faith in them.
GRANOVSKY Without faith in something higher, human nature is animal nature.
HERZEN Without superstition, you mean.
GRANOVSKY Superstition? Did you say superstition?
Herzen forgets to keep his temper, and Granovsky starts to respond in kind until they are rowing.
HERZEN Superstition! The pious and pitiful belief that there’s something outside or up there, or God knows where, without which men can’t find their nobility.
GRANOVSKY Without ‘up there,’ as you call it, scores have to be settled down here—that’s the whole truth about materialism.
HERZEN How can you—how dare you—throw away your dignity as a human being? You can choose well or badly without deference to a ghost!—you’re a free man, Granovsky, there’s no other kind.
Natalie arrives hurriedly and frightened. Her distress is at first misinterpreted. She runs to Alexander and hugs him, unable to speak. There are some mushrooms in her basket.
NATALIE Alexander …
HERZEN (apologetically to Natalie) It’s only a little argument …
GRANOVSKY (to Natalie) It grieves me deeply to have to absent myself from a household in which I have always received a kind welcome. (Granovsky starts to leave.)
NATALIE There’s a policeman come to the house—I saw him from the field.
HERZEN A policeman?
A Servant comes from the house, overtaken by a uniformed
POLICEMAN.
HERZEN (cont.) Oh God, not again … Natalie, Natalie …
POLICEMAN Is one of you Herzen?
HERZEN I am.
POLICEMAN You’re to read this. From Count Orlov.
The Policeman gives Herzen a letter. Herzen tears it open.
NATALIE (to the Policeman) I want to go with him.
POLICEMAN I wasn’t told …
Herzen hugs Natalie.
HERZEN It’s all right. (announces) After twelve years of police surveillance in and out of exile, Count Orlov has graciously let it be known, I can now apply to travel abroad … !
The others gather round him in relief and congratulation. The Policeman hesitates. Natalie snatches the letter.
KETSCHER You’ll see Sazonov again.
GRANOVSKY He’s changed.
TURGENEV And Bakunin …
GRANOVSKY He hasn’t, I’m afraid.
NATALIE ‘… to travel abroad to seek medical assistance in respect of your son Nikolai Alexandrovich …’
HERZEN (lifting her up) Paris, Natalie!
Her basket of mushrooms falls and spills.
NATALIE (weeping with joy) … Kolya! … (Natalie runs off.)
HERZEN Where’s Nick?
POLICEMAN Good news, then.
Herzen takes the hint and tips him. The Policeman leaves.
NATALIE (returning) Where’s Kolya?
HERZEN Kolya? I don’t know. Why?
NATALIE Where is he?
Natalie runs out, calling the name.
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