turned from a long absence, and then perhaps I'll
recognize you.
STAVROGIN: Be quiet. Now, listen carefully. I want
all. your attention. Tomorrow, if I'm still alive, I
shall make our marriage public. We shall not live
in my house. We shall go to Switzerland, to the
mountains. We shall spend our whole life in that
gloomy, deserted spot. That is how I see things.
MARIA: Yes, yes, you want to die, you are already
burying yourself. But when you come to want
to live again, you will want to get rid of me. No
matter how!
STAVROGIN: No. I shall not leave that place; I'll
not leave you. Why do you talk to me this way?
MARIA: Because now I have recognized you and I
know that you are not my Prince. He would not
be ashamed of me. He would not hide me in the
mountains. He would show me to everyone�
yes, even to that young lady who couldn't take
her eyes off me the other day. No, you look very
much like my Prince, but it's all over. ... I
have seen through you. You want to make an
impression on that young lady. You covet her.
STAVROGIN: Will you listen to me? Cease this mad-
ness!
MARIA: He never told me I was mad. He was a
Prince, an eagle. He could fall at the feet of God
if he wanted to, and not fall at the feet of God
if he didn't want to. As for you, Shatov slapped
you. You are a lackey too.
93 Scene 8
STAVROGIN (taking her by the arm): Look at me.
Recognize me. I am your husband.
MARIA: Let go of me, impostor. I don't fear your
knife. He would have defended me against the
whole world. You want my death because I am
in your way.
STAVROGIN: What have you said, you wretch!
What have you said?
(He flings her backward. She falls and he rushes
toward the door. She stumbles after him. But
LEBYATKIN suddenly appears and holds her down
while she screams.)
MARIA: Assassin! Anathema! Assassin!
BLACKOUT
SCENE 9
The bridge, STAVROGIN is walking rapidly while
muttering to himself. When he has gone beyond
the middle of the bridge, FEDKA pops up behind
him. STAVROGIN turns around suddenly, seizes him
by the neck, and pins him face downward on the
ground, without seeming to make an effort. Then
he lets go of him. At once FEDKA is on his feet with
a broad, short knife in his hand.
STAVROGIN: Put away that knife! (FEDKA hides the
knife, STAVROGIN turns his back and continues
walking, FEDKA follows him. A long walk. The
bridge has now been replaced by a long, deserted
street.) I almost broke your neck, I was so angry.
FEDKA: You are strong, Excellency. The soul is
weak, but the body is vigorous. Your sins must
be great.
STAVROGIN {laughing): So you've gone in for
preaching? Yet I have heard that you robbed a
church last week.
FEDKA: TO tell the truth, I had gone in to pray.
And then it occurred to me that Divine Grace
had led me there and that I should take advantage
of it because God was willing to give me a little
help.
STAVROGIN: You slaughtered the watchman too.
FEDKA: YOU might say we cleaned out the church
95 Scene 9
together. But in the morning, down by the river,
we fell to disputing as to who should carry the big
bag. And then I sinned.
STAVROGIN: Superb. Go on slaughtering and rob-
bing!
FEDKA: That's what little Verkhovensky told me.
I'm quite willing. There are plenty of opportuni-
ties. Why, at Captain Lebyaktin's, where you
went this evening . . .
STAVROGIN (suddenly stopping): Well?
FEDKA: NOW, don't hit me again! I mean that that
drunkard leaves the door open every night, he is
so drunk. Anyone could go in and kill everyone
in the house, both brother and sister.
STAVROGIN: Did you go in?
FEDKA: Yes.
STAVROGIN: Why didn't you kill everybody?
FEDKA: I made a little calculation.
STAVROGIN: What?
FEDKA: I could steal a hundred and fifty rubles
after having killed him�after having killed them,
I mean. But if I am to believe little Verkhovensky,
I could get fifteen hundred rubles from you for
the same work. So . . . (STAVROGIN looks at him
in silence.) I am turning to you as to a brother or
father. [Nobody will ever know anything about
it, not even young Verkhovensky.] But I need to
know whether you want me to do it: just give me
the word or a little down payment, (STAVROGIN
begins to laugh as he looks at him.) Now,
wouldn't you like to give me the three rubles I
(STAVROGIN, still laughing, takes bills out of his
Second Part 96
pocket and drops them on the ground one by
one. FEDKA picks them up, uttering "ah's" ivhich
go on after the light has dimmed to a BLACKOUT.)
THE NARRATOR: The man who kills, or plans to
kill, or lets others be killed, often wants to die
himself. He is a comrade of death. Perhaps that
is what Stavrogin's laugh meant. But it is not cer-
tain that Fedka understood it thus.
BLACKOUT
SCENE 10*
The Forest of Brykovo. It is wet and ivindy. The
trees are bare, the ground is soaking wet. On the
stage are two barriers. In front of one of them,
STAVROGIN, wearing a light coat and a white beaver
hat, and in front of the other, GAGANOV�thirty-
three years old, tail, fat, well fed, blond. In the mid-
dle are the seconds, MAURICE NICOLAEVICH on
Gaganov's side and KIRILOV. The opponents already
hold their pistols.
KIRILOV: And now for the last time I propose a
reconciliation. I say this only to observe the rules;
it is my duty as a second.
MAURICE: I wholeheartedly approve Mr. Kirilov's
words. The idea that there can be no reconcilia-
tion on the field is merely a prejudice which we
can leave to the French. Besides, there's no sense
in this duel, since Mr. Stavrogin is ready to offer
his apologies again.
STAVROGIN: I confirm once more my proposal to
offer every possible apology.
GAGANOV: But this is unbearable! We're not going
to go through the same comedy again. (To MAU-
RICE NICOLAEVICH) If you are my second and not
my enemy, explain to this man . . . (He points
at him with his pistol.) . . . that his concessions
only aggravate the insult. He always seems to
* The whole scene of the duel was cut in production.
Second Part 98
consider th
at my offensive remarks can't touch
him and that there is no shame in dodging me. He
insults me constantly, I tell you, and you are only
irritating me so that I'll miss him.
KIRILOV: That's enough. I beg you to follow my
orders. Back to your places. (The opponents go
back to their places behind the barriers, almost
in the wings.) One, two, three, go.
(The opponents walk toward each other, GAGA-
NOV shoots, stands still for a moment, and, seeing
that he missed STAVROGIN, goes and takes his place
at his barrier, STAVROGIN walks toward him and
shoots above GAGANOV. Then he takes out a
pocket handkerchief and wraps it around his little
finger.)
KIRILOV: Are you wounded?
STAVROGIN: The bullet scraped me.
KIRILOV: If your opponent does not declare him-
self satisfied, your duel must continue.
GAGANOV: I declare that that man shot intentionally
in the air. It's one more insult.
STAVROGIN: I give you my word of honor that I
have no intention of insulting you. I shot in the
air for reasons that concern no one but me.
MAURICE: It seems to me, however, that if one of
the opponents declares in advance that he will
shoot in the air, the duel cannot go on.
STAVROGIN: I never said that I would shoot in the
air each time. You don't know how I shall shoot
the second time.
GAGANOV: I repeat that he did it on purpose. But I
want to shoot a second time, according to my
right.
99 Scene 10
KIRILOV (wryly): It is in fact your right.
MAURICE: Since that is the way it is, the duel goes
on.
(They start in the same way. GAGANOV reaches
the barrier and takes aim for a long time at
STAVROGIN, who stands waiting with his arms at
his sides, GAGANOV'S hand trembles.)
KIRILOV: You are aiming too long. Shoot. Shoot
quickly.
(GAGANOV shoots, STAVROGIN'S hat flies off. KIRILOV
picks it up and gives it to STAVROGIN. Together
they examine the hat.)
MAURICE: Your turn to shoot. Don't keep your
opponent waiting.
(STAVROGIN looks at GAGANOV and shoots his pistol
upward, GAGANOV, mad with rage, runs offstage.
MAURICE NICOLAEVICH follows him.)
KIRILOV: Why didn't you kill him? You have in-
sulted him even more seriously.
STAVROGIN: What should I have done?
KIRILOV: Either not provoke him to a duel or else
kill him.
STAVROGIN: I didn't want to kill him. But if I had
not provoked him, he would have slapped me in
public.
KIRILOV : Well, then, you would have been slapped!
STAVROGIN: I'm beginning to feel as if I didn't un-
derstand. Why does everybody expect of me
I endure what no one endures and accept burdens
that no one could carry?
KIRILOV: You go out of your way to seek those
burdens, Stavrogin.
Second Part
100
STAVROGIN: Ah! (A pause.) You noticed that?
KIRILOV: Yes.
STAVROGIN: Is It as obvious as that?
KIRILOV: Yes,
(Silence, STAVROGIN puts on his hat and arranges
it carefully. He resumes his distant manner, then
looks at KIRILOV.)
STAVROGIN (slowly ): One tires of burdens, Kirilov.
It is not my fault that that idiot missed me.
BLACKOUTI
SCENE 11
At Varvara StavrognCs. STAVROGIN, in the center, is
asleep bolt upright on the sofa, with a bandage on
his finger. He scarcely seems to be breathing. His
face is pale and severe, as if petrified, and he is
frowning.
DASHA conies in and rushes to him, stops, and
stares at him. She makes the sign of the cross over
him. He opens his eyes and remains motionless,
staring fixedly at the same point in front of him.
DASHA: Are you wounded?
STAVROGIN {looking at her): No.
DASHA: Did you draw blood?
STAVROGIN: No, I killed no one and, above all, no
one killed me, as you see. The duel took place
quite stupidly. I shot in the air and Gaganov
missed me. I have no luck. But I am tired and
should like to be alone.
DASHA: All right. I shall stop seeing you, since you
constantly run away from me. I know that at the
end I'll find you.
STAVROGIN: At the end?
DASHA: Yes. When all is over, call me and I'll
come.
{He looks at her and seems to ivake up com-
pletely.)
STAVROGIN {in a natural manner) � I am so vile and
Second Part
102
cowardly, Dasha, that I believe I shall actually
call you at the very end. And you, despite all
your prudence, will come running in fact. But,
tell me, "will you come, whatever the end is?
(DASHA is silent.) Even if in the meantime I have
committed the worst of crimes?
DASHA (looking at him): Are you going to bring
about your wife's death?
STAVROGIN: No. No. Neither hers nor anyone's. I
don't want to. Perhaps I shall bring about the
death of the other one, the girl. . . . Perhaps I
shall not be able to keep myself from doing so.
Oh, leave me, Dasha. Why destroy yourself by
following me? (He gets up.)
DASHA: I know that at the end I'll be alone with
you, and I'm waiting for that moment. I pray for
it.
STAVROGIN: So you pray?
DASHA: Yes. Ever since a certain day, I haven't
ceased praying.
STAVROGIN: And suppose I don't call you? Sup-
pose I take flight. . . .
DASHA: That can't be. You will tall me.
STAVROGIN: There is great contempt in what you
are saying.
DASHA: There is not only contempt.
STAVROGIN (laughing): So there is contempt. That
doesn't matter. I don't want to cause your ruin.
DASHA: You won't cause my ruin. If I don't come
with you, I shall become a nun and take care of
the sick.
STAVROGIN: A nurse! That's it. That's it. You are
103 Scene 11
interested in me just as a nurse would be. After
all, that's probably what I need the most.
DASHA: Yes, you are ill.
(STAVROGIN suddenly takes a chair and flings it
without apparent effort across the room, DASHA
screams, STAVROGIN turns his back on her and
goes and sits down. Then he talks quite naturally,
as if nothing had happened.)
STAVROGIN: You see, Dasha, I constantly have vi-
sions now. They're a kind of little demon. There
is one, above all. . . .
DASHA: You already told me about him. You are
ill.
STAVROGIN: Last night he sat down very close to
me and didn't leave me. He is stupid and insolent.
And second-rate. Yes, second-rate. I am furious
that my personal demon should be second-rate.
DASHA: You talk about him as if he really existed.
Oh, may God save you from that!
STAVROGIN: No, no, I don't believe in the devil.
Yet last night the demons came out of every
swamp and swooped down upon me. Why, a
little devil on the bridge offered to cut the throats
of Lebyatkin and his sister, Maria Timofeyevna,
payment of three rubles, but he calculated the
cost of the operation at fifteen hundred rubles.
He was a bookkeeper devil.
DASHA: Are you sure he was a vision?
STAVROGIN: No, he was not a vision. It was Fedka,
the escaped convict.
DASHA: What did you reply?
Second Part 104
STAVROGIN: Why, nothing at all. To get rid of
him, I gave him the three rubles and even more.
(DASHA exclaims.) Yes. He must think I am in
agreement. But don't let your kind heart worry.
For him to act, 1 shall have to give him the order.
Perhaps, after all, I shall give it!
DASHA (clasping her hands): Good Lord, good
Lord, why do you torment me like this?
STAVROGIN: Forgive me. It was only a joke. Be-
sides, I've been like this since last night�I have a
terrible impulse to laugh, to laugh without stop-
ping, endlessly. . . . (He gives a forced, hollow
laugh, DASHA stretches out her hand toward him.)
I hear a carriage. It must be my mother.
DASHA: May God preserve you from your demons.
Call me. I shall come.
STAVROGIN: Listen, Dasha. If I were to go and see
Fedka and give him the order, would you come,
would you come even after the crime?
DASHA (in tears): Oh, Nicholas, Nicholas, I beg
you, don't stay alone like this. . . . Go and see
Tihon at the seminary; he will help you.
STAVROGIN: YOU too!
DASHA: Yes, Tihon. And afterward I shall
come. ... I shall come. . . . (She flees, weep-
ing.)
STAVROGIN: Of course she'll come. With delight.
(With disgust) Ah! ...
[ALEXEY YEGOROVICH (coming in): * Maurice
Nicolaevich wishes to see you.
* The scene between Maurice Nicolaevich and Stavrogin was
cut in production.
105 Scene 11
STAVROGIN:" He? What can' he . . . (He has a
snmg smile.) I'll see him.
(MAURICE NICOLAEVICH enters and ALEXEY YE-
GOROVICH leaves, MAURICE NICOLAEVICH sees
STAVROGIN'S smile and stops, as if he were about
to ivheel around and leave. But STAVROGIN'S ex-
pression changes, and, with a look of sincere sur-
prise, he holds out his hand, which MAURICE
NICOLAEVICH does not shake, STAVROGIN smiles
again, but courteously this time.)
STAVROGIN: Sit down.
(MAURICE NICOLAEVICH sits on a chair and STAV-
ROGIN at an angle on the sofa. For a minute
STAVROGIN looks silently at his visitor, who seems
to hesitate and then suddenly speaks.)
MAURICE: If you can, marry Lisa Nicolayevna.
(STAVROGIN stares at him without any change of
expression, MAURICE NICOLAEVICH stares back.)
STAVROGIN (after a pause): If I am not wrong,
Lisa Nicolayevna is your fiancee.
MAURICE: Yes, we are officially engaged.
STAVROGIN: Have you had a quarrel?
MAURICE: No. She loves and esteems me, in her
own words. And her words are the most precious
thing in the world to me.
STAVROGIN: I can understand that.
MAURICE: I know that if you were to call her,
though she stood at the altar in her wedding veil,
she would forsake me and everyone else to follow
you.
STAVROGIN: Are you sure of that?
MAURICE: Yes, she says she hates you, and she is
Second Part
106
sincere. But in reality she loves you insanely. And
although she says she loves me, there are moments
when she hates me cordially.
STAVROGIN: Yet I am surprised that you can dis-
pose of Lisa Nicolayevna. Did she authorize you
to do so?
MAUSICE: You have just made a vulgar remark, a
remark full of vengeance and scorn. But I'm not
afraid to humiliate myself even more. No, I have
no right, nor any authority. Lisa doesn't know
what I am doing. Without her knowing it, I have
come to tell you that you alone can make her
happy and that you must take my place at the
altar. Moreover, after saying this, I could never
marry her. I could never live with myself.
STAVROGIN: If I married her, would you kill your-
self after the ceremony?
MAURICE: No. Much later. Perhaps never . . .
STAVROGIN: YOU are saying that to set my mind at
rest.
MAURICE: To set your mind at rest! A little blood
more or less�what does that matter to you!
STAVROGIN (after a pause): I assure you that I am
deeply touched by your proposition. However,
what makes you think that my feelings for Lisa
are such that I want to marry her?