Brian Friel Plays 2 (25 page)

You asked me what would become of me. I said I would probably end up a country doctor somewhere in the back of beyond and you said I didn’t believe that for a minute but that I wasn’t prepared to tell you what I really thought.

You said you believed you could talk truthfully and openly about how you felt about things. I said I couldn’t do that. You asked me why not. I said I always found it difficult to express exactly how I felt but that when I was with you I found it – found it even more difficult.

And that’s how the issue of a chasm between us came up. And how that chasm inhibited us – well, inhibited me. Because at the point when Katya and Arkady joined us, I was about to say that that chasm had prevented me from saying to you what I have wanted to say to you for weeks, what I have wanted to say to you ever since that very first day when we met here away back last May just after I had come from Petersburg – that I’m mad about you,
Anna Sergeyevna, hopelessly, insanely, passionately, extravagantly, madly in love with you.

Anna
Oh Yevgeny, Yevgeny –

Bazarov
Yes, I am, I am. You know I am. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. I can’t study. I’m obsessed with you. I’m besotted by you. Let me kiss you, Anna. Please. Please let me kiss you.

He
takes
her
in
his
arms
and
kisses
her.
She
does
not
free
herself
immediately.
Then
suddenly
she
pushes
him
away
roughly.

Anna
Yevgeny! Please! Oh, my God! You shouldn’t have done that.

Bazarov
Yes-yes-yes.

Anna
No, you shouldn’t. You’ve misunderstood the whole situation. You’ve misread the whole thing.

Bazarov
No, I haven’t, Anna. And you wanted me to kiss you. Admit that.

Anna
Yes, you have, Yevgeny. Oh, yes, you have. Misread it totally. Oh, my God … (
She
rushes
into
the
house
.)

Bazarov
Anna –! Anna, please –!

But
she
is
gone.
He
is
distraught.
He
does
not
know
whether
to
run
after
her
or
to
run
away.
Then
he
hears
Katya
and
Arkady
approach
–
they
are
laughing
and
calling
to
one
another.
He
cannot
escape
that
way.
The
only
other
hiding
place
is
the
gazebo.
He
rushes
to
it,
sits
down,
pulls
a
book
from
his
pocket,
opens
it
at
random
and
pretends
to
be
immersed
in
it.

Arkady
(
off
) Give that shoe back to me!

Katya
(
off
)
I will not!

Arkady
(
off
)
Katya, I’m warning you.

Katya
(
off
) Come and get it yourself. (
She
runs
on
laughing;
her
hair
wet,
her
towel
flying,
his
shoe
in
her
hand
.) Oh, my God! (
She
looks
round
frantically
for
somewhere
to
hide
the
shoe.
She
sees
Bazarov
in
the
gazebo
.) I’ve got his shoe! He’s going mad! Can I hide it here?

Arkady
(
off
)
Katya! Katya?

She approaches Bazarov and realizes at once that something is amiss. Pause.

Katya
(
quietly,
seriously
)
Yevgeny? Are you all right, Yevgeny?

Arkady
(
off
)
Katya! Where are you?

She
gazes
at
him,
hunched,
tense,
behind
his
book.
She
reaches
out
to
touch
him.

Katya
Yevgeny?

Arkady
You’re for it, madam – I’m telling you!

Arkady
is
just
outside.
She
withdraws
her
hand
and
runs
out
of
the
gazebo.

Katya
I’ve hidden it in the gazebo, Arkady!

She
runs
into
the
living-room
and
hides
behind
a
door.
Arkady
enters,
limping;
a
limp
similar
to
his
father’s.

Arkady
I’m warning you, girl! You’ve crippled me – that’s what you’ve done! (
to
himself
)
The gazebo … (
He
goes
to
the
gazebo
and
searches
it.
As
he
does
:)
Was Katya here, Bazarov? Where did she hide my shoe? I’m going to kill that girl!

Katya
(
appearing
on
the
veranda
)
Cold, Arkady. Very cold. Getting colder, much colder.

Arkady
Come on, Katya! Where is it? Where is it? My feet are wrecked with bloody thorns!

Katya
(
holding
up
a
shoe
)
This isn’t yours, is it?

She
laughs
and
disappears
into
the
living-room.
He
runs/hops
after
her.
As
he
does:

Arkady
You told me lies! You misled me! Just you wait there, madam! I’m going to twist your neck! Katya! Katya! Wait there! Wait!

He
disappears
into
the
living-room.
Their
laughter
dies
away.
Bazarov
closes
his
book.
He
sits
with
his
eyes
shut
tight,
his
shoulders
tensed
and
hunched,
his
whole
body
rigid
and
anguished.
Fenichka
enters
carrying
a
large
bunch
of
roses
she
has
just
cut.
Just
before
she
enters
the
house
she
glances
over
at
the
gazebo,
thinks
she
sees
somebody,
looks
again
and
recognizes
Bazarov.
She
approaches
slowly
and
studies
him
for
a
few
seconds
before
she
speaks
to
him.
She
speaks
softly.

Fenichka
Yevgeny, is there something wrong?

He opens his eyes suddenly. He is startled.

Bazarov
Hello? – yes? – yes?

Fenichka
Are you all right, Yevgeny? Is something the matter?

He
flashes
a
smile
at
her
and
speaks
with
excessive
enthusiasm,
almost
in
panic.

Bazarov
Fenichka! It’s you! How are you? I’m glad to see you – I’m delighted to see you! Yes, yes, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m really fine, Fenichka. I mean that – I really do – honestly. It’s all over and I’m still alive. In fact I’m perfectly well. But how are you? I haven’t seen you for days and days and I’ve missed you. Where have you been hiding?

Fenichka
You’re the one who has been hiding – upstairs reading those books of yours.

Bazarov
Sit down beside me. Talk to me.

She
sits
beside
him.

Fenichka
What about?

Bazarov
It doesn’t matter. About chasms and relationships and happiness – about your healing presence in this disturbed house – about those tranquil roses. They’re beautiful roses.

Sound
of
Nikolai
playing
the
cello
in
the
distance:
Beet
hoven’s
Romance
for
violin
and
orchestra
in
G-major,
Op.
40.

Fenichka
They’re past their best. But Nikolai likes to have flowers on the dining-room table.

Bazarov
Nikolai is blessed. That’s a strange word for me to use – blessed. Six months ago I would have said the word had no meaning. But it has – it describes the condition of someone, anyone, to whom the beautiful Fenichka turns her open face and on whom she smiles. Yes, I have missed you. It’s not that we ever talk – this is probably the first time we’ve ever been alone together – but I’m always aware of your presence in the house, even when you’re not there. I think it’s because you generate goodness. That’s another strange word for me. And suddenly it has meaning, too. You’re equipping me with a new vocabulary, Fenichka!

Fenichka
Will you stop talking like that, Yevgeny! I don’t understand a word you’re saying!

Bazarov
Are you happy, Fenichka? I hope you are. Are you?

He
takes
her
hand
in
his.
Pavel
enters
from
the
living-
room.
He
is
engrossed
in
a
book.
He
pauses
on
the
veranda
and
then
moves
slowly
downstage.

Fenichka
I don’t think about things like that.

Bazarov
Then you are.

Fenichka
I’m young. I have my health. I have Mitya.

Bazarov
And you have Nikolai.

She
withdraws
her
hand.

Fenichka
Nikolai is a kind man.

Bazarov
Yes, he is. Do you love him?

Fenichka
Do you remember those drops you gave me for Mitya? Three days ago – remember? – he was vomiting – you thought he had eaten something. Well, they worked miracles. He was as right as rain in a couple of hours.

Bazarov
I’m glad of that. So now you must pay me.

Fenichka
is
unsure
and
embarrassed.

Fenichka
I –?

Bazarov
Doctors have to be paid, don’t they? Doctors are notoriously greedy people, aren’t they?

Fenichka
You’re right, Yevgeny. I’m sorry. I’ll speak to Nikolai today and he’ll –

Bazarov
No, no, no, no, no, no, Fenichka. I don’t want money. It’s not mere money I want. I want something personal – from you.

Fenichka
What is that?

Bazarov
Guess.

Fenichka
I’m no good at guessing, Yevgeny.

Bazarov
All right. I’ll tell you what I want from you. I want … one of those roses.

The
cello
music
stops.

She
laughs
with
relief.
He
laughs
with
her.

Fenichka
What colour would you like, sir?

Bazarov
A red one. A small red one, Fenichka Fedosya.

Fenichka
There you are, Yevgeny Vassilyich – one small red rose.

Between
them
they
drop
it.
Together
they
stoop
down
to
pick
it
up.
Their
hands
meet
on
the
ground.
They
laugh
briefly
and
then
stop.
They
look
at
one
another.
He
kisses
her
on
the
lips.
Pavel
is
now
downstage
and
happens
to
look
across
at
them
at
the
moment
they
kiss.
Fenichka
looks
over
Bazarov’s
shoulder
and
sees
Pavel
watching.