Miscellaneous sketches

     “The Island of Saghalien” 1895
     “Peasants” 1898
     “Life in the Provinces” 1898
     “Children” 1899

THE SWAN SONG

CHARACTERS

Vasili SVIETLOVIDOFF, a comedian, 68 years old

Nikita Ivanitch, a prompter, an old man

The Swan Song

The scene is laid on the stage of a country theatre, at night, after the play.  To the right a row of rough, unpainted doors leading into the dressing-rooms.  To the left and in the background the stage is encumbered with all sorts of rubbish.  In the middle of the stage is an overturned stool.

SVIETLOVIDOFF. [With a candle in his hand, comes out of a dressing-room and laughs] Well, well, this is funny!  Here’s a good joke!  I fell asleep in my dressing-room when the play was over, and there I was calmly snoring after everybody else had left the theatre.  Ah!  I’m a foolish old man, a poor old dodderer!  I have been drinking again, and so I fell asleep in there, sitting up.  That was clever!  Good for you, old boy! [Calls] Yegorka!  Petrushka!  Where the devil are you?  Petrushka!  The scoundrels must be asleep, and an earthquake wouldn’t wake them now!  Yegorka! [Picks up the stool, sits down, and puts the candle on the floor] Not a sound!  Only echos answer me.  I gave Yegorka and Petrushka each a tip to-day, and now they have disappeared without leaving a trace behind them.  The rascals have gone off and have probably locked up the theatre. [Turns his head about] I’m drunk!  Ugh!  The play to-night was for my benefit, and it is disgusting to think how much beer and wine I have poured down my throat in honour of the occasion.  Gracious!  My body is burning all over, and I feel as if I had twenty tongues in my mouth.  It is horrid!  Idiotic!  This poor old sinner is drunk again, and doesn’t even know what he has been celebrating!  Ugh!  My head is splitting, I am shivering all over, and I feel as dark and cold inside as a cellar!  Even if I don’t mind ruining my health, I ought at least to remember my age, old idiot that I am!  Yes, my old age!  It’s no use!  I can play the fool, and brag, and pretend to be young, but my life is really over now, I kiss my hand to the sixty-eight years that have gone by; I’ll never see them again!  I have drained the bottle, only a few little drops are left at the bottom, nothing but the dregs.  Yes, yes, that’s the case, Vasili, old boy.  The time has come for you to rehearse the part of a mummy, whether you like it or not.  Death is on its way to you. [Stares ahead of him] It is strange, though, that I have been on the stage now for forty-five years, and this is the first time I have seen a theatre at night, after the lights have been put out.  The first time. [Walks up to the foot-lights] How dark it is!  I can’t see a thing.  Oh, yes, I can just make out the