fourteen little red huts

8/13/2019 Fourteen Little Red Huts

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FOURTEENLITTLE RED

HUTSa Play in Four Acts

by

ANDREI PLATONOV(1932)

Translated from the Russian by

Gennadi V. Aleeye! " D#itri G.Aleeye!

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

$OHANN LOUIS ED%ARD HO&'scientist of a world-wide importance, Chairman of theea!ue of "ation#s Commission on $ol%in! the &orld 'conomic 'ni!ma and $o on and $oorth 1*1 years oldINTERGO('+o#s lady-friend, 21 years old%EL)O(ING PU*LI) FIGURE, about . years oldSTATION (ASTER.U*ORN+A,' P+OTR POLI,ARPOVI)H'writer&HOVOV' (E)HISLAV EVDO,I(OVI)H'writer

FUSHEN,O' GENNADI PAVLOVI)H'writerSUENITA, Chairman of the /1 Red ittle +uts0 olho 19-2* years old&HELDOR, the railway station !uardVERSH,OV' FILIP, a olhoni of declinin! years,ONTSOV ANTON, olhoni, 3* years old $peas and acts with a faultless clarityTHE PILOTSE,USH)HEVA' ,SEN+A, olho worerTHE GUARD, the olho !uardTHE DISTRI)T OLD (ANGAR(ALOV, $uenita#s husband, e-Red rmy $oldier

$uenita#s and 4senya#s infants in arms$ome passen!ers from a lon!-distance train

The action taes place in 1932

A)T ONE

(Foyer of Moscow Railway Station. Flowers, tables, transparencies wit welco!in"inscriptions in forei"n lan"#a"es. A few of te! in R#ssian. One lar"e transparency

proclai!s$ %For te &ealty So'iet Ol Man) For *#lt#ral an More Fr#itf#l Ol A"e)+


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( istles of faraway loco!oti'es. So#ns of an orcestra t#nin" #p so!ewere on teplatfor!. Te Station (asteris stanin" on te sta"e- e 'i"ilantly inspects te pre!ises,now an ten replacin" an rearran"in" te flowers for best effect. At te oorway is teStation Guard.Te%elco#in- Pulic Fi-ureenters.

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< +ow do you do, comrade &hen do you epect thetrain from abroad to arri%e=

$TT75" 6$T'R< /The 6i!hty ;ird0 'press is to arri%e in two minutes Thedispatcher has >ust informed us, thou!h, that the train is four minutes late ;ut 7 thin theen!ineer will mae up the time

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< 7 do a!ree with you? our transport system is enterin!an era of due punctuality

(/on", istant, sorrowf#l wistle of te approacin" train, bro0en #p by spee an swirlin"

win1$TT75" 6$T'R< (officially) Trans-$o%iet /6i!hty ;ird0 'press $tolbtsy-@ladi%osto is arri%in! at platform number oneA 7n the parlor car delue tra%els 6isterBohann ouis 'dward +o, +onorary 6ember of the $tocholm cademy and Chairman ofthe $pecial Committee of the ea!ue of "ations for $ol%in! the 'ni!ma of the &orld'conomy and $o 5n and $o orth (2lancin" at is wristwatc) The delay half a minuteA'n!ineer comrade Dhi%a!oA

(Te wistle of te train is ear witin te station area. Te so#ns of s3#ealin"bra0es. Te train co!es to a stop. Te r#!blin" 'oices of te crow. 2reetin"s. A !#sicalflo#ris. Te $tation 6aster, a4#stin" is #nifor!, steps o#t onto te platfor!. Te

&elcomin! ublic i!ureis absorbe in a to#"tf#l pose. $o/ann Ho0enters te foyeran5in5an wit Inter-o# 7nter!omis olin" a 'alise in er an. Tey are followe bytwo writers$ Uornya1an&/o!o!. After te! co!es te $tation 6aster. Te &elcomin!ublic i!urewelco!es +o. &e intro#ces i!self to +oan to is lay5co!panion an#tters a sort welco!in" prase in Frenc.1

+5D< (irritate) 7 now, 7 now 5f course 7 nowA 7 ha%e already for!otten whichlan!ua!es 7 do not spea and what thin!s 7 do not now Russian, +indi, 6eican, +ebrew,astronomy, psychotechnics, hydraulicsE 7 am one hundred and one years old, and you are

>ust a boy (2ettin" e'en !ore annoye) Fou are a boyA Fou dare to address me inrench=A

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< 'cuse me Four lady-companion, did she alsotae the trouble to learn Russian=

+5D< boyA $top irritatin! me on this irritated landA 7nter!om, tell him in Russianabout all those trifles of yours

7"T'R856< Gown with anti-hay-stacin! sentimentsA


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+5D< &hat= &hat did you say= ine !irlA Fou now Russian better than 7 doA Repeatit ri!ht now CanHt you see how 7Hm tormented=

7"T'R856< Gown with anti-hay-stacin! sentimentsA 7 read $o%iet newspapers 7learnt it nti-hay-stacin! sentiments means sorrow in Russian 7tHs ennui? itHs notsocialism

+5D< +ow bri!ht of youA

7"T'R856< "o, youHre wron! 7tHs brilliant of me

+5D< Paron.7tHs brilliantA &hat is it with me= 7H%e started for!ettin! nonsense liethat ;oys, !irls, children, !i%e me a walin! stic made out of a !ra%e cross so that 7 canshuffle off to that poor world beyondA

7"T'R856< FouHre a counter-fool, !rampsA

+5D< &hat=

7"T'R856< Fou are a counter-fool, which means you are a cle%er boy

+5D< (absorbe in to#"t) "o one nows, 7nter!om

$TT75" 6$T'R< (to &o6) 7 con!ratulate you on your safe arri%al 7 wish you apleasant >ourney about this !reatest and as yet most alien-to-you country

+5D< 6ost alien=A "o, you miss the point? all countries are eIually alien andunwelcomin! to me ;ut than you

(Te $tation 6asterbis farewell an eparts)

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< &elcome, 6r Bohann +o, !reat philosopher ofweaenin! capitalism, brilliant master of opportunist triceries, and 7 wish youE

7"T'R856< To become a baby, a preschooler, a ioneer, a dear friend of the newworld

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< (to Inter"o!, s#l0ily) ThatHs only partly true (to &o6)7 am welcomin! you to this !i!antic, still unnown country on behalf of the laborin! people,who are creatin! happiness and truth for themsel%es and for you &e are happy to meetyou in our common homeA

+5D< 7 doubt that you are really happy on my account (A sort pa#se.) 7 ha%e ne%eryet made anyone happy or !ay (/oo0in" at Inter"o!) 6aybe her, perhaps, but nobodyelse

7"T'R856< 5h, yes, Bohann, 7 am terribly happy with your lo%eA

+5D< 7 now, 7 now it Fou are a woman first, and only then a human bein!


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7"TR'856< orward and bac, 7 am e%erywhere a woman

+5D< Fou are counter-cle%er, 7nter!omE 5h, mademoiselle !irl, 7 am sic and tiredof li%in! within my own or!anism, of this life, of the boredom of current facts? !i%e me somemil, pleaseA 7 am bored, mademoiselle !irl, 7 am bored of all those conscious feelin!sE

$ome mil for meAA

7"T'R856< (Ta0es a s!all bottle of paste#ri6e !il0 o#t of er 'alise an ans itto &o6.) +a%e a drin of mil, !ramps Calm down, please, donHt thin? your stomach is tooweaE or 8odHs sae, !ramps, empty the bottle to the last drop 7 lo%e you

+5D< (&a'in" e!ptie te bottle, e "i'es it bac0 to er.) nd now, 7 would lie toha%e somethin! chemical, caustic

7"T'R856< (Di""in" in te 'alise) +ere you are, 7 found somethin! 8od nowswhat $omethin! chemical and absolutely distasteful

+5D< 8i%e it to me, 7 ha%e to swallowA (Ta0es a pill fro! Inter"o!7s ans answallows it. &e ten ri"t away t#rns to te &elcomin! ublic i!ure) &here is this so-called socialism= Bust show it to me at once? capitalism irritates meA

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< 7 am ready to show you some indi%idual elements ofour system immediately +ere you areA Bust to the ri!ht there is a mother-and-child room

7"T'R856< ThatHs %ery ind of you, than you ;ut for 8odHs sae, show us a roomfor the poorest old men and show us what they are doin! thereA

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< (E!barrasse) 7Hm terribly sorry, but itHs bein!repaired at the moment

+5D< GonHt be in a hurry, 7nter!om There are no old men here? people in this countrydie on time (to te &elcomin! ublic i!ure) Chief, comrade, stop repairin! the room forold men< there will be nobody to put in there

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< 7 ha%e ea!!erated a bit, 6r +o &e donHt e%enha%e such a room

+5D< GonHt !et embarrassed 7 now that you are sli!htly (!#!bles so!etin"inistinctly) ;ut, after all, we are e%en much bi!!er rascals Communist 8reetin!sA (to alltose present) Comrades, letHs put it this way They do ha%e a mother-and-child room, butitHs a mere nothin! They ha%e few old men left and, naturally, thereHs no room for themThis is already a success 7Hm ri!ht, am 7 not, !entlemen=

T+' T&5 &R7T'R$< (intensely, si!#ltaneo#sly, al!ost in #nison) +ailA @alourA&onderfulA 2#tA CardinalA MerciA

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< Fou are !rossly mistaen, !entlemenA &e ha%e aslo!an< Jor a healthy $o%iet old manA or a cultural, more fruitful old a!eAJ Bust read itA


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(Points to te slo"an on te wall.)

7"T'R856< Bohann, are the ;olshe%i old men as fond of women as you are=

+5D< 7 doubt it

7"T'R856< &hat would you do then if they o%ertae and surpass us in this respect=

+5D< Then youHll >oin them, and 7Hll marry a youn! 4omsomol !irl youn!er than you

7"T'R856< ThatHs horrible, BohannA

+5D< 7tHs my way, 7nter!om GonHt you now that=

7"T'R856< $ure enou!h, Bohann Four passion maes my body pro!ress

+5D< nd itHs witherin! as well, 7nter!om Four body, 7 mean &hile my eperience is!ettin! more rational

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< (e!barrasse) 5ur country awaits you, 6r +o

+5D< Fes, yes, of course &eHll set off strai!ht away into the Russian epanse, intothe open air, into the !reenery of woods, onto the collecti%e-farm sto%e of a new world,bac to all that natural nonsenseA

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< The car motors ha%e already been started Bust letme now the route you choose to tae

+5D< 7nto the obscurity of history, to sia, into the 'astern @oid &eHd lie tomeasure the bri!htness of that dawn which you supposedly ha%e i!nited

:;5R"F4< 6ay 7 inIuire as to 6r :ni%ersal ThinerHs point of %iew about somecritical uni%ersal-historical problems=

+5D< &hat are you, 7 wonder? a worer=

:;5R"F4< 7 am a true Russian prose writer, yotr olyarpo%ich :bornya 7 hopeyou are acIuainted with my boos J oor TreeJ, J rofitable FearJ, J 6ost CulturalersonalityJ, Jore%er $o%ietJ, and other wors of mine

+5D< Fou hope in %ain< 7 donHt now any of them

:;5R"F4< The peoples of the world are well acIuainted with my internationalacti%ities in defense of my homeland

+5D< 'cuse my absolute i!norance on the matter +ow has your acti%ity beenepressed=


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:;5R"F4< &hen the threat of ;ritish inter%ention dan!led o%er this country, 7married a famous 'n!lish lady t the time of the Bapanese military threat, 7 becamebetrothed to a hi!h-born Bapanese !irl

+5D< @ery prudent The inter%ention, as is well nown, failed? but your ser%ices wereof inestimable %alue &ho did you marry durin! the Ci%il &ar=

:;5R"F4< most educated dau!hter of a respectable Russian !eneral

+5D< &ell done mon! the fools you loo cle%er enou!h, 6r :bornya

:;5R"F4< ollowin! a !ood old-time Russian tradition, accordin! to the heart-feltfriendliness of our most noble, most !rateful, perfectly wonderful national custom, allow meto embrace you and !i%e you a friendly iss, so as to mae this moment really cultural andhistoricalA

+5D< (Pointin" to Inter"o!) FouHd better iss her on the chee $he is in char!e ofmy feelin!s

(7nter!om offers a cee0, p#ffin" it o#t. :bornya 0isses it in te !ost polite!anner.)

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< Two more writers are dyin! to be introduced to you,6r +o< 6ister-Citien 6echisla% Dho%o% and 6ister-Citien 8ennadi usheno

+5D< 6ae it Iuic, please 7 need reality, not fiction

(6echisla% Dho%o% slowly approaces +o55al!ost to#cin" i!55wit a sy s!ile,0eepin" e!barrassin"ly silent.)

7"T'R856< GonHt you find, Bohann, that his face loos lie a happy root-plant= 7for!ot the Russian term for it

:$+'"45< 7tHs typical Russian %e!etable, 6ademoiselle

7"T'R856< happy pumpinA

(A pa#se. Dho%o%0eeps silent.)

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< (To &o6) +e canHt spea +e has ten dependants tosupport ;ut he is !lad to see you

:$+'"45< (In a low, b#t persistent 'oice) 6r +o, 7 am a member of the ;oard ofthe &ritersH :nion 7 write stories from Turish life

(+opays no attention to ushenoA pa#se of co!plete, sta"natin" bewiler!ent.)

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< 6aybe 6ister +o will spea more scientifically onthe aims and purposes of his %isit to this country where socialism is bein! built=


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+5D< $cientifically=A $top irritatin! meA 7H%e come here to en>oy myself and maemerry 7Hm tra%elin! for triflesAA

:;5R"F4< (Portento#sly) Fou are mistaen, 6r +o +ere in this country, whichoccupies one sith part of the worldHs dry land, where

:$+'"45< 6r +o, 7

+5D< $top pretendin! to be serious, !entlemen Fou canHt help lau!hin! in thiscountry, but instead you try hard to thinA Bust ha%e a !ood lau!h and show sympathyA

:$+'"45< 6r +o, 7 or!a--

+5D< @ery well, then 4eep on writin! stories, playin! with your fame

(Te so#n of a train, arri'in" at te station- te b#66 of te crow of passen"ers. 8yte so#ns one can "#ess tat an orinary inter#rban train as arri'e. So!e co!!on

passen"ers !ista0enly enter te conco#rse sta"e, b#t Dheldor, te Station 2#ar, t#rnste! o#t. Two passen"ers, owe'er, !ana"e to "et by Dheldoran cross te sta"e,carryin" sac0s. A tir passen"er, wo 3#ietly an accientally went by #nnotice, isSuenita. Se carries b#nles o'er er so#ler, an"in" own on bot sies- a sac0 ofrie cr#sts an a !#" o'er er bac055a eap of boo0s, tie #p by a rope in front. $uenitais a ar05co!ple9ione so#tern wo!an- se loo0s 'ery tire an irty after a lon"

4o#rney. Se e9a!ines te people an te settin" wit an a!a6e loo0 in er so!ewatsa eyes.)

+5D< (Obser'in" S#enita) &hat a poor creature of natureA

$:'"7T< &e do not belon! to the rich +ow can 7 !et to the 4aan Railway$tation= 7 ha%e to !o bac to the desert

+5D< (E9a!inin" er !otionlessly) &hat is your name, creature of 8od= &hereare you hurryin!, $o%iet child=

$:'"7T< 7Hm not a child 7Hm the Chairman of the JRed +utsJ shepherdsH olho 7Hm!oin! bac home to the Caspian $ea

+5D< &hat a mar%el of lifea child is rulin! a countryside in!domA rom where areyou comin!, my defenseless one=

$:'"7T< 7Hm not defenseless we ha%e a olho, my husband is ser%in! in theRed rmy 7 went to enin!rad to recei%e a library as a reward

:$+'"45< Comrade Chairman, how many farms ha%e been collecti%ied= reulas still acti%e= re there any small breadowns in your or!anied economic wor=$hould we ur!ently send a breadown-liIuidatin! bri!ade of writers to your olho= 7 am amember of the cultural association


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$:'"7T< (to#"tf#lly) &riters= re they cle%er= There are fourteen little red hutsin our olho &e donHt ha%e anythin! to read? weH%e read e%erythin! already &e readaloud at ni!ht ;y lamp-li!ht? the !lass has craced because of the flame 7 read, and thepeople around me are thinin! nd beyond the circle of li!ht and thou!htful listeners is thedarness of ni!ht and the rustle of the Caspian $ea wa%es &eH%e read e%ery boo weha%e, and now theyH%e become uninterestin! &e found it dull to li%e only by our own

brains Then, because 7 ept a !ood account of my wor-days, 7 was rewarded with alibrary &ell, they wanted to send the boos, but they didnHt They were rather slow Thosebureaucrats donHt care a bit about socialism 7 decided to !o !et the boos myself $o 7 did,and 7 !ot the boos all ri!ht "ow 7 would lie to !et to the 4aan Railway $tation to !et aticet for non-reser%ed seats

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< Bust loo and see, 6r +o, this small creature ofsocialism

+5D< "o !i!antic creature, my dear ll of 8odHs world is hidden in the microcosmof this poor little thin! (to S#enita) 8i%e me your hand, my happy oneA

($uenita !ee0ly ols o#t er an. +o0isses it.)

$:'"7T< FouHd better spit now ;ecause my hand is pretty dirty nd besides,hands are not for isses? hands are for wor and embraces

:;5R"F4< $he has taen a short-term hy!iene course

$:'"7T< Fes, 7Hm an assistant nurse and e%en can act as a midwife

+5D< nd ha%e you tried ha%in! a child yourself=

$:'"7T< Fes, 7 mana!ed that already

7"T'R856< Go you need any eau-de-colo!ne for your hands=

$:'"7T< s you lie "ot really &here is the 4aan Railway $tation=

:$+'"45< &ould you lie me to !et you a ticet without any Iueue=

$:'"7T< +ow can you do such a thin!=A There are a lot of people Iueuin! up 7tHsa!ainst the law 7 myself used to punish people for stealin! a ilo of millet

:;5R"F4< +e can do anythin!, my dear +e e%en li%es without Iueuin! +is turnpassed lon! a!o, but he still eeps on li%in! the cultured lifeA 8enya, letHs iss each otherA

:$+'"45< etHs iss, yotr oliarpo%ichA (Tey 0iss eac oter.)

7"T'R856< (to S#enita) &ould you lie some mil=

$:'"7T< 7 used to drin it on the olho 8ood-bye 7Hd better !o and Iueue up to!et a ticet 7 am afraid 7Hll be too late &hy are those two issin! each other= 7tHs


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dis!racefulA

+5D< &ait a bit 7Hll !o with you Can an old-timer >oin you=A

$:'"7T< FouHre too old &e ha%e no timber, you now? if you die, we ha%e nothin!to mae your coffin out of Then weHll ha%e to >ust bury you in the sand

+5D< ThatHs fine with me 8ood-bye, !entlemenA 4eep on writin! your wors, !o onhailin! and welcomin! epressesA Tae careA

( +oan $uenitawal0 towars e9it.)

7"T'R856< (r#ses after te!) BohannA &here will 7 li%e= BohannA 7tHs a forei!ncountry for me, 7Hll die without you, BohannA

+5D< (altin" for a !o!ent) &ell, what net= 8o on, irritate me, irritate meA et thenonsense out of your bodyA

7"T'R856< (Pressin" erself a"ainst i!) Bohann, you ha%e ehausted my youthwith your lo%e

+5D< Fes, 7 did 7 am a man, am 7 not, 7nter!om=

7"T'R856< GonHt lea%e me lie thisA +a%e a drin of mil, ha%e somethin! chemicalto eat etHs !o to the hotel and for!et all about it Tae me to the desert with you? 7Hll witheraway in 'urope without you (starts cryin")

+5D< The an!els alone die for lo%e and li%e in the wilderness 7nter!om, you are awoman? you are not fit for the desert 7n a few hoursH time youHll be smilin! a!ain

$:'"7T< Gear old man, all the trains for the olhoes are lea%in! &eHll be leftbehind

+5D< &ait a moment &eHll soon ha%e e%erythin! arran!ed, poor thin!sA

7"T'R856< (in tears) &here will you ha%e your mil, tae your pills and tablets=&ho will you lo%e now= 7H%e studied you, 7H%e !otten used to feelin!, and now 7Hll ha%e tofor!etA

$:'"7T< 7Hll feed him with what 7 ha%e in my sac 7 ha%e enou!h dry crusts andcrumbs

+5D< (to :bornya0) &ell, 6ister &riterA 7nter!om is a Gutch of lemish blood, thou!hshe was born in Russia 7 thin it would be be %ery useful to impro%e moral and politicalrelations between your homeland and +olland Tae 7nter!om under the protecti%eauspices of your lo%e CanHt you do a fa%or for the Kueen of "etherlands=A

7"T'R856< 5h, BohannA 7 am so incredibly sad >ust nowA &ell, iss my handA


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+5D< There now, 7nter!om, calm down< you now well enou!h that life isnHt anythin!serious arewell, my poor bodyA (;isses 7nter!om on te foreea an lea'es er,approacin" $uenita)

:;5R"F4< (to Inter"o!, offerin" er is ar!) llow me to offer you most culturalfriendship and hospitalityA 6y door is open to all of 'uropeA

$:'"7T< (to &o6) etHs hurry up, !ramps? letHs !et to our %illa!e 6y idHs cryin!there

+5D< etHs !o, you creation of 8od 8i%e me a dry crust from your sac to suc on

$:'"7T< ater etHs !et on the train, then you can !ule all you want

&'C567"8 :;7C 78:R'< 6r +o, the ;uic stands ready for you The en!ineis warmed up? the car is on duty for you

+5D< Turn it off 7Hm be!innin! to !et warmed up myself? let the en!ine cool down

(Departs to"eter wit$uenita)

:;5R"F4< (wit 7nter!om on is ar!) FouHll start an ecellent and serious new lifein my home, my dear and most sweet 6adam 7nter!om

(All on sta"e epart. :bornyata0es 7nter!om by bot er ans. )

:;5R"F4< 5h, my dear Gutch !irlA Fours is a wonderful hydrotechnicalmotherlandA To!ether we shall write no%els and -- setchesA 7 ha%e a do! named 6aar athome? the beast will be cray about youA

7"T'R856< (s!ilin") 5h, yes, 6r :bornya, 7Hm fond of no%els nd 7 lo%e 6aars,too they are so %ery niceA

:;5R"F4< 5h, dear, let me ha%e some of +oHs milA

(7nter!om ta0es o#t a bottle of !il0 fro! er 'alise an ans it to:bornya)

7"T'R856< +elp yourself, please

:;5R"F4< (after rin0in" own te !il0) That scientific old man had a %ery cultural

habitA ;y the way, my most ecellent one, how could you li%e with that decrepit old!eeer=

7"T'R856< (s!ilin") 5h, 6r :bornya, life is not so seriousA

END OF A)T ONE

A)T T%O


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(Te e"e of a wattle5fence- na0e, win5sa0en brances of a witere tree- istantr#!blin" of te *aspian Sea. 8ein te wattle5fence, a wooen e9tension of a #t in tefor! of a #"e porc or a passa"e. A writin" table is in te !ile of te passa"e. All tisocc#pies te ri"t5an sie of te sta"e.

(Te left sie trails off into te 'a"#e, e!pty istance. Downsta"e left stans a col#!n witte So'iet State E!ble! an te inscription$ %:SSR. A"ric#lt#ral Sepers7 ;ol0o6


12/54

$:'"7T< 7tHs probably my baby who is cryin! he misses me? he hasnHt seen me--hisown dear mother--in a lon! time Turn around? 7Hll clean my nipples before 7 !o and suclemy baby

(*leans er bot nipples. +o stares at er breasts, not intenin" to t#rn asie.1

$:'"7T< GonHt you see there is a lot of mil accumulated, my breasts are swollen=

+5D< $o 7 see

$:'"7T< &hatHs the !ood of your seein! it=

+5D< 7H%e !otten tired of walin! alon! this most indefinite earthA midst flowers, tearsand dust the people li%e? and 7, an old man, find myself amon! them as a witness 5h, mypoor dears, how will it all end=

$:'"7T< &ell, !ramps, tell me now--do you lie our :$$R= '%erythin! can happenhere, whate%er our hearts desireA nd so whatHs all this, J7t will endJ=

+5D< Fes, indeed, 7 lie your :$$R lot of contradictions all around, and insidenothin! is clear 7 as< when will we ehale our last breath in this empty space andembrace each other in our common !ra%e= &hen , my little !irl=

$:'"7T< s for usne%er? but as far as youHre concerned itHs !onna be pretty soonFouHre a !randpa, an old man FouHre witherin! up alreadyA

(&a'in" can"e er soes, se stans #p1

$:'"7T< &ell, the shoes are ready (So#ts o#t towar te 0ol0o6 ) ntoshaA4syushaA :ncle ilyaA &eHre hereA 4syusha, come and brin! my baby-boy, Iuicly ( in asofter 'oice ) 7 miss my baby so much (to +o) nd you, !ramps, youHd better !o toolho ind a sto%e thatHs warmed up and lie down there TheyHll feed you &hen 7 cleanand tidy up my room, 7Hll call you o%er

+5D< 7 hate eatin! Go you ha%e anythin! chemical, instead=

$:'"7T< &e ha%e the olho pharmacy in a bo Fou can ha%e some powders

+5D< 7Hll !o ha%e some (&e e9its)

($uenitacli!bs te porc an #npac0s er tin"s )

$:'"7T< (sortin" o#t te boo0s se bro#"t ) 5h, how 7 want to see him soon small, warm body that always smells lie somethin! tasty &hy has it become so Iuiet onthe olho= (*alls o#t) 4syushaA 4syushaA Come and brin! me baby-boyA

(Silence e'erywere. A sli"t pa#se )

$:'"7T< $oon 7Hll !i%e birth to still another child 7 lo%e it so much when somethin!


13/54

hot, poor and cryin! comes out of me, >ust a poor piece of my life ( *alls o#t ) 4syushaA&here is e%eryone= &hereHs my baby-boy and whereHs the olho=

(ilip @ersho%appears 3#ietly )

@'R$+45@< +ello, Comrade ChairwomanA 7 con!ratulate you on your return, on the

attainment of health, and on %arious other successful accomplishments ( Sa0es answit $uenita) Gid you see our !ood people in the capital cities and pay our respects tothem= 5r did you clam up=

$:'"7T< 7 paid them

@'R$+45@< nd howHs their health=

(ile tal0in", $uenita 0eeps on can"in", co!in" in an o#t of te #t, anappears finally wit a new ress on)

$:'"7T< TheyHre fine They wanted me to tell you to wor more and tal less--to eepfrom playin! into the hands of our enemy

@'R$+45@< 7 canHt belie%e my ears, $uenita 7%ano%naA +a%e they really recei%edreports on my sentiments= 5h, now youHll hear me thunderA &ith e%erythin! 7 ha%e--with allof my bonesA

$:'"7T< :ncle ilyaA +ow are the thin!s here, on our olho= +a%e you har%ested allthe fodder !rass= 5n my way in 7 didnHt see any stacs anywhereA nd what about statemeat purchase= +a%e you met the Iuota=

@'R$+45@< &e ha%enHt mana!ed to do it all yet, $uenita 7%ano%na

$:'"7T< Fou de%ilsA 7 !a%e you ordersA &hat were you doin!= &hat !ood are we tothe !o%ernment then= 7t would be better if there was >ust a sea here and not people tleast the sea has fish in it

@'R$+45@< The sea=A 7tHs an interestin! Iuestion, $uenita 7%ano%naE +a%e youbrou!ht any %itally important boos for us= &hen are you !oin! to enli!hten our people=

$:'"7T< &hereHs ntosha= nd where on earth is 4syusha=

@'R$+45@< TheyH%e !one to the sea to loo for dead fish on the shore s forntosha, he e%en tried to fry burdoc, and now heHs bain! loa%es out of sheep-stomachwaste &e ha%e absolutely nothin! to eat< to say nothin! about mutton

$:'"7T< ;ut what about our olho sheep= :ncle ilyaA

(Te te!po of teir tal0 beco!es 3#ic0er an 3#ic0er )

@'R$+45@< (#rriely, co0in" in is troat ) Bust listen to me, $uenita 7%ano%naE 7Hmspeain! on behalf of the whole community, on behalf of all the best shoc-worers and


14/54

those who are most conscious Bust listen to me and 7 will tell you the real facts, reliable tothe utmost de!ree< a ;anti was here

$:'"7T< &hat are you talin! about, /banti0= The whole story, IuicA

@'R$+45@< 7Hm speain! to you in abbre%iated forms, arithmetically, lie $o%"arCom

or Che4a ;--"-T-7-4 -- white ;ndits and "T7-4olhonisAA yodor 4irilych shuro%is a bantiA The same ula you dispossessed durin! the $econd ;olshe%i Campai!n+eHs shown up a!ain

$:'"7T< Gid you ill him=

@'R$+45@< "o wayA +e whaced me three times on my hump They trampledntosha with their boots and they beat him on his headri!ht on his consciousness--withbrics ;ut the brics were soft--they were adobe, not baed, so ntosha !ot up a!ainwith no dama!e

$:'"7T< They beat him on the head, on his consciousness= nd what were youconscious of at the time=

@'R$+45@< &e had no time to be conscious of anythin!, $uenita 7%ano%na? there werese%en of those bantisA They came lie a bolt out of the darness of the steppe, 5urolho fishin! boat, the JGistant i!htJ, was at its moorin!s ntosha and 7 were there,washin! the olho sheep to !et rid of the parasites--the entire sum of our property s forthe others they were di!!in! a well in the distance no si!ht, no sound of them

$:'"7T< 6ae it IuicerA FouHre so slowitHs lie youHre not speain! at allA

@'R$+45@< They dro%e our floc of sheep aboard the olho boatEonly one ram wasleft They also dra!!ed the hut down to the shore, part and parcel with the window panes,and they loaded it on the ship Then they set sail and rushed off 7t was a dreadfulmanifestation of ne!li!enceA

$:'"7T< nd what about the salt beef= 5ur common bread stored in patched-upsacs= Tell me at onceA

@'R$+45@< t once 7 canHt the fear is still choin! me The salt beef, and our bread,our poor peopleHs bread, stored in patched-up sacs that also sailed away on the boat tothe shores of imperialism

$:'"7T< &hy didnHt you ill the ulas= Fou ha%e a re%ol%erA= $o that means youH%etaen their side= +e who is a coward is now a subulaA FouHre nothin!, swine, and not;olshe%is at allA Fou should all be in%esti!ated, to mae your hearts beat and not act liecowardsA

($uenitar#ns own te porc.1

@'R$+45@< (cal!ly ) nd why not= 5f course we should in%esti!ate e%eryoneA ThereHstoo little cultural wor amon! us, thatHs what 7 say s to the re%ol%er, it was dan!erous to


15/54

e%en show it they could ha%e taen it away

$:'"7T< (cries o#t ) 4syushaA

4$F:$+H$ @57C'< (nearby) h-ah-a-aA

@'R$+45@< (in a 3#iet 'oice ) This is a tra!edy, indeedA

4$F:$+< (e!braces $uenita tenerly ) 6y dear $unya has come at last

$:'"7T< 4senyaA +ow did it all happen= 5ur hut is lost, all our sheep ha%e been stolenaway, our children are cryin!=

( Pa#se. Te friens still e!brace eac oter, stanin".1

$:'"7T< There is an old man who came with me 8i%e him somethin! to eat from myshare

4$F:$+< 7 already !a%e the order +eHs slurpin! up a !rass soup o%er there, and hehad two powders from our pharmacy

$:'"7T Go we ha%e anythin! tastier than !rass soup=

4$F:$+? "othin! The bantis ha%e robbed us of e%erythin!

$:'"7T< 4syushaA Fou sucled my baby all the time 7 was away, didnHt you= Fou didnHtrun out of your own mil, did you=

4$F:$+< "o, my breasts are still full

$:'"7T< &ell, then brin! me my baby Iuicly 7Hd lie to sucle him myself 6y breastsare swollen

4$F:$+< (#tterin" a fren6ie screa! ) Cry for them, $uenita< we ha%e no children anylon!erA

$:'"7T< (not #nerstanin") &hat shall we do then= nd why are you not cryin!=

4$F:$+< ( restraine) 7H%e cried all my tears out already ( loosin" er restraint) 7 canHtstand it, itHs terrible, the wind nocs me around as if 7 were empty 7 want to belie%e in8odA

$:'"7T< 4syusha, dearA There is no 8od anywhere weHre all alone with our !rief(Feelin" te pan"s of loss, b#t tryin" to control erself ) +ow can we escape this torture how can we li%e this intolerable life=A &here did you bury my little boy=

@'R$+45@< (#rriely, co0in" in is troat ) $uenita 7%ano%na, let me epress myselfat lastA 7 now e%erythin! and am ready to tell allA


16/54

$:'"7T< (cries sorrowf#lly, nonstop ) :ncle ilya, why didnHt you sa%e the olho=&hy did you bury my baby=

@'R$+45@< ;ury=A "onsenseA Fou neednHt cry o%er him +e is now sailin! safely onthe Caspian $ea in the hands of the class enemyA

$:'"7T< GonHt scare meA :ncle ilya, where are our children=

@'R$+45@< 7 ha%e no information, whatsoe%erA ;ut >ust listen to meA ;anti edashuro% attaced our huts +e couldnHt smell out our wealth ri!ht away, so he dra!!edone of our huts to the shore That was the hut with our day nursery --damn himA Four littleone and 4syushaHs suclin! child were most unfortunately fast asleep inside 7 attaced the!an!, but 7 was struc with some sort of ula wei!ht and 7 sat down on my behind--than!oodness 7 had somethin! to sit on

$:'"7T< :ncle ila, why didnHt you do anythin! to !et the children bac from them=

@'R$+45@< Children= 7 tried to !et the sheep bac, not the children Children aremerely lo%e, while sheep are our property Fou shouldnHt o%erestimate children FouHre ahealthy woman, youHll ha%e more of them if you want to

$:'"7T< 8et out of hereA

(8abies are ear cryin" in te istance )

$:'"7T< (for"ettin" erself ) 4syushaA TheyHre brin!in! our babiesA

4$F:$+< The olho women are comin! bac from the shore TheyHre afraid to lea%ethe children at home, so they tae them with them nd the children are cryin! fromhun!er

$:'"7T< 8o and fetch me somebody elseHs baby 7Hll sucle it and eep it beside me allni!ht Tae $erafima 4oshuninaHs babyE

4$F:$+ $top playin! the saintA 7Hll brin! you oneE

(Se e9its )

$:'"7T< (calls o#t ) ntoshaA ntoshaA

"T5"H$ @57C'< et me finish 7Hm close by, in the %icinity

(+oenters )

+5D< Thans for your hospitality 7 filled myself up with some stran!e desert !rass

$:'"7T< ThatHs nothin! FouHll ha%e mutton for tomorrowHs dinner (calls o#t )ntoshaA


17/54

"T5"H$ @57C' &ait a bit 7Hm measurin! the wind The airways of the Republicshould be safeA

(4syusha brin"s two babies to s#c0le. Se ans one of te! to $uenitaan 0eepste oter wit erself )

4$F:$+< etHs feed someone elseHs babies, otherwise the mil will !o to our headsand weHll die of !rief (Se e9its, cooin" to te baby )

$:'"7T< (e9a!inin" te baby ) &hy is his face so dull= (S#c0lin" i! ) +e refuses totae my breastA

+5D< ay him on the !round, $uenita Four baby probably wants to die

$:'"7T< +e will remain alone in this world without us and without any life aroundhimA

+5D< GonHt feel so miserable, $uenita Fou concei%ed this baby in >est, en>oyin! yourselfand pantin! with passion $o why !et irritated about it now= 7tHs not serious of youE &hatHsone baby for you= Fou are rocin! in your hips, lie in a cradle, the whole future of themanindA Come to meA

(Te istant, inistinct #! of a flyin" airplane )

$:'"7T< 7 canHt hear you, !ramps ife is too hard on me ri!ht now

(ntonco!es in, is wo#ne ea is resse wit a clot. )

$:'"7T< ntoshaA 8et a horse and ride to the Gistrict arty Committee Call the 8:and tell them to !et out to the Caspian $ea &hy ha%enHt you !one after the ulasalready=

"T5"< &eH%e been or!aniin! an edible food out of all sorts of re>ect dust ;esides,the frontier posts are on hi!h alert "o one can escape by seaA

(Te r#!blin" noise of an airplane is "ettin" lo#er$ an airplane is co!in" own )

$:'"7T< n airplane is comin! ntoshaA $i!nal it to landA &eHll tae it and catch upwith the ulas

"T5"< (loo0in" #p in te s0ies ) 7Hll !et him down 7Hll !et him down at onceA 7 ne%erflew in an airplane before $uch !reat technolo!y that my heart is poundin! and 7 want toshout out, JorwardAJ

+5D< Go you now the si!nals=

"T5"< 7Hm a member of the $ociety for the $upport of %iation and Chemistry 7Hll li!hta fire and create the smoe of state dan!er nd you, by the way, should be arrested< youdistract me (&e isappears )


18/54

+5D< Four baby is asleep

$:'"7T< Fes, my baby boy is asleep (*o'ers te baby an lays i! on a benc inte passa"e ) ll are asleep both here on earth and there on the sea 5nly one farawaychild cries now on board our small shipE +eHs callin! me, he is defenseless there 7Hll throw

myself into the sea, 7Hll swim to him throu!h darnessE

+5D< (approacin" $uenita) GonHt be noisy, poor !irl, our fate is soundless ( E!braces$uenitaan bens in front of er ) 7 also want to cry with you and be in an!uish by yourpoor sirt, by your dusty feet, smellin! of earth and your babies

(&e e!braces te wea0ene $uenita an ols er ti"t. Te istant, fain" roar ofan airplane flyin" away )

+5D< 7 ha%e li%ed throu!h a century of sadness, $uenita ;ut now, when 7 ha%e foundyour small body, 7Hm yearnin! for you as a poor, sorrowful man 7 would lie to Iuietly earnmy li%in! on your olho

$:'"7T< ( caressin" i! "ently) $tay with us on our shepherdsH olho till your dyin!day and be happy a little Fou can !o to the district center and tae a course to become anaccountant

(ntonenters)

"T5"< The airplane has flown by hi!h in the sy without stoppin!A ;ut 7Hll eep watch?the airplanes fly by here often on their !reat >ourney 7Hll eep on si!nalin! by settin! firesthrou!hout the ni!ht

(ntone9its $uenita"oes into te passa"e an bens o'er te sleepin" baby. +oco!es #p to te wattle5fence. &e stans tere for a wile in co!plete silence. Te twili"t"rows into te ar0ness of te ni"t. )

+5D< 7tHs a fraudA (a sli"t pa#se ) &hat a really uni%ersal, historically or!anied fraudA&ind, they say, is blowin! as if it were sad, and infinity is %ast lie a silly hole, and the seaworries and weeps onto the shores of the earthE s if e%erythin! were serious, plainti%eand eIuisitely fineA ;ut itHs all >ust ra!in! nonsenseA

$:'"7T< (Spea0in" o#t fro! te passa"e ) &ho are you wastin! your time talin! to,!ramps=

+5D< 5h, $uenita, !irl, itHs all a fraudA "ature isnHt lie that The wind is ne%er sad, andthe sea ne%er calls anyone anywhere The wind feels itself nothin! out of the ordinary, andthere is a bastard beyond the sea, not an an!el

(ntonappears an passes by. )

"T5"< "obodyHs flyin! Garness all around, and the sea is roarin!


19/54

(nton e9its $uenita "oes into te #t an co!es bac0 wit a li"te la!p. Se sitsown at te table an b#sies erself)

$:'"7T< &hy are you so cle%er= 5r maybe youHre >ust an ordinary old man=

+5D< 7Hm not that cle%er 7 ha%e li%ed throu!h a century and now life by the habit of

li%in! it, not by wisdom

$:'"7T< nd who are they, these frauds= &hy donHt they shoot them= &hat do theythin=

+5D< They thin eactly lie 7 do< the world eists >ust because of a mere trifle whichwas lon! a!o for!otten $o they deal with life mercilessly, lie a delusion Come to me, mydau!hter, 7Hll iss you on the head

$:'"7T< &hy=

+5D< ;ecause 7 lo%e you &eHre both decei%edE GonHt irritate meA &hen two decei%edhearts hold ti!ht to each other, it turns out to be somethin! almost serious etHs decei%eour decei%ers

$:'"7T< 7 donHt want to

+5D &hy not=

$:'"7T< ;ecause 7 donHt lo%e you

+5D< 6ilA 8i%e me some milA &hereHs my 7nter!om=

$:'"7T< &e donHt ha%e any mil for you we need to feed our childrenE 8o, !ramps,!o and count the wor-days 7H%e !otten confused

+5D< ll ri!ht, !irl etHs busy oursel%es with trifles so we can ehaust our souls

$:'"7T< These are not the trifles This is our bread, !ramps, and the whole of ourre%olution

(ntonenters )

"T5"< "obodyHs flyin! in the air 7Hd better chec the in%entory 7 ou!ht to do somethin!at least

(ntoneparts +o co!es #p to $uenita)

+5D< &here are my eye-!lasses= nd where is the whole of your re%olution=

$:'"7T< Fou left your eye-!lasses in your lo%erHs trun FouH%e come to us withoute%en spare trousers, without a loaf of bread 5ur shepherd !lasses are lyin! o%er hereFou can wear them now (*an"in" er tone an attit#e) isten, !randpa +oA


20/54

(Pa#se. A istant noise of sea wa'es. Dar0ness of te ni"t. )

$:'"7T< 7Hm sad a!ain 6y heart is achin! and my body is ashamed to li%e

+5D< There, now Four body doesnHt sit well on your soul yet 7tHll settle on properly

soon

(P#ts on te !etal5ri!!e eye5"lasses in !etallic ri!, fastens te! bein isears, sits own at $uenitaHsplace an cec0s te re"isters )

+5D< &hy should 7 do all this countin!= &hy should we count up all these fi!ures whene%erythin! in this world is approimate= $uenita, lo%e me with all your sad, unconsciousheart itHs the only eact thin! in life

$:'"7T< 5n the contraryA 7 lo%e you consciouslyA

+5D< ConsciouslyA Consciousness is the bri!ht twili!ht of youth, when you donHt !i%e adamn about the trifles !o%ernin! this world

$:'"7T< Consciousness is our mind 7f you canHt understand this, youHd better shut up

+5D< 5h, my conscious oneA 7 feel !lad when 7 donHt understand

$:'"7T< nd 7 feel sad when 7 donHt understandE6ae it Iuic with the accounts? thepay-roll list should be ready by tomorrow mornin! FouHre delayin! the payment of theolho worersA nd e%erythin! should be clear to e%eryone? we donHt lie any%a!uenessE 7Hll be bac soonA (Se pic0s #p te swale baby an starts to epart witi! ) 7tHs !ettin! cold, 7Hd better !o warm him up by a warm sto%e ( Se e9its )

+5D< (alone ) '%erythin!Hs clear for me ;ut 7 want %a!ueness @a!uenessA 7 lost youlon! a!o and now 7 li%e in a %oid of clarity and despair

(So#ns of a a!!er on te 0ol0o6- screec of a file. Tese so#ns co!e an "orepeately. )

+5D< (*o#nts te pay5seet fi"#res by abac#s. S#enly stops co#ntin" ) et them behappy approimatelyA ll the same, e%ery account and calculation will ha%e to be redone(rites in te re"ister ) To rohor ;erdyanschio% ten ilos only? you, rohor, werelay enou!h while har%estin! !rass and you loo asance on $o%iet powerE 4syusha$eusche%a youH%e done well, 4syusha, breath of 8od, you should build up your body and accordin!ly youHll !et a hundred ilos of mutton, plus the wool To that nton

ntosha a whole double portion< eat your beefA ;ecause you sowed the !rass with theaid of the wind, you also du! two wells both of them still dry -- you measured the sea forthe cademy of $ciences, you sta!ed a play about an ae and eplained to all olhomembers the idea of cost-accountin!E 7s there an airplane flyin! there or not=

"T5"H$ @57C'< "othin! in %iew >ust darness and the empty elements resoundin!A


21/54

+5D< (co#ntin" ) 7Hll cut HemA 7Hll cut HemA 7Hll cut e%eryoneHs pay by halfA TheyH%e beenmessin! around with this communism for 1L years already, and still they canHt or!anie thissmall !lobe !ood and proper ;loody scholasticsA 7Hll fine each and e%ery one of youA

"T5"H$ @57C'< ine us, comrade uni%ersal academicianA $trie at the psycholo!y ofthe masses with our wor-days paymentsA

+5D< "o, we canHt, ntoshaE 4arl 6ar told me in the middle of the last century thatthe proletariat doesnHt need a psycholo!y

"T5"H @57C'< Fou new 4arl 6ar=

+5D< +ow could 7 not now him=A 5f course, 7 new himA ll his life he was looin! forsomethin! serious and lau!hed at the e%eryday trifles of current e%ents

"T5"H$ @57C'< FouHre tellin! lies, you man of science, youA 6ar didnHt lau!h at us he lo%ed the people always and well in ad%ance, he cried o%er the coffin of arisCommune, and he stretched out the path of his thou!ht beyond the horion of the worldhistoryA FouHd better !et rid of your world outloos here FouHd better understand us orweHll understand youA

+5D< (co#ntin" ) To $erafima 4oschunina and her husband ero to each? thatHsnothin!, double ero

(ntonenters )

"T5"< &hy do you eep irritatin! me with your understandin! of e%ery issue to the "-th de!ree= FouHre blurrin! the effect of life before my eyes

+5D< ;lessed are the mumblers (*o#nts te pay5seet )

"T5"< &eHre not blessed yet, weHre worers? and why are you beha%in! lie such anawful madman=

+5D< (inifferently, still oin" is b#siness ) &hat can 7 do for you, you youn!whippersnapper=

"T5"< ct lie an awful madman--7Hm tellin! youA Bust tell me what is the world madeof= 5f atoms or of somethin! else=

+5D< 5ut of mentally disturbed nonsenseA

"T5"< (in tor!ent) $o, that means that e%ery atom is also sufferin!A 7Hd better !omeasure the sea and chec the wei!hts, for thereHs somethin! wron! with reality weshould or!anie the world in a more accurate wayA

+5D< ntoshaA &hy did you put up this scarecrow= Fou wasted three wor-days FousIuandererA


22/54

"T5" &e put it up to scare the class enemyA scarecrow is more fri!htenin! than aperson nd, besides, the people should be worin!, we donHt ha%e enou!h of them

+5D< ;ut the class enemy wasnHt fri!htenedA

"T5"< $ince the scarecrowHs not ali%e, of course he wasnHt fri!htened 7t was ila

@ersho% who told me to do it 6ae a scarecrow, he said? you donHt need a !uard eoplestarted lea%in! the huts--they all went to di! the wells-- and the class enemy attaced 7Hdbetter !o, 7 ha%e a lot of thin!s to do The airplane is still missin! 7tHs dar e%erywhere

(al0s away fro! te sta"e. $uenita appears wit a baby in er ar!s)

"T5"< "ot asleep yet=

$:'"7T "o, heHs delirious 7tHs cold e%erywhere and nobody cares to heat a sto%e? hismother is dead hun!ry and indifferent

+5D< &hatHs the use of carryin! that child around= et him die 5r donHt you ha%eenou!h lo%e in you to piteously !i%e birth to another one=

"T5"< (to +o) 7Hll !i%e you such a blow thatHll noc you ri!ht out of your bootsA FouHllfly apart into pieces ri!ht in front of us--smashed by the proletariatA

+5D< FouHre wron!, ntosha &hatHs the proletariat to me= 7tHs much youn!er than me&hen 7 was born there was no such thin! as a proletariat, and 7Hll die after itHs !oneA Theproletariat will !et mutilated if it tries to strie a!ainst my ri!id bonesA

$:'"7T< ThereHs no airplane=

"T5"< "ot yet et me tae him 7Hll put him in a baset and roc him (&e ta0es tecil fro! $uenita 7s ar!s an e9its )

$:'"7T< (to +o ) re you finished countin! up the pay-roll=

+5D< Fes, 7 am

$:'"7T< 8i%e it to me 7Hll chec it

+5D< 7tHs no use, $uenita ll the same, the sheep are not on your shepherdsH olho,but in the hands of the class enemy

$:'"7T< oor !rampsA Fou ha%enHt !ot the sli!htest idea about the %ery strict border!uard of oursE 5ur sacred bread will return to our body

(Pale awn. Te istant roar of an airplane. $uenita strains er ears. Pa#se )

$:'"7T< (so#tin" ) ntoshaA n airplane is flyin! toward usA $toe up the si!nalfiresA 5r, wait a bit, 7Hll set the hut on fireA (R#ns off )


23/54

@57C' 5 "T5"< 7 already see e%erythin! and am tain! maimum measuresA

(A pa#se. Te approacin" rone of an airplane )

+5D< ll sorts of chance e%ents are rushin! about 7 ha%e to sum up the balance sheets

(An intense re li"t. A #t on te 0ol0o6 is set abla6e by$uenita . Te en"ines ofte lanin" airplane roar own. Pa#se. Te ilot annton appear followe by @ersho% )

"T5" nd whereHs $uenita 7%ano%na=

@'R$+45@ $heHll come in a moment $he set the hutHs roof on fire and canHt put it outyet

($uenitar#ses in)

75T< (to $uenita) Fou are the Chairwoman=

$:'"7T< GonHt you see it for yourself=

75T< Reportin! for duty 7 am the pilot of a!riculture support airplane number 2-*M 7was flyin! en route to a rice so%ho "oticin! the si!nal fires, 7 landed here Comrade

nton has informed me about the ur!ent necessity of pursuin! a !an! of ulas 7 amready to perform air reconnaissance o%er the sea area, but 7 need a !uide for the purposeof identifyin! your fishin! %essel

$:'"7T< 7Hll !o with you KuicA

"T5"< 7Hll !o, too 6y heart is burstin! with >oyA

75T ;oth of you= 5ay +urry upA

(Tey epart.$uenita t#rns bac0 for a !o!ent )

$:'"7T< (to +o) 8ramps, tae care of the olho, Hcause you lo%e me, ri!ht=

(Se eparts.1

+5D< ly, my poor little birdie 7Hll be on my !uard

(+o an @ersho%re!ain on te sta"e)

@'R$+45@< $o, you and 7 are in char!e now, 7%an edoro%ichA etHs !i%e orders

+5D< 5rders= 7Hll show youA 8et out there and worA

@'R$+45@< FouHre ri!ht, 7%an edoro%ich 7Hm !oin! &e need firm leadership


24/54

(&e e9its. Te li"t fro! b#rnt #t ies own. 2rey, borin" awn. Te roar of aepartin" airplane. )

END OF A)T T%O

A)T THREE

(Te interior of te 0ol0o6 office. Portraits, slo"ans. /i'e5stoc0 instr#ction posters. A wallnewspaper. A rolle5#p re banner in te corner. A table wit an abac#s on it. 8ences.Te only winow is close. Early o#rs of te !ornin". A la!p is lit. +ois sittin" at tetable wit eye5"lasses on, #nsa'en an #n0e!pt.1

+5D< &hat a ni!htA $tillnessA 7 lie when all the elements calm downA &hen you hearnothin! but a human bein!Hs breathA (&e listens. So!eone7s snorin" o#tsie1 $ocialist ila@ersho% is snorin! +e har%ested a whole stac of !rass by himself wored all day andni!ht, made use of the moonli!ht $o he deser%es to be credited with ten wor-days "o,heHs a pseudo-human bein! let it be only four wor-days

(4syushaenters, all s0in an bones.1

4$F:$+< messa!e for you (Fetces a letter fro! beneat er 4ac0et an ans ito'er to +o1.7t came with the last mail The postman said it was pretty hard to find youRead it now

+5D< (Payin" no attention to te letter1 7 Iuit readin! lon! a!o

4$F:$+< ;ut it mi!ht be interestin!A

+5D< "o, itHs not interestin!, 4syushaA +a%e you for!otten that your poor baby now sails

on the Caspian $ea=

4$F:$+< "o, 7 ha%enHt, +ousha +ow could 7= 7 could ne%erA $o ali%e, so dear, itHsas if 7 see him ri!ht before my eyes 7 donHt ha%e anythin! to eat myself, but my breasts areswollen with mil nd the only time 7 can for!et them is when 7Hm fast asleep

+5D< 8ood 4eep torturin! yourself ThatHs wonderful 7Hm remindin! you so you donHtfor!et "ow, about mendin! the sacs +a%e you o%erfulfilled that plan=

4$F:$+< 7 fulfilled it, 7 fulfilled it, but 7 couldnHt Iuite mana!e to o%erfulfill it 6y handsare achin! with !rief 7H%e !ot no tears already 7 >ust eep starin! with my eyes wide open

lie a dead fish

+5D< 4syusha, my poor, sad thin!, come here et me embrace and caress youA (&ecaresses er1

4$F:$+< (&olin" ti"t to i!1 8randpa 7%an, youHre cle%er, youHre ind? tell me how toli%e now, help me !et throu!h my sufferin!

+5D< GonHt cry, 4syusha s a child, you cried o%er a broen bottle or o%er the loss of


25/54

some blue cloth nd your !rief was >ust as sad "ow you are cryin! o%er the loss of yourbaby 7 used to cry, too 7 had four official wi%es They all died They bore me nineteenchildren--boys and !irls? not a sin!le one of them is left in this world 7 canHt find e%en their!ra%es 7 ne%er saw a trace of the warm step of any of my children on this 'arth

4$F:$+< GonHt feel sad, !ramps 7 also feel sad, my poor old man

+5D< Go you ha%e a pharmacy=

4$F:$+< small one

+5D< 8o and brin! me somethin! chemical 7 can swallow

4$F:$+< Ri!ht away

+5D< +urry, !irl

(4syushaeparts.1

+5D< (*alls o#t of te winow1 ilipA

@'R$+45@H$ @57C'< &hat do you want, 7%an edoro%ich=

+5D< Come here

@'R$+45@H$ @57C'< 7n a moment et me stretch myself 7Hm cracin! my bones

+5D< (E9a!inin" an loo0in" tro#" n#!ero#s papers1 ThereHs a real dan!er ofla!!in! behind the plan &e ha%enHt finished the !rass har%estin! &eHre also behindschedule for meat deli%eries to the $tate &e donHt ha%e enou!h sacs ready for stora!e ofwinter supplies Two olho women went into labor yesterday -- they concei%ed on thesame day 6y 8od, where am 7 !oin! to !et women to mend the sacs= 5h, $uenita,breath of mine, return as soon as you can to our hutsA Four heart beats more wisely thanmy brains 7 >ust canHt reco!nie the class enemy ;ut surely this is all his doin!A

(Filip @ersho%enters1

@'R$+45@< &hat do you want=

+5D< Bust thiswhy do you spend so much time sleepin!=

@'R$+45@< &ell, 7Hll be damned 7 thou!ht you were a counterre%olutionary ;ut itappears you are made of the same stuff as us 7s it true that abroad the only thin! theyHreinterested in is us=

+5D< isten to me, ila FouHre a class enemyA

@'R$+45@< 6e= Fes, 7 supposed you could say that, but then a!ain maybe notA Foucould say thatHs a foul lie, a tric, and slander of our best people Fou can loo at it


26/54

howe%er you lie, 7%an edoro%ich< forward or bacward, but in !eneral itHs >ust a mysteryA

+5D< FouHre lyin!, ilaA nd you are socially perniciousA Throu!h the whole of manind7 can see the entirety of fateA

@'R$+45@< &hat does it matter what you see= 7tHs all >ust theoretical

+5D< ;ut practically, youHre %erminA 7H%e entered the second century of my life, and 7H%etaen the measure of real e%ents Fou donHt lo%e our artyHs policy? youHre only pretendin!to be with us, but actually you stand with 'urope and the richA

@'R$+45@< $top !ettin! on my ner%es 7Hll start stammerin! and sho%e somethin! upyour 7f you donHt stop 7 may >ust as well hit you with somethin!, 7 assure you, %eryhea%yE &ho was it that piled up a !iant haystac= &ho did ten days worth of wor in asin!le day=

+5D< That was you, ilip @asile%ich 7 !a%e you credit for four wor-days

@'R$+45@< our daysA FouyouHre main! me cray 7Hm for!ettin! the factsA FouHrede%elopin! indi!nation in me, you remnant of the pastA

(4syushaenters.1

4$F:$+< 7tHs started to !et loud at sea 7t must be fri!htenin! to be alone on the water

+5D< 8i%e me my powders

4$F:$+< Tae what you want? 7 brou!ht e%erythin!

(Se opens #p te par!acy bo9. +o"#lps own tree powers, one by one.1

+5D< ThereHs nothin! to drin 7tHs hi!h time to mae %as on your olho

@'R$+45@< Tae them dry

+5D< GonHt irritate me, you insi!nificant nothin!A

@'R$+45@< 7Hll !i%e you insi!nificantA Fou now where all the insi!nificant people are=All we ha%e here are people of !reat si!nificanceA

+5D< $top main! me crayA 8et out of the officeA

@'R$+45@< +eHs !one bureaucracy-cray alreadyA

4$F:$+< 7 canHt stay silent either &e ha%e a collecti%e economy here, and we shouldha%e a comradely tone here To be smearin! people with un%erified e%idence -- itHsdis!ustin!


27/54

@'R$+45@< etHs !o, 4syusha etHs !et away from this alien class &e donHt want tosully our world-%iew

(@ersho%an 4syushae9it.1

+5D< (appily1nd so these almost-holy creatures li%e on They play %arious !ames and

the result is world historyA 7t will start to !et li!ht soon 7Hd better finish with all thisaccountin! for the district authorities

(Day is brea0in". The 4olho 8uardappears wit a rifle in an.1

T+' 8:RG< +a%enHt had a win of sleep, 7 see=

+5D< "ot yet $till rootin! around in the collecti%e life

T+' 8:RG< 7tHs hi!h time for you to hit the hay, 7 thin youHre youn!er than me, arenHtyou=

+5D< nd how old are you=

T+' 8:RG< 7 thin a hundred already, or maybe not 7 mi!ht be wron!A 6y mind is!ettin! fo!!y 7 see the wide world around me, but 7 tae no interest in it

+5D< $o, youHre cle%er, are you=

T+' 8:RG< &hen 7 can be $ometimes cle%er, then a!ain not 7H%e !ot clouds floatin!across my mind

+5D< &ell, cle%er fellow, !o !uard the olho borders

T+' 8:RG< ;ut can you tell me strai!ht if 7Hm a class enemy or not=

+5D< 7f you are, why are you han!in! around here= 8o to the Gistrict authorities and tellthem to arrest you 7tHs hi!h time for you to learn a little consciousness

T+' 8:RG< 7H%e already been there 7 be!!ed them to arrest me twice ;ut they wonHttae me They say 7H%e !ot no characteristic features of a class enemy, that 7Hm >ust a poorman They >ust rationed me a slice of bread and sent me home

+5D< That means youHre socially useful

T+' 8:RG< 6e= 7 hardly thin so 7H%e read somewhere in a boo that people ha%eli%ed throu!h a hundred thousand years on this 'arth and all in %ain, all came to absolutenothin! $o you thin somethin!Hs !oin! to !et accomplished in only fi%e years= "o wayA

+5D< 8et out of here, you class enemyA

T+' 8:RG< 7 said that because 7Hm hun!ry ;esides, 7 wanted to chec up on your%i!ilance &ho nows, maybe youHre an a!ent of shuro%A 7Hm a !uard here $o 7 !uard


28/54

e%erythin!< the eIuipment, ideolo!y Gawn is comin! +it the hay and ha%e a !ood sleep,otherwise youHll be no !ood durin! the day "owadays, one worin! day on a olho islie a thousand years, and the olho re%olution is lie a hundred thousand yearsA ThatHshow it isA ThatHs how it is with usA +a%e a restA

(The 8uardeparts. A sli"t pa#se.1

+5D< (alone1 CanHt understand anythin!< my mind is !ettin! cloudyA

(Te awn reens o'er te 0ol0o6. @ersho%enters1.

+5D< &hy arenHt you sleepin!=

@'R$+45@< CanHt sleep 7 ha%e a lot of thin!s to loo after new dayHs comin!, but weha%e nothin! to eat nd the people canHt !et to sleep either TheyHre tossin! and turnin!

+5D< &ell, irritate me, irritate me, interfere with my wor

@'R$+45@< (ea'in" a si"1 7Hm astonished at world-wide humanity Tae imperialists,for instance TheyHre far from bein! silly people, but they came to you to sol%e the riddle oftheir li%es FouHre a bacwards person Fou canHt e%en sol%e the problems of a shepherdsHolhoA 7 would ha%e sol%ed all the worldHs problems lon! a!o and would ha%e done itwithout tra%elin! anywhere, but sittin! comfortably in my room, eatin! and thinin!A FoucanHt e%en ima!ine what 7 would come up with thenA

+5D< ilaA ll world-wide fools are always searchin! for the world-wide truth

@'R$+45@< $o much the better ;ut you and 7 arenHt fools FouHre a uni%ersal double-dealer, and 7Hm a olho shoc-worer-shepherd nd thatHs all there is to it

+5D< ilaA Read me the letter &hat is 'urope writin! to me= &rite down the answerfor that ula olho "ow 7 can see that youHre a !reat manA

(&ans te en'elope o'er to @ersho%. @ersho%opens it.1

@'R$+45@< Fes, 7Hm whate%er you want 7t depends $ometimes a !reat man,sometimes an absolute nobodyA &hat are you !onna do= ife is a ne%er-endin!undertain! Fou ha%e to adapt

+5D< 7Hm the same as you, ila, dependin! on the circumstances ;oth of us areworin! people

@'R$+45@< Go you thin 7Hm blind= 7 see and now who you areA (Not e'en loo0in"tro#" te letter, e writes own a resol#tion1 ;olshe%i-man can see ri!ht throu!h you,foolsA

(&e ans te letter wit te en'elope bac0 to +o.1

+5D< (reain" te resol#tion1ilaA 7s it really true= Could it really be possible that the


29/54

world economic eni!ma was resol%ed by >ust four words of yoursA

@'R$+45@< There is always a reason behind what we write Tae my word for it(Pa#se1 Fes, there is

+5D< (ponerin"1 Fes, thatHs it Fou should now better nd what do they write me from

abroad=

@'R$+45@< "othin! much Thin!s are unsatisfactory Fou may read it aloud yourself

+5D< (reas wit o!issions, in an an"ry alftone1 rom 6oscow came the news t therailway station you intended to marry a famous beauty, the shepherdess $uenitaE Gue toa certain limitation of your mental abilities Concentrated circle of 'uropean tra!edy$end us "ew principleE $olution of the world political and economic eni!maE

@'R$+45@< $o 7 wrote it down "ow there isnHt any world eni!ma

+5D< Fou wrote it %ery clearly ThereHs no eni!ma &e should send it off 6ornin! hascome

@'R$+45@< nd now si!n it 7Hll countersi!n it

(Tey sin" #!oro#s fol05 son"s Ccast#s0i. Tey si"n an seal #p teen'elope An ol !an fro! te District appears wit a briefcase an so!e rolle5#p rebanners !ae o#t of re calico an bast !attin"1

T+' G7$TR7CT 5G 6"< +elloA ut out the lamp &hatHs the use of your sittin! here=7H%e come by foot from the Gistrict Committee to see how the socialist competition !oes

(The Gistrict 5ld 6anre!o'es a Re 8anner !ae o#t of a fine clot fro! tecorner of te roo! an replaces it wit one !ae o#t of bast !attin".1

@'R$+45@< &hat are you insultin! us for=

T+' G7$TR7CT 5G 6"< nd you deser%ed it, it seems TypicalA

(The Gistrict 5ld 6an e9its1

+5D< $uenita 7%ano%na will !et irritated

@'R$+45@< ThatHs nothin! &hat we should worry about, 7%an edoro%ich, is feedin!the people They ha%enHt had anythin! to eat for some days? they >ust lie on the !round andcry

+5D< 7 donHt hear anythin!

@'R$+45@< Fou should be thinin!, not listenin! 5h, !o ahead and listen if you lieA

(&e swin"s te office winow wie open. Tey can ear !en an wo!en swearin"


30/54


31/54


32/54

left in reser%e

+5D< (ans te bottle wit !il0 bac0 to er1 8o and feed all the children with your ownmil s much as you are able to, until you run dry

4$F:$+< (feelin" appily s#rprise1 Ri!ht you are, !randpa +oA &hat a fool 7 was,

sparin! myself and sufferin! so much about itA

+5D< Gistribute chemical pills amon! the men and women one to each Tell them that7H%e ordered that they tae them 7 tae them myself, and 7H%e been li%in! for more than acentury

4$F:$+< 5h, they are cle%er enou!h and %ery patient, !randpa +oA They need >ustlittle somethin! to eat, and theyHll for!et about their heartaches

+5D< 8o and feed them from your breast and from the medicine chest, 4syusha

4$F:$+< 7Hm !oin!, !ramps (Se e9its1

+5D< (e ta0es te pills an cews te!1 8ood nd nourishin!A (A pa#se1 7 will !o onli%in! lie our !uard li%es, !uardin! all inds of chance occurrences and %aluablesA

(/a#"in", $uenitaappears #nnotice. +o, eep in is to#"ts, oes not seeer.1

$:'"T7< +ello, !randpa +oA

+5D< $uenitaA FouH%e returned to us, my surprisin! oneA nd whereHs your baby=

$:'"T7< 6y baby is here on the olho ima 4oschunina is looin! after him now$heHs the only one whoHs seen me 4syushaHs baby is also safe and sound 7H%e brou!htthem both--theyHre ali%eA nd now !i%e me a report on the economic situation

+5D< &ait a bit with these inhuman matters< economy, report, state of affairsA (&e openste winow. All is 3#iet on te 0ol0o6 in te late, bri"t !ornin"1 7t has become Iuiet, thepeople ha%e had little somethin! to eat et me !i%e you an old manHs issA

$:'"T7< &ell, oay, iss me 7 wonHt dry up

(+o0isses $uenitaon te foreea.1

+5D< 5h, my eternal darlin!A 7 ha%e searched for you for so lon! a hundred yearsA

$:'"T7< 7 was noneistent then so you were searchin! in %ain

+5D< 7 was waitin! for your birth

$:'"T7< Fou showed up too late 7H%e already !i%en birth myself


33/54

+5D< 7H%e mana!ed to feed the people 6y leadership is worin! well

$:'"T7< &e shall chec up on it

+5D< nd where is our olho bread= 5ur sheep= +a%e you taen them bac from theclass enemy=

$:'"T7< 7n the airplane, we cau!ht up with our olho ship The 8: patrol boattowed it to strahan

+5D< &hereHs shuro%=

$:'"T7< &hen the 8: boat raced after them, they threw half of our bread into thesea They drowned forty of our sheep--the rest are safe and sound They threw our hut intothe sea and it floated awayE 5ur babies--mine and 4syushaHs--were lyin! in the hold

shuro% himself was watchin! o%er them +e cried o%er them when he was arrested

+5D< decent manA

$:'"T7< Fes, he is +e was in lo%e with me once when 7 was a !irl, before theliIuidation of the classesE

+5D< &here are our sheep and our bread= ThatHs what 7 am asin! you about

$:'"T7< shuro% is brin!in! the whole lot bac home on our ship from strahan

+5D< &hich shuro% do you mean=

$:'"T7< The former banti +e is sailin! with the wind? soon we shall see his sail onthe sea 8: a!ent is on board the ship to escort him

(Pa#se.1

+5D< 7 donHt understand anythin!E &here ha%e you come from=

$:'"T7< rom strahan, old man 6e and ntosha flew in the airplane to theso%ho nd from there we came on foot Fou understand= s for eda shuro%, 7ased the 8: to pardon him and !i%e him to me for education 7Hll mae a olho-shoc-worer out of him 7Hm sure heHll be better than most of our fellows 7Hll tame him

+5D< $o thatHs what you mean by class stru!!leA et the nonsense eep re%ol%in!

$:'"T7< nd you thou!ht the class stru!!le was only mass slau!hterA

+5D< ll ri!ht, then $o we need a class enemy, too &e turn him into a friend, and ourfriends into enemies, >ust to eep the !ame rollin! ;ut what shall we ha%e to eat until

shuro% comes with all our !oods and supplies=

$:'"T7< Chemicals, old manA Fou donHt understand the !ameA


34/54

(4syushar#ses in an #"s $uenita.1

$:'"T7< 4syusha, we are two mothers a!ainA

4$F:$+< 5h, yes, my darlin! $uenita

$:'"7T< 8randpa +o, send ila @ersho% to me 7Hm !oin! to arrest him

+5D< 7H%e arrested him already

$:'"T7< &ell done, !ramps Then !o and brin! him here

+5D< ll ri!ht 5nly none of this is serious (&e e9its1

$:'"T7< $o, what is it 4syusha= &here are our children=

4$F:$+< 5h, e%erythin!Hs fine, dear $uenita (Tey tic0le an caress eac oter1TheyHre sleepin! at imaHs place 7 found them

(The 8uardenters.1

T+' 8:RG< 5h, the chief citien has come bac 8lad to see you, lassie

$:'"T7< 5ld man, you now that youHre a class enemyor ha%enHt you realied thatyet=

T+' 8:RG< 7 now 7 told you lon! a!o that 7Hm not what 7 seem

$:'"T7< shuro% told me all about youE +ow you pretended to be fast asleep in themiddle of our olho while they dra!!ed the hut awayE +ow you left e%erythin! to be!uarded by a faceless scarecrowA

T+' 8:RG< free thin!, it is

$:'"T7< &eHll ha%e a 8eneral 6eetin! FouHll ha%e to lea%e the olho fore%erA utyour rifle down in the cornerA (Pa#se1

T+' 8:RG< (a'in" p#t te rifle own1 4syusha, !i%e me a needle, 7Hll patch my sac 7had my needle but it was broen Can they mae !ood needles now= 5f course notA Theycan only eceed Iuotas, but not mae !ood needles

4$F:$+< (anlin" i! a neele1 Bust tae it, and be off with you while my heart canstill endure youA

T+' 8:RG< &hat is a heart= 7t is made to ache and endure

(&e ta0es te neele an e9its.1


35/54

"T5"H$ @57C'< (on te 0ol0o61 7Hll test each of you in full accordance with all politicallinesA Comrade ntosha nows the despicable, anti-scientific face of the class enemyA +enows why our olho cart is sIueain!A +e loos you strai!ht in the face, fearlesslyAThere does not eist the man who can decei%e or fri!hten Comrade ntosha 4ohtso%A 7shall sort out the whole of humanity accordin! to standard principlesA $cienceA &orldacademiciansA Fou came here to smile "ow !o and fi!ht for the Iuantity and Iuality of

production and a!ainst the class enemyA

(Transparencies wit slo"ans callin" for labor ent#sias!, proper care of orses,etc., pass across te sta"e.1

4$F:$+< (respectf#lly1ntosha has come

$:'"T7< (callin" o#t te winow1ntoshaA

"T5"H$ @57C'< (!ore cal!ly1 7n li!ht of the necessity of main! a control-chec onthe !rain epected to arri%e with the banti, a need has arisen to test our airbanswei!hin! scales, since they mi!ht ha%e been dama!ed by the silent hand of the ula

$:'"T7< 4syusha, 7 donHt thin 7 lie ntosha

4$F:$+< +e is !ettin! real cray about all that shoc-worer-mo%ement businessTheyHre lie two peas in a pod, all these olho-lo%in! pretendersA s for me, 7Hd ratherdeal with bantis Fou arrest one, and he worsA nd howA

(+oenters.1

+5D< ila will be here in a moment +e went to post a letter to 'urope 7 recei%ed acommunication from 'urope ThereHs a tra!ic situation thereA

$:'"T7< ll you thin about is 'urope, while we ha%e a whole world in our handsCanHt you see that=

+5D< 7 see FouH%e !otten yourself in a muddle $oon you wonHt be ha%in! anythin! toeat

(@ersho%appears.1

@'R$+45@< 8ood mornin!, Comrade ChairwomanA 7 con!ratulate you on your %ictoryo%er the class enemy bantiA

$:'"T7< Cut it out FouHre also a banti

@'R$+45@< (s!ilin"1 Fou are in a !ood humor today, 7 see

$:'"T7< 7Hm not !rie%in! ;ut you will be soon &hy did you order ntonosha to putup a scarecrowA $o thereHd only be a scarecrow on !uard when the bantis appeared=ATae your re%ol%er shuro% ordered that it be !i%en bac to you +e wanted to shoot youwith it, but he nows that, all the same, 7Hll de-ulaify you


36/54

@'R$+45@< (wito#t re'ol'er1 $o youH%e !otten to the bottom of e%erythin!, you driedup old snaes=

$:'"T7< Fes, :ncle ilya &eH%e !otten to the point of your demise

4$F:$+< Gie as Iuic as possible 7 donHt ha%e the patience to thin about you anylon!erA

@'R$+45@< 7Hm an award-winnin! shoc-worerA $o, citiens, donHt be carried away byyour silly >oesA

4$F:$+< ThatHs ri!ht +eHs an award-winner &hatHs !oin! on in here=A $uenita, 7 thinweHd better ha%e bantis on our olho they at least will be fri!htened of us and not besuch double-dealersA

$:'"T7< (to @ersho%1 &ho had a secret meetin! with shuro% near the distant well=&ho su!!ested that he attac the olho and rob us of all the sheep so you could thenretire peacefully to the Caucasian re!ion and li%e there lie trade union members=

@'R$+45@< $o what if 7 said somethin!= 7tHs a bore to sit around silently $o you >ustsay words as a type of eperiment &ords donHt count TheyHre >ust sounds

+5D< 6ister @ersho%, allow me to as you a strai!ht-forward Iuestion< are you for theolho, which means for socialism, or a!ainst it=

@'R$+45@< 7 am in fa%or of it, 7%an edoro%ich, and a!ainst it To me itHs all the samewhether thereHs socialism or not "one of this is serious, 7%an edoro%ich 7tHs >ust a !eneralpsychosis infectin! the people

+5D< (to#"tf#lly1 "ot serious, :ncle ilya 8eneral psychosisA

$:'"T7< '%ery fool can run o%er us, but to defeat us is beyond the capabilities of e%enthe cle%erest oneE 4syusha, call ntosha up here

4$F:$+< (into te winow1ntoshaA Come here Iuic, you nasty fellow

"T5"H$ @57C'< 7n a momentA 7Hm busy repairin! the paca!es

+5D< 6ister @ersho%, where is that letter for 'urope=

@'R$+45@< ("i'in" bac0 te letter1 8i%e it to the postman yourself "ow you can >ud!efor yourself< 7 used to be a shoc-worer, mana!ed to sol%e the world-wide economiceni!ma and after all this, 7 ha%e to perish

$:'"T7< &hat eni!ma has he sol%ed=

+5D< The world-wide oneA +e wrote in his own hand< /on! i%e Comrade eninA0 Theworld-wide eni!ma no lon!er eistsA


37/54

@'R$+45@< 7tHs true, no lon!er 7 !uessed ri!ht away

4$F:$+< &hat a demonA

(Pa#se1

$:'"T7< &e are >ust poor people here and we ha%e nothin! but enin &e utter hisname in a worshipful whisper, and you desecrate it Fou are the rich, you ha%e manylearned leaders, but we ha%e only him &ho are you, @ersho%=

@'R$+45@< nd who are you=

$:'"T7< 7 am a member of the olho 7 shall be socialism itself

@'R$+45@< m 7 not lie you= 7 am also socialismA

$:'"T7< &e ha%e one enin and one socialism &e donHt need two

(Se s#enly pl#n"es a a""er into @ersho%7s cest. @ersho%sits on te bencin te a"ony of yin".1

+5D< (to @ersho%1 :ncle ilya, whatHs !oin! on there in the other world= +ow do youfeel=

@'R$+45@< (feebly1 $o-so The same trifles and nonsenseEThere is nothin! serioushere as well ThereHs no reason to die whatsoe%er

+5D< +e sees death the ri!ht way

@'R$+45@< 7 am not dyin!, 7Hm >ust switchin! o%er

(Pa#se1

$:'"T7< 7s he finished=

4$F:$+< (feelin" is boy1 inished +eHs startin! to !et cold

$:'"T7< (feelin" te a""er1 ;ut the da!!er is still warm for some reason

(ntonappears.1

"T5"< (not ta0in" in te scene1 rom now on each of us should li%e consciously andresponsiblyA

)URTAIN

END OF A)T THREE

A)T FOUR


38/54

Te *aspian Sea sore. Afternoon ori6on. Te i" bl#e s0y. Spar0lin" li"t o'er teistant, 'acant water. Te 0ol0o6 4ail in te for! of te cylinrical wic0er bas0et wit aco'er on top- it is place on tree stones s#rro#ne by barbe wire. 8esie te 4ail Antonis sittin", olin" te Te 2#ar7s o!e5!ae rifle. &e is "#arin" te i!prisone S#enita.

$:'"7T< (fro! insie te 4ail, feebly sin"in" ) "ulimbatuiya, nulimbatiuya, lyalya, my poor one :%enu%eira fiulumaila lyalya halma sar%aidhaA

(A pa#se.1

$:'"7T< re you here, ntosha=

"T5"< 7Hm always there where 7 should be in full accordance with the appropriate orderor from my personal point of %iew on the matters of benefit to the $tate

$:'"7T< rom here 7 see thou!h a crac -- how bri!ht the sun is shinin! on theolhoA +ow lon! am 7 to be ept here in the darness=

"T5"< or an J"J amount of time

$:'"7T< +ow much is that /"0=

"T5"< "obody nows? itHs mathematical There is "-amount of water in the sea? in the

desert, thereHs no n-amount '%erywhere is one !i!antic /"0A

$:'"7T< 7Hm cold here There are shadows all around

"T5"< Tain! into consideration that nature radiates Iuite a sufficient amount oftemperature you are slanderin! the entire climate of the :$$RA

$:'"7T< (sin"in" in a low 'oice ) The !rass around is !reen and warm 7t rains in torrents o%er my homeland nd thou!h enin is far from my heart

+e is awaited impatiently on the olho

"T5"< &e are a state controlled from the bottom to the top - throu!h re!ion, districtand olho authorities but itHs me who is the supreme authority here? so suffer withoutcomplaintA (Pa#se.1

$:'"7T< ntosha, 7Hm !oin! to !et out (Se scratces a"ainst te prison walls1

"T5"< Then it would be the death of you


39/54

$:'"7T< nd who was ila=

"T5"< ilip @ersho% was none other than an unmased class enemy, a dan!erousdouble-dealer, dis!uised as an award-winnin! shoc-worer

$:'"7T< FouHre lyin! +e was a true shoc-worerA

"T5"< ;ut all the same, a class enemy

$:'"7T< nd a true class enemy

"T5"< $o, then the matter is closed

$:'"7T< ccordin! to our Constitution a class enemy is outlawed +e can be illed 7Hm!ettin! out (Se scratces to "et o#t1.

"T5"< 7Hll liIuidate you to death on the spot, since there are no orders for yourliberation

$:'"7T< Go you now our Constitution=

"T5"< 7 now it by heart '%ery letter of it s me anythin!A

$:'"7T< &hy not set me free, then=

"T5"< 7Hm not sure about all the amendments and supplements introduced into theConstitution by rele%ant acts of the residium of the Central 'ecuti%e Committee of the:$$R

$:'"7T< ;ut 7 do now them

"T5"< ll the same you donHt ha%e any documents on you

$:'"7T< FouHre an accomplice of the class enemyA

"T5"< Comrade nton 4ontso% nows himself better than any cray, unsubstantiated!irls taen into custody for eceedin! the authority entrusted upon themA

( A sli"t pa#se.1

$:'"7T< $omebodyHs comin! o%er there, ntosha, call himA

"T5"< (loo0in" intently ) 7tHs the districtHs old man, the one in char!e of socialistcompetition and the e%aluation of the Iuality of production +eHs on foot, distributin!directi%es on the districtHs most important measures

$:'"7T< (slowly rawin" o#t te wors ) +is face loos so alienA


40/54

"T5"< face is only a mas for ideolo!ical and military preparedness, ready to fi!hton both sides of the front

T+' G7$TR7CT 5G 6"< (a 'oice ) 8uardA isten to me from here 6y le!s are wornout 7Hm sittin! down to catch my breath

"T5"< 7Hm listenin!, comrade from the district $pea

T+' G7$TR7CT 5G 6"< (a 'oice ) isten to meA $et $uenita 7%ano%na free itHs theorder of the district prosecutorA +enceforth, until a special order is issued, neither you noranybody else shall touch her ll her ri!hts and authority must be returned to herA

"T5"< +enceforth until a special order= +ow lon! henceforth are we talin! about=

T+' G7$TR7CT 5G 6"< (a 'oice ) 7f itHs henceforth, that means fore%er :ntil the%ery !ra%e sheHll be free Fou thin the prosecutor doesnHt ha%e other affairs to attend to=$uenita 7%ano%na is a %ery ind woman $he doesnHt ill anybody >ust for the hell of it

"T5"< 8o and tell comrade +oo% et him !i%e his own order in his capacity as actin!Chairman 7 find you somewhat dubious

T+' G7$TR7CT 5G 6"< 7Hll !i%e him a shout in a second 7 !ot tired of walin! 7 hope7 li%e to see the day when we ha%e some ind of transportA

"T5"< Fou capacity wonHt entitle you to any transport

T+' G7$TR7CT 5G 6"< (a 'oice ) Then 7 better mae a career for myself--!etpromoted 7Hm a hard worin! and ealous fellowE 7tHs hi!h time 7 should mo%e on ThatHswhat district ser%ice is lie in this period of time (M#!bles an "roans )

(Pa#se. 1

$:'"7T< %ery old man, but what a bastard he isA

"T5"< 5ld a!e, in the e%ent of it bein! profitable to the $tate, is permissible for an J"Jportion of time

(A e!obili6e Re Ar!y solier, 'i"ilantly e9a!inin" te place, enters wearin" a"reatcoat an carryin" a 0napsac0. &e is 2eor"y &arla!o' S#enita7s #sban.1

$:'"7T< +a%e you come bac to the olho= +a%e you come bac to me= 8eor!yA7Hm sittin! here imprisoned

+R65@< ("ettin" fri"tene ) $unya= &here are you= &hy are you here andimprisoned= &hoHs tormentin! you=

$:'"7T< Come closer here, to the wattle-fence 7Hll iss you

+R65@< &hat about our baby-boy= 7s he ali%e or dead=


41/54

$:'"7T< +eHs ali%e +e resembles us so much ;end down to me, so that 7 can seeyou The barbed-wire is pricin! me in the face ( *lawin" away at te insie ) KuicA 7Hm!ettin! cold here

(&arla!o' is "ropin" for er. 1

"T5"< (risin" to is feet ) 8et away from that secret installation, citien

+R65@< (reco"ni6in" i! ) 7tHs you, ntosha 4ontso%, isnHt it=

"T5"< &hoe%er 7 may be, 7 am a definite manA

+R65@< Comrade 4ontso%, set my wife free

"T5"< 7H%e seen lots of masterpieces lie you eep away from hereA

+R65@< GonHt be afraid of me 7Hm a Red rmy soldier 7 wonHt harm you 7 miss myfamily so much

$:'"7T< '!oraA Fou are a Red rmy $oldier and 7Hm this olho Chairwoman >usttae the rifle away from ntonsha, 7 order youA

+R65@< +ow dare you treat her this wayA (r#ses at Anton) $heHs theChairwoman here the $o%iet bossA

"T5"< (Fires is rifle ) 7 li%e seriously '%eryone is scared of me

$:'"7T< ha, missedA

"T5"< GonHt re>oice 7 wonHt miss net time That was >ust a warnin! shot (stri0in"te pose of a rifle!an ) reser%e platoon commander of the Red rmy ne%er misses

(it a yelp, &arla!o' falls #pon Anton, snatces away is rifle, brea0s it in two,an tosses it asie.1

"T5"< $o, assaultin! a !uard on dutyA 7n peace time youHll !et ten years for that,!uaranteedA ThatHs a hard fact

(&o6 appears.1

+5D< ntosha, !et out of here 7H%e come to replace youA

"T5"< 7tHs about time for you not to be lateA n official from the Gistrict has orderedthat $uenita 7%ano%na E

+5D< 7 now, 7 now that 7H%e nown and understood e%erythin! for a lon! time already

"T5"< nd this fellow (pointin" to &ar!alo' ) should immediately be deposited in a


42/54

prison institution for a term of ten years

+5D< &ho is this= &hose warrior=

"T5"< $uenita 7%ano%naHs husband has dared to attac the !uard, itHs necessary tosub>ect him to the most merciless

+5D< &ill you shut up, you classic of the massesA &eHll re!ister this e%ent at the end ofthe calendar year in the summary of the class stru!!le 8o chec the wei!hin! scales,mae up a weather report, !et busy with pasture-land or!aniation, eamine the sto%e inthe dinin! room, draw your in%ention on a lar!e scaleE

"T5"< &hich in%ention= 7 ha%e a maimal Iuantity of themA

+5D< Four most important one this hut, enclosin! a human bein!

"T5"< 7 ha%e an idea to conduct an electrical current throu!h all the barbed wire

+5D< &ell, !o stic yourself in it, ntosha

"T5"< ntosha nows what and where to stic and unstic

+5D< Then, hurry up and !et or!aniin!A

(Anton eparts.1

+R65@< +ey, old man, release my woman

+5D< 7n a second $a%e up your patience for your passion

$:'"7T< (clawin" away at te insie ) 7 am cold here 7Hm wrappin! my arms aroundmyself to eep warm $omethin! burnin! inside me is !oin! cold

+5D< Fours are warm hands FouHll warm up whate%erHs coolin! down

$:'"7T< 8randpa +o, 7 donHt now 6aybe cold alone will be left in my hands, andthen my hands will !et cold, tooA

+R65@< $unya, breathe on yourself and youHll !et warm

$:'"7T< 7Hm doin! it, and 7Hm !ettin! warmer already ;ut youHd better !o and di! upthe wells and do your best to feed the people They ha%enHt had anythin! to eat for so lon!a time Go you see a sail o%er the horion=

+R65@< (loo0in" intently at te sea ) "o sail, $unya

+5D< (#nloc0s te oor of te 4ail ) Come out, $uenita 7%ano%na, and return to yourformer happiness $o%iet power lo%es you


43/54

$:'"7T< (*o!es o#t, blin0in" an r#bbin" er tinne boy wit er ans. ) ndwhereHs the Red rmy soldier '!or= +e is my husbandA

+R65@< 7 am here, $uenita 7%ano%naA

$:'"7T< +a%e you ser%ed your time already=

+R65@< 7 was released ahead of time because of my !ood ser%ices 7H%e returnedto my place of permanent residence on unlimited lea%e to help build up the olhoA

(S#enita e!braces &arla!o' ti"t, wile &arla!o'7s e!brace is soft an tener. 1

$:'"7T< Fou are not !oin! to become a class enemy, are you=

+R65@< (t#rnin" asie ) 7 am a Red army soldierA Go not dare to insult meA

$:'"7T< (leanin" to i! ) 7 will lo%e you and be your wife a!ain

+R65@< Than you, $uenita 7%ano%na 7Hll be a olhoni a!ain 7 missed the soilso much

$:'"7T< oo to it, and try to do your best &eH%e had lots of trouble and sufferedmuch from hun!er and class enemies "ow we are waitin! for our ship to come with all ourbread and sheepE GonHt you see the sail o%er the horion= ( Stares o#t to sea ) breeehas started blowin!

+R65@< nd where is our son=

$:'"7T< +eHs with 4syusha now 8o and ha%e a loo at him, then start worin! youHllha%e to redo e%erythin! that ntosha did

+5D< ;ut ntosha himself is a model shoc-worerA

$:'"7T< FouHd better eep silent? you ha%e no %i!ilance whatsoe%erA ll that was doneby ntosha lacs stren!th and stability +e du! a well, and it !oes dry? he baed ahundred wei!hts out of clay and all of them broe apart? he built this >ail it terrifiescriminals, and they can escape from it &e need e%erythin! to be done !ood and properand fore%erE This ntosha is a mere unserious trifle

+5D< (!ee0ly ) 7 eep silent

$:'"7T< (to &arla!o' ) etHs iss now

(&arla!o', a'in" wipe is !o#t, tenerly 0isses S#enita, e!bracin" ercaref#lly. 1

$:'"7T< 7 lo%e you? we need !ood husbands and loyal olhonis

+R65@< (Answers clear5c#t li0e a solier ) 7Hll do my best to li%e strictly, both as


44/54

your husband and as a olhoni

+5D< (to#"tf#lly ) 6en disappear in this world, but women remain eternally

+R65@< 8ood-bye, $uenita

$:'"7T< Come and see me in the e%enin! 7Hll note down your actual wor-dayoutput

(&arla!o' eparts.1

+5D< $uenitaA

$:'"7T< &hat is it, !randpa +o=

+5D< etHs iss

$:'"7T< 5nly not on the lips

+5D< s you wish -- as lon! as itHs your body

$:'"7T< ll you care about is my body -- you donHt lo%e my world outloo

+5D< ;ody, >ust your body

(&e 0isses S#enita on te te!ple1

+5D< 7 lo%e this essenceA 8irl, you donHt ha%e anythin! chemical with you, do you=

$:'"7T< "o, !randpa, youH%e already !obbled up our whole pharmacy 8o and taesome bleach from 4senya, 7 told her to buy some lon! a!o

+5D< 7Hll !o eat this bleach (&e e9its )

$:'"T7< (alone ) 7 canHt see any ship on the seaA &hat a bri!ht li!ht is burnin!e%erywhere -- it must be >oyful to li%e in the world these daysA 7 hear a noiseA &hatHs !oin!on there out in the world= (Stares into space in p#66le!ent an listens ) ThereHsimperialism? itHs sad and terrible there 7Hm here, alone on the shore, and behind me is thewhole entire $o%iet :nion of ;olshe%is ;ut 7H%e !rown wea, you can see my ribs, myhusband wonHt lo%e me &eHll ha%e to mae the winter sheep-folds Iuicly? weHll ha%e toloo after the !rain, 7Hll !uard it myself, 7 wonHt sleep (A istant, ar!onio#s r#!blin" isear. S#enita loo0s #p at te s0y ) n airplane is flyin! abo%e the desertA 7tHs also ours --it carries a drop of our olho blood et it fly hi!her, we shall endure

(;sy#sa enters1

4$F:$+< $unya, thereHs nothin! left to eat, the men are all sufferin! ntonHs puin!his !uts out -- he ate some poisonous !rass


45/54

$:'"7T< &e should ha%e !uarded our !rain and sheep from the ulas et themsuffer now -- itHll teach them science and technolo!y

4$F:$+< 6y mil is runnin! out -- thereHs nothin! to feed to our children

$:'"7T< $Iueee out your lymph? thatHs how 7 fed my son yesterday

4$F:$+< $unya, what if the people rise up=

$:'"7T< The sub-ulas arenHt the people theyHll lie down, they wonHt rise up

4$F:$+< $uenita, surely body and soul must depart from such a lifeA

$:'"7T< 4syushaA Fou tae me for a !odA 8o to hellA Gid you !i%e my childsomethin! to suc=

4$F:$+< 7 did Four husband put some chewed up bread into the babyHs mouth +ebrou!ht a few pieces with himself

$:'"7T< et him be isten, tae my husband and !o to the state meat farm 6aybetheyHll !i%e us a sheep for all our hayA

4$F:$+< nd who will feed the child without me=

$:'"7T< 7Hll feed him 8o, Iuic

4$F:$+< Four mil has dried up

$:'"7T< ThatHs not your concern 7Hll let him !naw on my bones

4$F:$+< (affectionately1 $unya, whenHs the last time you ate=

$:'"7T< 7 !obbled down some fish soup in strahan That was twel%e days a!o

4$F:$+< ;ut how can youE=

$:'"7T< 8et out of here, lie 7 told youA GonHt try to fri!hten me or coddle me 5h, sucha ula molly-coddleEstartin! fi!hts, then burstin! into tears

4$F:$+< GonHt be !rumblin! at me Fou dried-up old stic 7 donHt e%en want to loo atyou FouHre dis!ustin! (Se eparts )

$:'"7T< (callin" ) 8randpa +oA

@57C' 5 +5D< 7Hm comin!, !irlA GonHt do anythin! without me

$:'"7T< &ell, hurry

(&o6 enters1


46/54

+5D< Fou miss me when 7Hm !one=

$:'"7T< Fes, 7 miss youA Go you now, !ramps, 7 am slowly learnin! to lo%e you

+5D< 8o on and lo%e me a little ;ut !ramps wonHt lo%e you bac

$:'"7T< nd why did !ramps lo%e me=

+5D< or your ima!inary %alue FouH%e been lie ima!inary seduction for my sadness

$:'"7T< ThatHs true 7 ha%e ne%er put on airs

fourteen little red huts

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