Armenian Literature

Act III

SCENE I

OSSEP'S HOUSE

NATO [stands before the mirror elegantly dressed, and, while she prinks, hums a European melody. Then she draws out of her pocket a little photograph and speaks to herself while looking in the mirror]. O my treasure! my treasure! [Presses the photo to her breast and kisses it.] Mon ch*! Come; we will dance. [Dances around the table.] Tra-la-la, Tra-la-la. [Sits down at the right.] Alexander; my Alexander; dear Alexander! Yes, you are really an angel. Why are you so handsome? You have black eyes and I also have black. Then arched eyebrows just like me. [Touches her eyebrows.] A pretty little mustache, which I lack. Which of us is more beautiful, I or you? You are handsomest; no, I am handsomest [springing up]. We will see at once.

[Looks at herself in the mirror and then at the photograph. Enter Alexander at the middle door.

NATO [without noticing Alexander]. No, you are the more beautiful!

[Kisses the photograph.

[Alexander approaches softly and kisses Nato.

NATO [frightened]. Oh!

ALEXANDER. No, you are the more beautiful, Natalie, dear. Ma ch** Nathalie!

NATO. O mon ch* Alexandre! How you frightened me!

ALEXANDER [putting his arm around her]. Let me kiss you again, and your fright will pass away. [Kisses her.] Give me a kiss just once!

NATO [kissing him]. There, you have one.

ALEXANDER. Well, I ought to allow you to kiss me. Am I not worth more than that piece of paper?

[Takes her by the hand; they sit down on sofa at the right.

NATO. They have come to congratulate us.

ALEXANDER. Yes, your grandmother, your aunts, and your cousins. Nato, shall you give evening parties like this?

NATO [smiling]. Ha! ha! ha! No such soir** as this, my dear Alexander. Two evenings every month we will give little dances, either on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Which is better? Do you not think, Alexander, that Thursday will be best?

ALEXANDER [with a grimace]. As you wish, ch** Nathalie. If you like, you can give a soir* every week.

NATO. No, twice a month is better. Sophie, who is now Madame Jarinskaja, gives only two soir** in a month.

ALEXANDER. Very well, Nato dear.

NATO. That is agreed, then. And every Thursday we will dance at the Casino. [Alexander makes another grimace.] Mind, now! every Thursday.

ALEXANDER. Do you like to visit the Casino?

NATO [laying her hand on his shoulder]. Who doesn't like to visit it? Is there another place where one can amuse one's self better? The beautiful long salon! the boudoir! the beautiful music and the rich costumes! How beautiful they all are! [Embracing Alexander.] We will dance together, and when we are tired, we will go into the mirror-room and rest ourselves and talk and laugh.

ALEXANDER. And then we will dance again and rest ourselves, and talk and laugh again.

NATO. It will be splendid! [Kisses him.] I will dress beautifully la mode, so that everyone will say, "Look! look! what a charming woman Madame Marmarow is!" And then, dear Alexander, we will subscribe for a box at the theatre for Fridays.

ALEXANDER [making another grimace aside]. She's piling it on.

NATO. And do you know where? In the upper tier at the left, near the foyer.

ALEXANDER. Wouldn't it be better to subscribe for two evenings a week?

NATO. Wouldn't it cost too much?

ALEXANDER. What has that to do with it? Do you think I could deny you any pleasure? No! no! you shall have everything.

NATO [embracing him]. Ch* Alexandre! do you really love me so much?

ALEXANDER. I cannot tell you at all how much I love you. Right at our first meeting I fell in love with you!

NATO. I don't believe it! I don't believe it! All young men talk so!

ALEXANDER. Ha! ha! ha! Do you think I am like them? With them the tongues have nothing to do with the heart; but my tongue speaks what is here!

[Strikes himself on the breast.

NATO [ironically]. I know! I know! If I had no dowry you would not marry me.

ALEXANDER. Nato dear, you wrong me! ma ch**! As if the dowry made any difference! Fi donc!

NATO. Then you really love me so much?

ALEXANDER. Very, very much, Nato dear. You can put me to the test if you will.

NATO. Do you know, my piano is not fit to use!

ALEXANDER [smoothing his hair--aside]. Something new again.

NATO. Buy me a new piano. To-day I saw one at a*****e; it cost 500 rubles.

ALEXANDER. Five hundred rubles! You cannot buy a decent piano for that!

NATO. Dear Alexander!

ALEXANDER. Be patient awhile, Nato dear. One of my friends brought a piano from abroad that cost 1,000; yes, even 1,500 rubles.

NATO. My sweetheart; my dear sweetheart! [Kissing him.] I will come right back. [Rises.] I must go and prepare for our reception or mamma will be angry. Tra-la-la.

[Exit at left.

ALEXANDER [alone, springing up]. Ha! ha! ha! soir**, balls at the club, box at the theatre, dresses and ornaments after the latest fashion! Am I a millionaire? I would have nothing against it if I had the money to do it. She acts as though she was going to bring 50,000 rubles dowry into the house. No, Natalie, that will all come later. In ten or twenty years, perhaps, I will set up a carriage; but it is not even to be thought of now. Indeed, I don't know, where it will lead to if she makes such demands on me every day. It will lead to quarrels and unpleasantness, and it will be all up with my economizing. No, indeed, Natalie, it will be no easy thing to satisfy you. Why did I not think of this sooner? Let her talk, and demand what she will. I will do what pleases me.

NATO [enter right; speaks to someone behind the scenes]. I will come at once. I am coming. Come, Alexander, let us go into the garden. Mamma must go upstairs, and the guests will be all alone in the garden.

ALEXANDER. I am waiting for your father, Nato dear, I have something important to discuss with him.

NATO. Why, we will soon return, and by that time father will be home. Do you want to sit here alone?

ALEXANDER. Well, we will go.

NATO. Come! come! I want to introduce you to my coquettish aunt.

[Mimics her while making a courtesy, and makes faces. Alexander, shaking his head, goes out with Nato noisily through middle door.

SCENE II

Salome. Chacho.

CHACHO. No, indeed, Salome. She behaves too boldly. You must give her a warning. Such self-confidence I have I never before seen in a girl.

SALOME. That is all a matter of fashion! What is to be done?

[Shuffling the cards.

CHACHO [seating herself]. When one thinks how the times have changed, one grows dizzy! When I was engaged, my love, I dared not open my mouth; it was as if they had put a lock on it. Indeed, I dared not look anyone in the face, even, and kept my eyes always cast down, as if glued fast to the floor.

SALOME. How could anyone endure all that? The eyes are made to look with, I hope, and the tongue to speak! I wouldn't have borne it. It is well that those times are past. I should die of such a life.

CHACHO. Oh, your present times are the true ones! Isn't this shameful, now, what goes on here? All the money that the husband can make in a week, the wife loses at play in a single evening. Is that widow, the stout one, going to play with you? She is surely more than fifty years old.

SALOME. Of course! we wouldn't play at all without her.

CHACHO. That is the best of all. Why, she has a married daughter as old as you are!

SALOME. What of that? Whoever has money can always play. But what do you say to the wife of blind Gigoli? She hasn't enough to eat, but gives herself airs before us just the same.

CHACHO. Don't talk to me about her! A few weeks ago she pawned a silver pitcher to one of our neighbors for five rubles without her husband's knowledge. God punished her for it, for that same evening she lost it all at cards. I should like to know how she is going to redeem the pitcher.

SALOME [arranging her dress before the mirror]. Yes, yes; no one can take her measure better than I.

[Enter Ossep.

OSSEP [angrily]. And what have you gotten ready for again?

SALOME. What was to be done? Look and see how many guests there are in the garden!

OSSEP. It was very wrong of them to come here. Has no one invited them, then? They should have asked me first.

SALOME. You are a singular being! We have betrothed our daughter and they were obliged to come and congratulate us.

OSSEP. Congratulate! As though my joy went to their hearts! On the contrary, they would enjoy it if I had a misfortune; they could put their heads together and criticise and laugh at me.

CHACHO. What are you so ill-humored about? For the last two days you have been intolerable.

OSSEP. If I could unbosom myself to you and show you my heart, you would comprehend what the cause of it is.

CHACHO. God protect you from all evil!

OSSEP. Am I not right? Tell me yourself! This is not the time for card-playing. Why have they come, then? If they wished to congratulate us, they could come separately. How does it happen that they all thought of us at once? Perhaps each has sent word to the other that Salome has betrothed her daughter and they have all taken advantage of the opportunity to come. Of course only for the sake of those damned cards! This one or that one has probably been invited by her [pointing to Salome]. She sent word to them, "Come to us, I pray! X and Z are already here." [To Salome:] Say, isn't that so?

SALOME. What nonsense he talks! Ought they not to know at your uncle's house that we have betrothed our daughter? I was obliged to give them some information about it, was I not?

OSSEP. And to whom beside?

SALOME. Whom else? Your cousins. And I have just sent for your sister-in-law.

OSSEP [anxiously]. For what purpose? She could have come another time just as well.

SALOME. How useless it is to talk so! You understand nothing at all about the matter. Your relatives would take offence in every possible way if I did not invite them. They would not speak to me for a year!

OSSEP. Great heaven! I wish they were struck blind! [Sits down and pulls at the end of the table-cloth.] I would take pleasure in throwing them all out!

SALOME. I have no time to dispute with you.

[Exit at left, angry.

OSSEP. Great heaven! have women been created only to bleed the men?

CHACHO. Don't excite yourself so, dear Ossep. What you say is in every way pure facts. But you must overlook something now and then. It can't be helped now; they are all here; you cannot chase them out of the house. The whole city would be stirred up about it.

OSSEP. And what will people say when to-morrow or the day after my creditors come and chase me out of my house?

CHACHO. Oh, don't talk about such things!

OSSEP [sitting down at the card-table]. That's easily said. But let me tell you, I feel as though the house was going to fall down on top of me.

CHACHO. What has happened, Ossep?

OSSEP. They say Barssegh Leproink has brought action against me.

CHACHO. What? Brought action against you?

OSSEP. I owe him money, and on that account he holds the knife at my throat.

CHACHO. God bless me!

OSSEP. The wicked fellow has my note, and another security beside, and yet he will not wait.

CHACHO. His match for wickedness cannot be found in the whole world.

OSSEP. No, not another such miserable scoundrel! I expect every moment to be notified, and have no idea where I can get the money. Everyone I have asked to help me has refused me. I can borrow no more on my note, and I cannot sell my goods at half price. That everyone must understand. They all show their claws as soon as they find out the position I am in. Salome is to blame for all this; the 7,000 rubles she promised is the cause of it all. I would like to know who will pay them to him now.

CHACHO. You talk nonsense! You will make your daughter unhappy forever, Ossep.

OSSEP. I am still more unhappy myself. But let us see what the coming day brings forth. I still have hope of one. Perhaps he will supply me with money.

CHACHO. How could you trust the scamp so blindly? Is such want of thought consistent with reason?

OSSEP. What is the use of reason in this? I have always said I could not stand the expense that now everybody assumes. If a man conducts his business honestly, he makes little profit; and as for a dishonest business, I am not fit for that! So I have suffered one reverse after another; and where I was most vulnerable I have been hit at last.

CHACHO. Heavens! what do I hear? Why don't I sink into the earth?

OSSEP. In our line of trade only a few persons carry on their business with their own money. Most of us have to borrow. When I sell goods to one, I pay my debt to the other. I sell goods to the third and pay to the fourth; and so it goes in a circle, like a wheel drawing water, until one falls in the hands of a man who draws the needle out of the knitting and everything falls in pieces. Who is in a position to fight against such conditions? One must pay the store rent and the clerk's salary, and beside that the interest on the working capital. Then there are the goods that are spoiled or stolen--and here at home! [Striking the cards.] All this rubbish and more beside! [Striking the table again.] And the women are to blame for all this; if my wife had not promised 7,000 rubles, without my knowledge, the betrothal would not have taken place, and this bad luck would not have come to me. But where does one find among our women insight and forethought? For model women give me some foreign countries. There the women stand by the men in everything: the wife of a cook is a cook; the wife of a writer, a writer; the wife of a merchant is in every case a merchant. They earn jointly and spend jointly. With us the man is here only to make money for them, so that they [striking the table] may kill time with foolish things like this.

CHACHO. Say, rather, that times are changed; for the men also sit at the club all day and play cards.

OSSEP. Ho! ho! As though women did not play cards also! Formerly the cards were solely our diversion; but they have taken them away from us. Don't worry yourself; with God's help they will be learning to play billiards. Why do you dwell upon the fact that the men play cards? One in a thousand plays; while of a thousand women, nine hundred play. Men are always more moderate. They see that the times are hard, and have given up most of their earlier pleasures. Where are the banquets that used to be given, one after another? Where are the drinking-places where the music played? They have given them up; and the women are just like they were, only worse. To-day they arrange a picnic, to-morrow a little party, and so on. The men stand gaping at them, and the children are left to the servants. If I could take the law into my own hands, I'd soon set them right.

[Paces to and fro in anger.

CHACHO [rising, aside]. He is right. All that he says is pure truth.

[Exit left

SCENE III

Ossep. Then Alexander.

OSSEP. O dear! O dear! [Stands near fireplace; rests head on hand and remains motionless.

ALEXANDER [enter right]. You have come, father? [Silence--comes near Ossep.] Father.

OSSEP. Ah! Alexander [offering his hand]. Please sit down. Have you just come?

ALEXANDER. No; I have been here a long time. I was in the garden.

OSSEP. What is the news? [Both sit down.

ALEXANDER. Nothing, except that I wish to have a wedding next week.

OSSEP. So soon?

ALEXANDER. Yes; my chief goes soon to Petersburg, and I want him to be at the wedding.

OSSEP. And can't we wait till he comes back?

ALEXANDER. That would be too long.

OSSEP. Very well. As you wish.

ALEXANDER [stammering]. But--my dear father--

OSSEP. I understand; I understand. You want me to pay over the money at once?

ALEXANDER. Yes, my dear father, if it is possible.

OSSEP. I am sorry to confess that at the present moment I have no money at hand. You must wait a little. If you wish to marry without money, that is your affair.

ALEXANDER. You amaze me!

OSSEP. It is better for me to tell you this than to deceive you. You know the law to some extent. Tell me, if I owe someone money on a note, can my creditor bring action against me and put an execution on me without having me called before the court?

ALEXANDER. Is the note attested by a notary?

OSSEP. Yes.

ALEXANDER. He has the right to come to your house and have everything put under seal.

OSSEP. Without first bringing me into court?

ALEXANDER. Yes, without court proceedings.

OSSEP. But if he has received on account of this debt the note of a third person?

ALEXANDER. That is another thing. Have you a receipt for it?

OSSEP. No; but I can take my oath on it.

ALEXANDER. According to law you must first pay the money and then produce proofs that you gave him the other document.

OSSEP [excited]. Is that true?

ALEXANDER. Yes, it is so.

OSSEP [wringing his hands and springing up]. Then I am ruined. [A silence. Nato's voice is heard outside.] Alexander, they are calling you.

ALEXANDER [approaching Ossep]. What is it? For God's sake tell me the truth.

OSSEP. There, there. Go out first. They are calling you.

ALEXANDER [aside, taking his hat]. So far as I see, I am ruined also.

[Exit.

OSSEP [alone]. What do I not suffer! If they really come here I shall perish through shame. Where can I find so much money in such a hurry? One must have time for it, and that fellow may come to-day even--perhaps this minute. Then I am lost--who will trust me then? My creditors will tie a rope around my neck and prevent me from saying a word in my own behalf. "Pay us," they will cry; "pay us!" O Salome, Salome!

Enter Gewo.

OSSEP. There he is.

GEWO. Good-evening, Ossep.

OSSEP. You have come, too. You want your money, too? Yes, choke me; double my debt; say that I owe you, not 2,000 rubles, but 4,000. Speak! You are my creditor; speak! Have no pity on me. You want your money--why do you wait, then? Slay me; tear my heart out of my body; hack me in pieces and sell it piece by piece, so that your money shall not be lost. [Gewo wipes his eyes.] Weep, weep, for your money is lost. I am bankrupt--bankrupt!

GEWO [embracing Ossep]. Dear Ossep, dear Ossep!

OSSEP. You say "dear" to me? Yet you are my creditor.

GEWO. Take courage; be a man!

OSSEP. What kind of a man? I am a good-for-nothing; I have lost my good name [weeping]. My good name is gone. [Wipes his eyes.]

GEWO. God is merciful, dear Ossep.

OSSEP. God and heaven have taken their mercy from me. You see now where the marriage of my daughter has led me? If I could at least pay you everything I owe you--that I must do at any price.

GEWO. What are you saying, Ossep? If I had the means I would go on your bond. Why should I be your friend otherwise?

OSSEP. If you had money, dear Gewo, you would not be my friend, nor have such a good heart. Stay poor as you are, so that I shall not lose your friendship. Only your sympathy is left me in this world. I would not like to lose your friendship. In this one day I have suffered everything. No one has shown interest in me; no one has given proof of his sympathy--neither my uncle, nor my brother, nor my nephew. When they saw I was near my last breath, they all forsook me and shut the door in my face.

GEWO. Come with me; perhaps we will find help somewhere.

OSSEP. There can be no more talk of help.

GEWO. Come, come; there is still a way out.

OSSEP. What way out can there be?

GEWO. Come, come; let us not delay.

OSSEP. But tell me how is it to be managed?

GEWO. Come, come! I will tell you on the way.

OSSEP. What you say sounds very strange; tell me what it is. Speak, what has occurred? Don't fear! Don't spare me! Whatever happens cannot be worse than what has happened; they have already sent a bullet into my heart, and what worse can they do to me, except tear open my breast and take my heart out? Speak; what is it? Have they put seals on my store?

GEWO. Come and you will see.

OSSEP. They have put seals on it, then?

GEWO. I tell--

OSSEP. You are ruined, Ossep. [Rushes to the table, seizes the box and scatters the cards; some fall on the floor.] Now you may play; now you may play. [Exit.

GEWO. Too bad; too bad about him! [Follows him.

SCENE IV

Enter Salome, Martha, Nino, Pepel, and many well-dressed ladies, followed by two footmen carrying candelabra and lamps, which they put on the table.

SALOME. Take seats, please. The cards are already here.

MARTHA. How pretty it is, isn't it? The cards are already dealt.

[The ladies converse smilingly with one another.

SALOME [stepping forward and noticing the cards on the floor]. What is this? Who can have done it?

MARTHA. Probably the cats ran over the table.

SALOME. I cannot think how it could have happened! Please sit down.

Enter Nato and her friends.

SALOME [collecting the cards]. Who can have done it? Nato, did you do it?

NATO. No, mamma, I did not touch them.

SALOME [to the guests]. Sit down, I beg.

[All the guests sit down at the table, Nato and her friends sit on the other side of the stage. Salome, standing, deals the cards which the guests hand one to the other. Then they pay in the stakes to Salome, which she lays on the table in front of her.

Enter Alexander.

NATO [going to meet Alexander]. Alexander, why were you so long?

ALEXANDER. I was obliged to be [leading Nato aside excitedly, and in a whisper:] I have something to say to you.

NATO [in a whisper]. What makes your hand tremble?

ALEXANDER. They have brought action against your father in the courts.

NATO. What! For what reason?

ALEXANDER. Because of debts.

NATO. Who told you so?

ALEXANDER. Your father himself.

NATO [laughing aloud]. Ha! ha! ha! [Whispering:] My father has no debts.

ALEXANDER. Well, he told me so himself.

NATO. He was joking. Don't believe him.

[Goes over to her friends, laughing.

ALEXANDER. Well, I can't make it out. I am not so stupid, however. Until I have the money in my hands I will not cross this threshold again.

SALOME. Let us begin. [Guests begin to play.

SCENE V

Enter Chacho.

CHACHO [coming from left]. Get this stuff out of the way.

SALOME. What is the matter? What has happened?

CHACHO. What was to happen? We are ruined. [Behind the scenes are heard threatening voices:] "Here! Yes! No." [Then Ossep's voice:] "Come in, come in."

CHACHO [to Salome]. Do you not hear them?

Enter Barssegh through middle door.

BARSSEGH. This is really splendid! I work for my daily bread, and you illuminate your house on my money.

CHACHO [to Salome]. Now you have it.

SALOME [rising]. Are you mad? Show him out.

BARSSEGH. I will show you pretty soon who is to be shown out.

SALOME. Alexander, show this man out.

ALEXANDER [to Barssegh]. What do you want, sir? How can you indulge in such insolence?

BARSSEGH. That is not your affair, sir! I demand my money. Demand yours also if you can. You will be obliged to wait a long while for it.

CHACHO [to Barssegh]. Have you no conscience?

BARSSEGH. I want my money, and nothing more.

Enter Ossep, Gewo, a sheriff and his secretary, Dartscho, and several others.

OSSEP [opening the door with both hands as he enters]. Come in! come in! [The others follow him.] Play, play and laugh as much as you will over my misfortunes!

CHACHO [aside]. Now it is all over with us!

SALOME. Tell me, for God's sake, the meaning of this.

OSSEP. God will judge you and me also. [To sheriff and others:] Come, make your inventory, put your seals on everything--the house, the furniture, and on the cards, too.

BARSSEGH. Make an inventory of everything.

[The sheriff lists furniture in the background and puts a ticket on each piece. The guests assemble, frightened, on the left side of the table.

SALOME [beating her head]. Good heavens!

MARTHA. This is a disgrace for us as well.

CHACHO [in a low voice to Martha]. You at least should be silent.

OSSEP [pointing to Barssegh]. He has stripped me of my honor. Now you will honor and esteem him. He will arrange for your parties. Yes, he, the man who takes the shirt from my back and possesses himself of all my property.

ALEXANDER [aside]. I have my sister to thank for all this, who dragged me into this house.

OSSEP [ironically]. Alexander, look for a dowry elsewhere, for I can no longer give my daughter one.

ALEXANDER [angry]. What, you deride me as well! I don't belong to your class, sir!

OSSEP. And has it come to this!

ALEXANDER [taking his hat]. I have not acquired my present dignity to lose it through you.

OSSEP. Ha! ha! ha! His dignity!

ALEXANDER [coming near Nato]. I have loved you truly, Miss Nato, but I must give you up. I am not to blame for it. Farewell.

[Goes to the door.

[Barssegh laughs for joy.

OSSEP [approaching Salome, who stands dismayed, takes her by the arm and points to the departing Alexander]. There goes your official!

NATO [standing at the left near the sofa]. Alexander! Alexander! [Exit Alexander.] Dear Alexander.

[Sitting down on the sofa, begins to cry.

SALOME [in a low tone, striking her brow with both hands]. Why doesn't the earth open and swallow me?

OSSEP [to Salome]. Now you are punished, are you not? [Turning to Barssegh:] Take it all, now! Satisfy yourself! [Takes off his coat.] Take this also! [Throws it to Barssegh.] Yes, take it! [Takes his cap from the table and throws it to Barssegh.] Make off with this also; I need it no longer.

[Runs to and fro as if distracted.

BARSSEGH [in a low voice]. Keep on giving!

[Turns to sheriff and speaks softly to him.

OSSEP [taking up different articles from card table and throwing them on the floor]. Take these also! Take these also! [Taking a lighted candelabra and smashing it on the floor] Stick that also down your throat!

SEVERAL OF THE GUESTS. The poor fellow is losing his wits.

[Nato crying; her friends comfort her. Salome faints.

CHACHO. Ossep! My dear Ossep!

GEWO [embracing Ossep]. Be calm, dear Ossep. You behave like a madman.

OSSEP [after a pause]. Gewo, I was mad when I settled in this city. This life is too much for me; it was not for me. I am ruined. I am a beggar. He is to be praised who comes off better than I.

[Exit.

SALOME [with her hand on her brow sinks down on the sofa, groaning loudly]. Ah!

GEWO. Poor Ossep!

BARSSEGH [turns from Dartscho, to whom he has been speaking, to the sheriff]. What are you gazing around for, sir? Keep on with your writing.

[Sheriff looks at Barssegh in disgust, sits down by card table and writes.

MARTHA [to the guests]. We have nothing more to look for here. [Aside:] A charming set!

[Goes toward middle door; some ladies follow; others stand offended.

CHACHO [raising her eyes]. Would that I had died long ago, so that I had not lived to see this unfortunate day!

CURTAIN.

THE END.