The Complete Plays

TATYANA REPINA

Tatyana Repina is an anomaly among Chekhov’s one-acts. It can be understood only in relationship to another play by someone else. In 1889, Aleksey Suvorin wrote a “comedy,” founded on an actual occurrence: the suicide, eight years earlier, of the young actress and operetta singer Yevlaliya Kadmina. Jilted by her lover, she poisoned herself and came on stage to die in the last act of Ostrovsky’s Vasilisa Melentyeva, whose heroine also succumbs to poisoning. Kadmina perished in gruesome torments before the eyes of a Kharkov audience, and so won posthumous notoriety. Chekhov considered her an “extraordinary celebrity” and even collected her photograph.

Suvorin’s Tatyana Repina follows the facts fairly closely. Repina, a high-spirited and talented provincial actress, is thrown over by her lover, who hopes to repair his ruined fortunes by marrying an heiress. Deeply hurt, publicly insulted by a gross Jewish banker, seeing nothing to live for, Tatyana takes poison before going on stage and dies performing the last act of Ostrovsky’s play as her friends look on aghast. From a modern standpoint, Chekhov’s enthusiasm for Suvorin’s sensation drama is hard to comprehend; yet he was lavish in his praise and offered copious advice in his letters. He predicted a success that came to pass in both capitals, and got embroiled in the Moscow rehearsals as an intercessor between actors and author, while Suvorin was busy helping to stage Chekhov’s Ivanov in Petersburg.

Chekhov’s one-act is therefore a kind of private joke, the “what happens after the curtain goes down” that St. John Hankin perfected in his Dramatic Sequels. Chekhov hypothesizes an epidemic of suicides following in the wake of Repina’s desperate act, and depicts the marriage taking place between the dead actress’s lover and his rich fiancée. The hieratic formality of the Orthodox wedding ceremony authentically reproduced, with interpolations of trivial remarks by the bystanders, provides the structure. The counterpoint between the sonorous Church Slavonic with its portentous vows and the mundane chitchat of the wedding party produces a sour and sardonic effect. Eventually, the church choirs have to compete with a worldly chorus of “Voices,” which begins to spread the news of the suicide epidemic, passing along fragments of gossip. In this antiphony, female neurotics are reproved for being copycats while the choristers intone “Lord, have mercy” and “Amen.”

Suvorin’s Tatyana Repina is interesting in foreshadowing The Seagull. Chekhov’s favorite character in Suvorin’s play was the journalist Adashev, who denigrates his profession as a man of letters in a manner that Chekhov replicated in the Trigorin-Nina interview in Seagull.¹ It is Adashev, a raisonneur, who tells Tatyana, after she has, unbeknownst to him, taken the poison, his opinion that suicide is cowardice.

Here in Russia suicide has really become something contagious. There’s no shortage of gunpowder for good people. Children run for the revolver when they get low grades, grown-ups on account of trifles . . . They fall out of love — a bullet to the brain. Their vanity’s been wounded, they aren’t appreciated — they shoot themselves. What’s become of strength of character?²

Chekhov picks up this notion and carries it to its logical conclusion in his afterpiece, but he also deals with it in his later works. Treplyov’s two suicide attempts in Seagull and Uncle Vanya’s pilfering morphine must be viewed in this light. After Ivanov, Chekhov treated suicide as an act of weakness in its refusal to cope with life’s demands.

Chekhov’s Tatyana Repina, a pastiche rather than a parody, is most intriguing as an experiment in polyphonic structure; in miniature, it practices the intricate interweaving of melodramatic pathos and diurnal crassness that was to become the trademark of Chekhov’s major plays. Not just the suicides, but the mismatched marriages, failed careers, and dashed hopes that will, in the last plays, be jumbled amid meals, card games, and dirty galoshes are foreshadowed here.

NOTES

1 Nina overhearing Trigorin in the dining room in the last act (“He’s here too . . . Why, yes . . . Never mind . . . Yes”) may be an echo of Tatyana’s overhearing her lover singing at his bachelor supper (“Is he there? Wait . . . Yes, yes, that’s his voice . . . l’amour qui nous . . . He is there, he is . . . [Listens intently.]).

2 A. S. Suvorin, Tatyana Repina, komediya v chetyrakh deistvyakh (St. Petersburg: A. Suvorin, 1889), Act IV, scene 3.

TATYANA REPINA

Taтьянa Peпинa

A Drama in One Act

(Dedicated to A. S. Suvorin)

Translator’s note: Except for the clergy, the main characters derive from Suvorin’s Tatyana Repina. Sabinin, an impecunious landowner, had been Tatyana’s lover, but jilted her for a rich woman, Vera Olenina. The Jewish banker David Sonnenstein had made the match in order to profit from the sale of Sabinin’s estate. The journalist Adashev was a close friend of Tatyana’s, Matveev the manager of the theatrical troupe she starred in, and Kokoshkina a comic chatterbox. Kotelnikov was a skirt-chasing landowner, and Patron-nikov a lawyer.

CHARACTERS

OLENINA

KOKOSHKINA

MATVEEV

SONNENSTEIN

SABININ

KOTELNIKOV

KOKOSHKIN

PATRONNIKOV

VOLGIN, a young officer

A UNIVERSITY STUDENT

A YOUNG LADY

FR. IVAN, the archpriest of the cathedral, an old man of 70

FR. NIKOLAY

young priests FR.

ALEKSEY

DEACON

SACRISTAN

KUZMA, the church caretaker

LADY IN BLACK

THE DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY

ACTORS AND ACTRESSES

Between six and seven o’clock in the evening. A cathedral church. All the hanging lamps and candle stands are lit. The royal gates¹ of the altar screen are open. Two choirs, the diocesan and the cathedral, are singing. The church is packed with people. It is dark and stuffy. A marriage ceremony is being solemnized. SABININ and OLENINA are getting married. Among the first group of groom’s men are KOTELNIKOV and Officer VOLGIN, among the second his brother, a UNIVERSITY STUDENT, and the DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. All the local intelligentsia. Elegant attire. The ceremony is being performed by FR. IVAN in a discolored kamelaukion,² shaggy FR. NIKOLAY in a skullcap, and a very young FR. ALEKSEY in dark glasses; behind and somewhat to the left of FR. Ivan is a tall, thin DEACON with a book. In the crowd the local theatrical troupe with MATVEEV at their head.

FR. IVAN (reads). Remember too, O Lord, the parents who reared them: for the prayers of the parents secure the foundations of the house. Remember, O Lord our God, Thy servants who are in attendance and are gathered here to rejoice. Remember, O Lord our God, Thy servant Pyotr and Thy handmaid Vera and bless them. Bestow upon them fruit of the womb, children and children’s children, bonds of harmony in body and soul; raise them up, like unto the cedars of Lebanon, like unto the well-tended vine. Bestow upon them corn from the sheaves, that having all things in sufficiency, they may thrive in all works that are good and pleasing unto Thee; and may they behold the sons of their sons, like unto a newly planted olive grove, around their table; and may they shine before Thee, like unto the heavenly bodies, that they be good and pleasing unto Thee, our Lord. And with Thee be the power and the glory, the honor and the devotion to Thine eternal father and Thy life-endowing spirit, now and forever, world without end.

DIOCESAN CHOIR (sings). Amen.

PATRONNIKOV. It’s stuffy! What’s that medal ‘round your neck, David Solomonovich?

SONNENSTEIN. It’s Belgian. And why are there so many people here? Who let ‘em in? Oof! It’s like a steam bath!

PATRONNIKOV. The police are worth crap.

DEACON. Let us pray to the Lord!

CATHEDRAL CHOIR (sings). O Lord, be merciful.

FR. NIKOLAY (reads). O Holy God, Who didst create man out of dust and mould his wife from his rib and yoked her to him to be his helpmeet, for it was pleasing to Thy majesty that man be not alone on earth; and even now, O Lord, do Thou stretch forth Thine own hand from Thy holy dwelling place and conjoin this Thy servant Pyotr and this Thy handmaid Vera, for by Thee is wife bestowed on husband. Yoke them together in bonds of harmony, crown them in one flesh, bestow on them fruit of the womb, the boon of children and children’s children. For Thine is the might, and Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and forever, world without end.

CATHEDRAL CHOIR (sings). Amen.

YOUNG LADY (to Sonnenstein). Now they’re going to put the crowns on them. Look, look!

FR. IVAN (takes a crown from the analogion³ and turning his face to Sabinin). The servant of God Pyotr is crowned for the handmaid of God Vera in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen. (Hands the crown to Kotelnikov.)

IN THE CROWD. The best man’s the exact same height as the groom. Not very attractive. Who is he?

—That’s Kotelnikov. The officer’s not very attractive either. Lord, let the lady through! You can’t get through here, madame.

FR. IVAN (turning to Olenina). The handmaid of God Vera is crowned for the servant of God Pyotr in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Hands the crown to the student.)

KOTELNIKOV. The crowns are heavy. My arm’s already fallen asleep.

VOLGIN. Never mind, I’ll be taking over for you soon. Who’s that stinking of cheap perfume, I’d like to know?

DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. It’s coming from Kotelnikov.

KOTELNIKOV. That’s a lie.

VOLGIN. Ssh!

FR. IVAN. O Lord our God, may they be crowned with honor and glory! O Lord our God, may they be crowned with honor and glory! O Lord our God, may they be crowned with honor and glory!

KOKOSHKINA (to her husband). Doesn’t Vera look pretty today? I can’t take my eyes off her. And she isn’t nervous at all.

KOKOSHKIN. She’s an old hand at this. After all, she’s getting married for the second time.

KOKOSHKINA. Yes, that’s true. (Sighs.) I wish her joy with all my soul! She has such a kind heart!

SACRISTAN (walking out into the middle of the church). The Prokimenon⁴ chapter eight. Thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head; He asked life of Thee, and Thou gavest it him.

DIOCESAN CHOIR (sings). Thou settest on his head . . .

PATRONNIKOV. I’d like a smoke.

SACRISTAN. A reading from the Apostle Paul.⁵

DEACON. Let us hearken!

SACRISTAN (intoning in a low bass). Brethren, give thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church; and he is the savior of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let wives be to their husbands in everything . . .

SABININ (to Kotelnikov). You’re crushing my head with the crown.

KOTELNIKOV. You’re imagining it. I’m holding the crown a good six inches away from your head.

SABININ. I’m telling you, you’re crushing me!

SACRISTAN. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious church, having neither spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

VOLGIN. That’s a good bass voice . . . (To Kotelnikov.) You want me to take over for you?

KOTELNIKOV. I’m not tired yet.

SACRISTAN. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church, for we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. For this reason shall a man leave his father and mother . . .

SABININ. Hold the crown higher. You’re crushing me.

KOTELNIKOV. Don’t be silly!

SACRISTAN. . . . and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh . . .

KOKOSHKIN. The Governor’s here.

KOKOSHKINA. Where do you see him?

KOKOSHKIN. He’s standing over near the choir on the right, next to Altukhov. He’s incognito.

KOKOSHKINA. I see ‘im, I see ‘im. He’s talking to Mashenka Hansen. He’s got a crush on her.

SACRISTAN. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless, let every one of you in particular love his wife even as himself, and the wife see that she reverence her husband!

CATHEDRAL CHOIR (sings). Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah . . .

IN THE CROWD. You hear that, Nataliya Sergeevna? The wife should reverence her husband.

— Leave me out of it!

Laughter.

— Ssh! People, it’s impolite!

SACRISTAN. Ask for wisdom, let us hear the Holy Gospel!

FR. IVAN. Peace be with you!

DIOCESAN CHOIR (sings). And with Thy Spirit!

IN THE CROWD. The Acts of the Apostles, the Gospels . . . how long this all takes! It’s high time they left our soul in peace.

—It’s impossible to breathe. I’m leaving.

— Don’t go. Wait, it’ll be over soon.

FR. IVAN. A reading from the Holy Gospel of St. John!⁶

DEACON. Let us hearken.

FR. IVAN (removes his kamelaukion). And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come . . .

SABININ (to Kotelnikov). Will it be over soon?

KOTELNIKOV. I don’t know, I’m an ignoramus about this stuff. I suppose it’ll be soon.

VOLGIN. The procession is still to come.

FR. IVAN. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast . . .

A groan is heard.

VOLGIN. Kes keh say?⁷ Did somebody get trampled or what?

IN THE CROWD. Sssh! Quiet!

Groan.

FR. IVAN. . . . and they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made into wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called for the bridegroom, and saith unto him . . .

SABININ (to Kotelnikov). Who’s groaning now?

KOTELNIKOV (staring into the crowd). Something’s moving . . . Some lady in black . . . I suppose she fainted . . . They’re taking her away . . .

SABININ (staring). Hold it higher, the crown . . .

FR. IVAN. . . . every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse; but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth His glory; and His disciples believed on Him —

IN THE CROWD. I can’t understand why they let hysterics in here!

DIOCESAN CHOIR. Glory unto Thee, O Lord, glory unto Thee!

PATRONNIKOV. Stop humming like a bee, David Solomonovich. And don’t turn your back on the altar. It’s not right.

SONNENSTEIN. It’s that young lady who’s humming like a bee, not me . . . heh, heh, heh.

SACRISTAN. Let all of us say with all our soul and with all our mind . . .

CATHEDRAL CHOIR (sings). Lord, have mercy . . .

DEACON. Lord Almighty, God our Father, we pray, hear us and be merciful.

IN THE CROWD. Ssh! Quiet!

— But I’m the one being pushed!

CHOIR (sings). O Lord, have mercy!

IN THE CROWD. Ssh! Quiet!

—Who fainted?

DEACON. Have mercy on us, God, in Thy great loving kindness, we pray Thee, hear us and be merciful.

CHOIR (sings). O Lord, have mercy. (Three times.)

DEACON. Let us also pray for our most devout, most autocratic Great Sovereign our Emperor Aleksandr Aleksandrovich of all the Russias, for his power, victory, well-being, peace, health, his salvation, and may our Lord God help and succor him in all things and humble beneath his feet all his foes and adversaries.

CHOIR (sings three times). O Lord, have mercy.

A groan. Movement in the crowd.

KOKOSHKINA. What’s going on? (To the lady beside her.) This is impossible, darling. They might at least open the doors . . . You could die from the heat.

IN THE CROWD. They’re taking her out, but she won’t let them . . . Who is she? Ssh!

DEACON. Let us also pray for his consort, the most devout sovereign lady, the Empress Mariya Fyodorovna . . .

CHOIR (sings). Lord, have mercy.

DEACON. Let us also pray for his heir, the true believer lord, tsarevich and Grand Duke Nikolay Aleksandrovich and all the imperial household.

CHOIR (sings). Lord, have mercy!

SABININ. Oh, my God . . .

OLENINA. What?

DEACON. Let us also pray for the most holy official Synod and our most reverend lord Theophilus, Bishop of Hither and Yon, and all our brothers in Christ.

CHOIR (sings). Lord, have mercy.

IN THE CROWD. Yesterday at the Hotel Europa some other woman poisoned herself.

—Yes. They say, some doctor’s wife.

— How come, do you know?

DEACON. Let us also pray for all their Christ-loving host . . .

CHOIR (sings). Lord, have mercy.

VOLGIN. It sounds like somebody’s crying . . . The public is really behaving indecently here.

DEACON. Let us also pray for our brethren, priests, and holy monks, and all our brothers in Christ.

CHOIR (sings). Lord, have mercy.

MATVEEV. The choirs are in splendid voice today.

COMIC ACTOR. Wish we had a few of those, Zakhar Ilyich!

MATVEEV. Is that all you want, jerkface!

Laughter.

Ssh!

DEACON. Let us also pray for the grace, life, peace, health, salvation to the devoted servants of God Pyotr and Vera.

CHOIR (sings). O Lord, have mercy!

DEACON. Let us also pray for the blessed . . .

IN THE CROWD. Yes, some doctor’s wife . . . at the hotel . . .

DEACON. . . . and never to be forgotten, most holy orthodox patriarchs . . .

IN THE CROWD. That’s the fourth one to pull a Tatyana Repina and poison herself. Try and explain these poisonings to me, my good man!

—A psychosis. Nothing else.

—Are they copycats, do you think?

DEACON. . . . and the devout tsars and true believing tsarinas, and the founders of this holy temple, and all the fathers and brothers who have gone before us . . .

IN THE CROWD. Suicide is contagious . . .

—The number of these female psychopaths that are turning up, it’s horrible!

— Ssh! Will you stop moving around!

DEACON. . . . Orthodox folk who lie here and everywhere.

IN THE CROWD. Stop yelling, please.

A groan.

CHOIR (sings). O Lord, have mercy!

IN THE CROWD. Repina poisoned the air with her suicide. All the young ladies have caught the contagion and gone crazy thinking they’ve been abused.

— Even the air in the church is poisoned. Can you feel the tension?

DEACON. Let us also pray for those who bring fruit and do good in this holy and reverend temple, for those who labor in the sweat of their brows, those who await Thy grace and compassion . . .

CHOIR (sings). O Lord, have mercy . . .

FR. IVAN. For a merciful God art Thou and one That loves mankind and to Thee we offer up glory, in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, world without end.

CHOIR (sings). Amen.

SABININ. Kotelnikov!

KOTELNIKOV. What?

SABININ. Nothing . . . Oh my God . . . Tatyana Repina’s here . . . She’s here . . .

KOTELNIKOV. Have you gone out of your mind?

SABININ. The lady in black . . . that’s her. I recognized her . . . I saw . . .

KOTELNIKOV. There’s no resemblance . . . She’s just a brunette too and that’s all.

DEACON. Let us pray to the Lord!

KOTELNIKOV. Stop whispering to me, it’s indecent. You’re being watched . . .

SABININ. For heaven’s sake . . . I can hardly stand on my feet. It is her.

A groan.

CHOIR. O Lord, have mercy!

IN THE CROWD. Quiet! Ssh! People, who’s shoving at the back? Ssh!

—They’ve taken her behind a pillar . . .

— I can’t move anywhere what with all the ladies . . . They should stay at home!

SOMEONE (shouts). Quiet!

FR. IVAN (reads). O Lord our God, in Thy redemptive care, as in Cana of Galilee . . . (Casts a glance at the public.) What people, honestly . . . (Reads.) . . . Thou didst show marriage to be honorable by Thy presence . . . (Raising his voice.) Please be more quiet! You are preventing us from performing the sacrament! Don’t walk around the church, don’t engage in conversation, and don’t make noise, just stand quietly and pray to God. That’s right. You should be God-fearing. (Reads.) Our Lord God, in Thy redemptive care, as in Cana of Galilee, Thou didst show marriage to be honorable by Thy presence, do Thou now Thyself keep Thy servants Pyotr and Vera, whom Thou hast already been pleased to conjoin with one another, in peace and concord, consecrate their marriage also, watch that their bed be undefiled, vouchsafe that their cohabitation be blameless and bestow on them a venerable old age, with a pure heart, keeping Thy commandments. For Thou art our God, the God of mercy and salvation, we offer up glory to Thee, with Thine eternal father, and with Thine all-holy and good and life-endowing spirit, now and forever, world without end.

DIOCESAN CHOIR (sings). Amen.

SABININ (to Kotelnikov). Did they go and tell the police not to let anybody in . . .

KOTELNIKOV. Who else can they let in? The church is packed to the rafters. Shut up . . . stop whispering.

SABININ. She . . . Tatyana’s here.

KOTELNIKOV. You’re raving. She’s lying in her grave.

DEACON. Succor us, save us, have mercy on us and preserve us, God, by Thy grace abounding!

CATHEDRAL CHOIR (sings). Lord, have mercy.

DEACON. That all the day may be perfect, holy, peaceful, and without sin we pray the Lord . . .

CATHEDRAL CHOIR (sings). Grant it, O Lord.

DEACON. For an angel of peace, a true preceptor, a preserver of our souls and bodies we pray the Lord.

CHOIR (sings). Grant it, O Lord.

IN THE CROWD. This deacon never ends . . . First it’s Lord have mercy, then it’s grant it O Lord.

— I’m sick and tired of standing.

DEACON. Forgiveness and respite of our sins and trespasses we pray the Lord.

CHOIR (sings). Grant it, O Lord!

DEACON. Goodness and prosperity to our souls and peace to the world we pray the Lord.

IN THE CROWD. They’re starting to make noise again! Hey, people!

CHOIR (sings). Grant it, O Lord!

OLENINA. Pyotr, you’re trembling all over and breathing hard . . . Are you feeling faint?

SABININ. The lady in black . . . she . . . It’s all our fault . . .

OLENINA. What lady?

A groan.

SABININ. Repina is groaning . . . I’ll be brave, I’ll be brave . . . Kotelnikov is crushing my head with that crown . . . Never mind, never mind . . .

DEACON. That the remaining days of our life end in peace and repentance, we pray to the Lord.

CHOIR. Grant it, O Lord.

KOKOSHKIN. Vera’s as pale as death. Look, I think there are tears in her eyes. And he, he . . . look!

KOKOSHKINA. I already told her that the public would behave badly! I don’t understand why she decided to get married here. She should have gone to the country.

DEACON. A Christian end to our life, without sickness, without shame, in peace and with a clear conscience on the Day of Judgment, we pray to Christ.

CHOIR (sings). Grant it, O Lord!

KOKOSHKINA. We ought to ask Father Ivan to speed things up. She looks awful.

VOLGIN. Allow me, I’ll change places with you! (Changes places with Kotelnikov.)

DEACON. Having prayed for the unity of the faith and communion of the Holy Spirit both for ourselves and for each other, we dedicate our whole lives to Christ!

CHOIR (sings). To Thee, O Lord!

SABININ. Be brave, Vera, like me . . . Yes . . . Anyway, the service will be over soon. We’ll go away at once . . . It’s her . . .

VOLGIN. Ssh!

FR. IVAN. And vouchsafe us, Master, boldly and with impunity to dare to call upon Thee, our heavenly father God, and make utterance!

DIOCESAN CHOIR (sings). Our Father, Which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come . . .

MATVEEV (to the actors). Make a little room, kids, I want to kneel down. (Kneels and bows to the ground.) Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses . . .

DIOCESAN CHOIR. . . . Thy will be done, as it is in heaven . . . in heaven . . . our daily bread . . . daily!

MATVEEV. Remember, O Lord, Thy deceased handmaid Tatyana, and forgive her her sins both of commission and omission, and forgive us and have mercy upon us . . . (Getting up.) It’s hot!

DIOCESAN CHOIR. . . . give us this day and forgive . . . forgive us our trespasses . . . as we forgive those who trespass against us . . . our . . .

IN THE CROWD. Well, they’re really dragging out the notes!

DIOCESAN CHOIR. . . . and lead us not . . . us . . . us! into temptation, but deliver us from e-e-e-vil!

KOTELNIKOV (to the Deputy District Attorney). The groom’s got ants in his pants. Look at how he’s trembling!

DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. What’s come over him?

KOTELNIKOV. The lady in black who just had hysterics he thinks is Tatyana. He’s hallucinating.

FR. IVAN. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and forever, world without end.

CHOIR. Amen.

DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. Watch out that he doesn’t pull some kind of stunt!

KOTELNIKOV. He’ll kee-eep it together! He’s not that sort!

DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. Yes, he’s been through the wringer.

FR. IVAN. Peace be unto you.

CHOIR. And to Thy spirit.

DEACON. Bow your heads before the Lord!

CHOIR. Before Thee, O Lord!

IN THE CROWD. I think they’ll have the procession now. Sssh!

—Was there an inquest on the doctor’s wife?

— Not yet. They say her husband ran out on her. But after all Sabinin ran out on Repina! Didn’t he?

—Yes indeed . . .

— I remember the inquest on Repina . . .

DEACON. Pray to the Lord!

CHOIR. O Lord, have mercy!

FR. IVAN (reads). God, who by Thy might createst all things and upholdest the universe and adornest the crown of all things created by Thee, bless this common cup provided for the communion of the couple conjoined in matrimony with the blessing of Thy spirit. For blessèd is Thy name and glorified Thy kingdom, now and forever, world without end. (Gives Sabinin and Olenina a sip of wine.)

CHOIR. Amen.

DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. Look out, he’s about to faint.

KOTELNIKOV. He’s a tough customer. He’ll hold up.

IN THE CROWD. Don’t split up, people. We’ll all leave together. Is Zipunov here?

— He’s around somewhere. Just have to block the carriage and hiss for five minutes or so.

FR. IVAN. Please give me your hands. (Binds the hands of Sabinin and Olenina with a handkerchief.) Not too tight?

DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY (to the student). Give me the crown, young man, and you carry her train.

DIOCESAN CHOIR (sings). Rejoice, Esais, the virgin is with child . . .

FR. IVAN walks around the analogion; followed by the YOUNG COUPLE and the GROOM’S MEN.

IN THE CROWD. That student’s got tangled up in her train.

DIOCESAN CHOIR. . . . and bringeth forth a son, Emmanuel, God and man; the Orient is His name . . .

SABININ (to Volgin). Is it over?

DIOCESAN CHOIR. . . . whom magnifying we call the Virgin blest.

FR. IVAN walks around the lectern a second time.

CATHEDRAL CHOIR (sings). Holy martyrs, who suffered mightily for our salvation and are crowned, pray to the Lord our God to have mercy on our souls.

FR. IVAN (goes around for the third time and intones). . . . our so-ouls.

SABININ. My God, this goes on forever.

DIOCESAN CHOIR (sings). Glory unto Thee, Christ our God, apostle’s praise and martyrs’ joy, who preached the consubstantial Trinity.

OFFICER IN THE CROWD (to Kotelnikov). Warn Sabinin that the high-school boys and university students are planning to hiss him in the street.

KOTELNIKOV. Thank you. (To the Deputy District Attorney.) Honestly, how long does this stuff go on! This service will never be over!

DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. Now your hands are starting to tremble . . . What a lot of lightweights you all are!

KOTELNIKOV. I can’t get Repina out of my mind. I keep imagining Sabinin singing and her crying.

FR. IVAN (taking the crown from Volgin, to Sabinin). Be thou magnified, O bridegroom, as Abraham, and blessed as Isaac, and increased as Jacob, walking in peace and working in righteousness the commandments of God!

YOUNG ACTOR. What beautiful lines to have to speak to a bastard like that!

MATVEEV. God doesn’t play favorites.

FR. IVAN (taking the crown from the Deputy District Attorney, to Olenina). And thou, O bride, be thou magnified as Sarah, and gladdened as Rebecca, and do thou increase like unto Rachel, rejoicing in thine own husband, fulfilling the conditions of the law; for so it is well pleasing unto God.

IN THE CROWD (a powerful movement towards the exit).

— Quiet, people! It isn’t over yet!

— Ssh! Stop shoving!

DEACON. Let us pray to the Lord!

CHOIR. Lord, be merciful!

FR. ALEKSEY (reads, having taken off his dark glasses). God, our God, Who wast present at Cana of Galilee and didst bless the marriage there, bless these thy servants, who by Thy providence are conjoined in the community of marriage; bless their incomings and outgoings, prosper their lives with good things, accept their crowns into Thy kingdom, immaculate and undefiled, and deliver them from evil, world without end.

CHOIR (sings). Amen.

OLENINA (to her brother). Tell them to give me a chair. I feel faint.

UNIVERSITY STUDENT. It’ll be over right away. (To the Deputy District Attorney.) Vera feels faint!

DEPUTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY. Vera Aleksandrovna, it’ll be over right away! In a minute . . . Be patient, my dear!

OLENINA (to her brother). Pyotr isn’t listening to me . . . It’s as if he’s in a stupor . . . My God, my God . . . (To Sabinin.) Pyotr!

FR. IVAN. Peace be unto you!

CHOIR. And to Thy spirit!

DEACON. Bow your heads before the Lord.

FR. IVAN (to Sabinin and Olenina). Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the all-holy and consubstantial and life-endowing Trinity, one divinity and kingdom bless you, and grant you long life, children and children’s children, steadfastness in life and faith, and prosper you with all the good things of this earth! And consider you worthy to receive the promised salvation, through the intercession of the holy Mother of God and all the saints, amen! (To Olenina, with a smile.) You may kiss your husband.

VOLGIN (to Sabinin). What are you standing there for? Kiss her!

The YOUNG COUPLE exchange kisses.

FR. IVAN. Congratulations! God bless you . . .

KOKOSHKIN (goes to Olenina). My dear, my darling . . . I’m so glad! Congratulations!

KOKOSHKINA (to Sabinin). Congratulations, now that you’re spliced! . . . Well, no need to be so pale now, the rigmarole’s over . . .

DEACON. In Thy wisdom!

Congratulations.

CHOIR (sings). More honorable than the cherubim and incomparably more glorious than the seraphim, who immaculate gave birth to God from the word, his most pure Mother we extol thee. In the name of the Lord, bless us, O Fa-a-ather!

The people throng out of the church; KUZMA puts out the candles in the standing candelabrums.

FR. IVAN. As by Thy presence in Cana of Galilee Thou showed marriage to be honorable, may Christ our true God, praised by the prayers of His immaculate mother, by the holy, glorious, and praiseworthy apostles, by the holy and divinely appointed kings and peers of the apostles, Constan-tine and Helen, by the holy great martyr Procopius and all the saints, have mercy upon us and save us, for Thou art good and the lover of mankind.

CHOIR. Amen. O Lord, have mercy, O Lord, have mercy, O Lo-o-ord, have me-e-er-cy!

LADIES (to Vera). Congratulations, my dear . . . Live a hundred years . . . (Kisses.)

SONNENSTEIN. Madame Sabinin, you are, so to speak, how can I put this in plain Russian . . .

DIOCESAN CHOIR. Many, ma-a-any years!! Many years . . .

SABININ. Pardon, Vera! (Takes Kotelnikov by the arm and quickly leads him aside; trembling and panting.) Let’s go to the cemetery right now!

KOTELNIKOV. Have you gone crazy! It’s night now! What do you want to do there?

SABININ. For heaven’s sake, let’s go! Please . . .

KOTELNIKOV. You have to drive home with your bride! Lunatic!

SABININ. I was wishing they’d all go to hell, damn it all a thousand times over! I . . . I’m going! Have to order a requiem mass . . . Anyway, I’m losing my mind . . . I was almost dead . . . Ah, Kotelnikov, Kotelnikov!

KOTELNIKOV. Let’s go, let’s go . . . (Leads him back to the bride.)

A minute later a piercing whistle is heard from the street. Little by little the people leave the church. Only the DEACON and KUZMA remain.

KUZMA (puts out the hanging lamps). A heap of folks, that was . . .

DEACON. M-yes . . . A rich wedding. (Puts on a fur coat.) Those people live it up.

KUZMA. No point to it. All for nothing.

DEACON. How so?

KUZMA. This here wedding . . . Every day we marry ‘em, christen ‘em, and bury ‘em, and there ain’t no point to any of it.

DEACON. And what would you do if you had your way?

KUZMA. Nothing . . . Just the same . . . Ain’t no point to it. And they sing, and burn incense, and preach, but God ain’t listening. Forty years I been working here, and not once did it happen that God listened . . . Whether God’s there at all I don’t know . . . All for nothing . . .

DEACON. M-yes . . . (Puts on his galoshes.) Start philosophizing and you’ll get your brains in a spin.⁸ (Walks in squeaky galoshes.) Good-bye. (Exits.)

KUZMA (alone). Today lunchtime we buried a gentleman, just now we had a wedding, tomorrow morning there’ll be a christening. And there’s no end to it. Who needs it? Nobody . . . So, all for nothing.

A groan is heard.

From the altar enter FR. IVAN and shaggy FR. ALEKSEY⁹ in dark glasses.

FR. IVAN. And he pocketed a decent dowry too, I suppose . . .

FR. ALEKSEY. No doubt about it.

FR. IVAN. This life of ours, just look at it! Once I made a match, got married, and got a dowry, but that’s all forgotten in the whirligig of time. (Shouts.)

Kuzma, why have you doused all the lights? I’ll be falling down in the dark.

KUZMA. I thought you’d already left.

FR. IVAN. How about it, Father Aleksey? Shall we go to my place and have some tea?

FR. ALEKSEY. No, thank you kindly, Father Archpriest. I’ve got no time. I’ve got another report to write.

FR. IVAN. Well, you know best.

LADY IN BLACK (comes out from behind a pillar, staggering). Who’s there? Take me away . . . take me away . . .

FR. IVAN. What’s that? Who’s there? (Frightened.) What are you after, good woman?

FR. ALEKSEY. Lord, forgive us sinners . . .

LADY IN BLACK. Take me away . . . take me away . . . (Groans.) I’m the sister of Officer Ivanov . . . his sister.

FR. IVAN. Why are you here?

LADY IN BLACK. I’ve poisoned myself . . . out of hate . . . He abused me . . . Why is he happy? My God . . . (Shouts.) Save me, save me! (Sinks to the floor.) Everyone should take poison . . . everyone! There’s no justice . . .

FR. ALEKSEY (horrified). What blasphemy! God, what blasphemy!

LADY IN BLACK. Out of hatred . . . Everyone should take poison . . . (Groans and rolls on the floor.) She’s in her grave, while he . . . he . . . Insult a woman and you insult God . . . A woman is destroyed . . .

FR. ALEKSEY. What blasphemy to religion! (Clasps his hands.) What blasphemy to life!

LADY IN BLACK (tears at what she is wearing and shouts). Save me! Save me! Save me! . . .

Curtain

and all the rest I leave to A. S. Suvorin’s imagination.

NOTES

1 In Russian Orthodox churches, the raised chancel on the eastern side is reserved for clergy and choristers. The iconostasis, a screen of painted icons, richly carved frames, and eternal lamps, separates the choir from the sanctuary. The central doors in the iconostasis are called the tsarskie vrata, or royal gates, and may be used only by priests.

2 The high hat of violet velvet, characteristic of Greek Orthodox clergy.

3 Church Slavonic, the lectern in Greek Orthodox churches.

4 A verse from the Psalms, sung before the Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles are read. In the Western Bible, this is from Psalm 21.

5 Epistles to the Ephesians 5:20–33.

6 John 2:1–11.

7 Mispronunciation of Qu’est-ce que c’est, French, what is it?

8 Paraphrase of a line in Griboedov’s satiric comedy Woe from Wit; Famusov says, “If for philosophizing you go in, right away your brain starts to spin” (Act II, scene 1).

9 Chekhov seems to have forgot that he earlier distinguished Fr. Nikolay as the shaggy one.