Fifty Contemporary One-Act Plays Part 64

FOMa. What if all these years he had been an outcast, living in degradation?

PRAS. Who has been eating here? Who has been drinking here? Something has happened! Tell me what it is.

AST. Your son is not dead.

PRAS. Not dead? Why do you say it so sadly? No, it is not true. I do not believe it. How can I be joyful at the news if you tell it so sadly?

If he is alive, where is he? Let me see him.

AST. He is here.

[_Sasha comes forward._]

PRAS. No, no! Tell me that that is not him ... my son whom I have loved all these years, my son that lies in the churchyard. [_To Sasha._] Don't be cruel to me. Say that you are not my son; you cannot be my son.

SASHA. You know that I am your son.

PRAS. My son is dead; he was murdered. I buried his body in the Troitski Cemetery.

SASHA. But you see that I was not murdered. Touch me; feel me. I am alive. I and Adamek fought; it was not Adamek that slew me, it was....

PRAS. No, no! I want to hear no more. You have come to torment me. Only say what you want of me, anything, and I will do it, if you will leave me in peace.

SASHA. I want food and clothing; I want shelter; I must have money.

PRAS. You will go if I give you money? Yes? Say that you will go, far, far away, and never come back to tell lies.... But I have no money to give; I am a poor woman.

SASHA. Come, what's all this?

PRAS. No, no! I need it; I can't spare it. What I have I have starved myself to get. Two roubles, five roubles, even ten roubles I will give you, if you will go far, far away....

FOMa. Before he can travel we must bribe some peasant to lend him his pa.s.sport.

PRAS. Has he no pa.s.sport then?

FOMa. No.

[_A knock. Enter Spiridon._]

SPIR. Peace be on this house. May the saints watch over all of you!

Asteryi Ivanovitch will have told you of my proposal.

PRAS. Yes, I have heard of it, Spiridon.

FOMa. Good-by, Spiridon; there is no work for you here. That is all over.

PRAS. Why do you say that that is all over?

FOMa. There will be no tomb-house to build.

PRAS. No tomb-house? How dare you say so? He is laughing at us, Spiridon. The tomb-house that we have planned together, with the table in the middle, and the two chairs.... Do not listen to him, Spiridon. At last I have money enough; let us count it together.

SASHA. Give me my share, mother!

PRAS. I have no money for you.

SASHA [_advancing_]. I must have money.

PRAS. You shall not touch it.

SASHA. I will not go unless you give me money.

PRAS. It is not mine. I have promised it all to Spiridon. Help me, Asteryi Ivanovitch; he will drive me mad! Oh, what must I do? What must I do? Is there no way, Varvara? [_Tap of drums without._] [_To Sasha._]

Go! go! go quickly, or worse will befall you.

SASHA. I will not go and starve while you have all this money.

PRAS. Ah! Since you will have it so.... It is you, not I! [_Running out at the door and calling._] Patrol! Patrol!

FOMa. Stop her.

VAR. Oh, Hospodi!

PRAS. Help! Help! Come here!

FOMa. What have you done? What have you done?

[_Enter Corporal and Soldiers._]

PRAS. This man is a thief and a murderer. He is a convict escaped from Siberia. He has no pa.s.sport.

CORP. Is that true? Where is your pa.s.sport?

SASHA. I have none.

CORP. We are looking for such men as you. Come!

SASHA. This woman is my mother.

CORP. That's her affair. You have no pa.s.sport; that is enough for me.

You'll soon be back on the road to the North with the rest of them.

SASHA. Woman! woman! Have pity on your son.

CORP. Come along, lad, and leave the old woman in peace.

[_Exit Sasha in custody._]

PRAS. The Lord help me!