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Authors: Nikolái Gógol
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Ivanovich?
DOBCHINSKY. I think he's almost a general.
BOBCHINSKY. And I think a general isn't worth the sole of his boots. But
if he is a general, then he must be the generalissimo himself. Did you
hear how he bullies the Imperial Council? Come, let's hurry off to
Ammos Fiodorovich and Korobkin and tell them about it. Good-by, Anna
Andreyevna.
DOBCHINSKY. Good afternoon, godmother.
Both go out.
ARTEMY. It makes your heart sink and you don't know why. We haven't
even our uniforms on. Suppose after he wakes up from his nap he goes and
sends a report about us to St. Petersburg.
(He goes out sunk in thought,
with the School Inspector, both saying.)
Good-by, madam.
Scene VIII
Anna Andreyevna and Marya Antonovna.
ANNA. Oh, how charming he is!
MARYA. A perfect dear!
ANNA. Such refined manners. You can recognize the big city article at
once. How he carries himself, and all that sort of thing! Exquisite! I'm
just crazy for young men like him. I am in ecstasies—beside myself. He
liked me very much though. I noticed he kept looking at me all the time.
MARYA. Oh, mamma, he looked at me.
ANNA. No more nonsense please. It's out of place now.
MARYA. But really, mamma, he did look at me.
ANNA. There you go! For God's sake, don't argue. You mustn't. That's
enough. What would he be looking at you for? Please tell me, why would
he be looking at you?
MARYA. It's true, mamma. He kept looking at me. He looked at me when he
began to speak about literature and he looked at me afterwards, when he
told about how he played whist with the ambassadors.
ANNA. Well, maybe he looked at you once or twice and might have said to
himself, "Oh, well, I'll give her a look."
Scene IX
The same and the Governor.
GOVERNOR. Sh-sh!
ANNA. What is it?
GOVERNOR. I wish I hadn't given him so much to drink. Suppose even half
of what he said is true?
(Sunk in thought.)
How can it not be true? A
man in his cups is always on the surface. What's in his heart is on his
tongue. Of course he fibbed a little. No talking is possible without
some lying. He plays cards with the ministers and he visits the Court.
Upon my word the more you think the less you know what's going on in
your head. I'm as dizzy as if I were standing in a belfry, or if I were
going to be hanged, the devil take it!
ANNA. And I didn't feel the least bit afraid. I simply saw a high-toned,
cultured man of the world, and his rank and titles didn't make me feel a
bit queer.
GOVERNOR. Oh, well, you women. To say women and enough's said.
Everything is froth and bubble to you. All of a sudden you blab out
words that don't make the least sense. The worst you'd get would be a
flogging; but it means ruination to the husband.—Say, my dear, you are
as familiar with him as if he were another Bobchinsky.
ANNA. Leave that to us. Don't bother about that.
(Glancing at Marya.)
We
know a thing or two in that line.
GOVERNOR
(to himself)
. Oh, what's the good of talking to you! Confound
it all! I can't get over my fright yet.
(Opens the door and calls.)
Mishka, tell the sergeants, Svistunov and Derzhimorda, to come here.
They are near the gate.
(After a pause of silence.)
The world has turned
into a queer place. If at least the people were visible so you could see
them; but they are such a skinny, thin race. How in the world could
you tell what he is? After all you can tell a military man; but when he
wears a frock-coat, it's like a fly with clipped wings. He kept it up
a long time in the inn, got off a lot of allegories and ambiguities so
that you couldn't make out head or tail. Now he's shown himself up at
last.—Spouted even more than necessary. It's evident that he's a young
man.
Scene X
The same and Osip. All rush to meet Osip, beckoning to him.
ANNA. Come here, my good man.
GOVERNOR. Hush! Tell me, tell me, is he asleep?
OSIP. No, not yet. He's stretching himself a little.
ANNA. What's your name?
OSIP. Osip, madam.
GOVERNOR
(to his wife and daughter)
. That'll do, that'll do.
(To Osip.)
Well,
DOBCHINSKY. I think he's almost a general.
BOBCHINSKY. And I think a general isn't worth the sole of his boots. But
if he is a general, then he must be the generalissimo himself. Did you
hear how he bullies the Imperial Council? Come, let's hurry off to
Ammos Fiodorovich and Korobkin and tell them about it. Good-by, Anna
Andreyevna.
DOBCHINSKY. Good afternoon, godmother.
Both go out.
ARTEMY. It makes your heart sink and you don't know why. We haven't
even our uniforms on. Suppose after he wakes up from his nap he goes and
sends a report about us to St. Petersburg.
(He goes out sunk in thought,
with the School Inspector, both saying.)
Good-by, madam.
Scene VIII
Anna Andreyevna and Marya Antonovna.
ANNA. Oh, how charming he is!
MARYA. A perfect dear!
ANNA. Such refined manners. You can recognize the big city article at
once. How he carries himself, and all that sort of thing! Exquisite! I'm
just crazy for young men like him. I am in ecstasies—beside myself. He
liked me very much though. I noticed he kept looking at me all the time.
MARYA. Oh, mamma, he looked at me.
ANNA. No more nonsense please. It's out of place now.
MARYA. But really, mamma, he did look at me.
ANNA. There you go! For God's sake, don't argue. You mustn't. That's
enough. What would he be looking at you for? Please tell me, why would
he be looking at you?
MARYA. It's true, mamma. He kept looking at me. He looked at me when he
began to speak about literature and he looked at me afterwards, when he
told about how he played whist with the ambassadors.
ANNA. Well, maybe he looked at you once or twice and might have said to
himself, "Oh, well, I'll give her a look."
Scene IX
The same and the Governor.
GOVERNOR. Sh-sh!
ANNA. What is it?
GOVERNOR. I wish I hadn't given him so much to drink. Suppose even half
of what he said is true?
(Sunk in thought.)
How can it not be true? A
man in his cups is always on the surface. What's in his heart is on his
tongue. Of course he fibbed a little. No talking is possible without
some lying. He plays cards with the ministers and he visits the Court.
Upon my word the more you think the less you know what's going on in
your head. I'm as dizzy as if I were standing in a belfry, or if I were
going to be hanged, the devil take it!
ANNA. And I didn't feel the least bit afraid. I simply saw a high-toned,
cultured man of the world, and his rank and titles didn't make me feel a
bit queer.
GOVERNOR. Oh, well, you women. To say women and enough's said.
Everything is froth and bubble to you. All of a sudden you blab out
words that don't make the least sense. The worst you'd get would be a
flogging; but it means ruination to the husband.—Say, my dear, you are
as familiar with him as if he were another Bobchinsky.
ANNA. Leave that to us. Don't bother about that.
(Glancing at Marya.)
We
know a thing or two in that line.
GOVERNOR
(to himself)
. Oh, what's the good of talking to you! Confound
it all! I can't get over my fright yet.
(Opens the door and calls.)
Mishka, tell the sergeants, Svistunov and Derzhimorda, to come here.
They are near the gate.
(After a pause of silence.)
The world has turned
into a queer place. If at least the people were visible so you could see
them; but they are such a skinny, thin race. How in the world could
you tell what he is? After all you can tell a military man; but when he
wears a frock-coat, it's like a fly with clipped wings. He kept it up
a long time in the inn, got off a lot of allegories and ambiguities so
that you couldn't make out head or tail. Now he's shown himself up at
last.—Spouted even more than necessary. It's evident that he's a young
man.
Scene X
The same and Osip. All rush to meet Osip, beckoning to him.
ANNA. Come here, my good man.
GOVERNOR. Hush! Tell me, tell me, is he asleep?
OSIP. No, not yet. He's stretching himself a little.
ANNA. What's your name?
OSIP. Osip, madam.
GOVERNOR
(to his wife and daughter)
. That'll do, that'll do.
(To Osip.)
Well,
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