The Power of Darkness by Leo Tolstoy (best reads of all time .TXT) đ
Excerpt from the book:
Description
The Power of Darkness is a five-act drama that follows the downfall of the peasants AnĂsya and NikĂta as they succumb to a series of sordid temptations, from adultery and drunkenness to outright murder. Written in 1886 but suppressed by censors until 1902, the play is a realist portrayal of some of the darkest elements of Russian peasant life. Similar to some other late Tolstoy works, like Resurrection, the playâs psychological exploration of human depravity is accompanied by a sharp social critique of the Russian Empire and its role in perpetuating poverty and ignorance among its lowest and most marginalized classes.
Read free book «The Power of Darkness by Leo Tolstoy (best reads of all time .TXT) đ» - read online or download for free at americanlibrarybooks.com
Download in Format:
- Author: Leo Tolstoy
Read book online «The Power of Darkness by Leo Tolstoy (best reads of all time .TXT) đ». Author - Leo Tolstoy
right in the corner; the earth is soft there, and youâll smooth it over. Mother earth will not blab to anyone; sheâll keep it close. Go then; go, dear.
NikĂta
Youâll get me into a mess, bother you! Iâll go away! You do it alone as best you can!
AnĂsya
Through the doorway. Well? Has he dug it?
MatryĂłna
Why have you come away? What have you done with it?
AnĂsya
Iâve covered it with rags. No one can hear it. Well, has he dug it?
MatryĂłna
He doesnât want to!
AnĂsya
Springs out enraged. Doesnât want to! How will he like feeding vermin in prison! Iâll go straight away and tell everything to the police! Itâs all the same if one must perish. Iâll go straight and tell!
NikĂta
Taken aback. What will you tell?
AnĂsya
What? Everything! Who took the money? You! NikĂta is silent. And who gave the poison? I did! But you knew! You knew! You knew! We were in agreement!
MatryĂłna
Thatâs enough now. NikĂta dear, why are you obstinate? Whatâs to be done now? One must take some trouble. Go, honey.
AnĂsya
See the fine gentleman! He doesnât like it! Youâve put upon me long enough! Youâve trampled me under foot! Now itâs my turn! Go, I tell you, or else Iâll do what I said.â ââ ⊠There, take the spade; there, now go!
NikĂta
Drat you! Canât you leave a fellow alone! Takes the spade, but shrinks. If I donât choose to, Iâll not go!
AnĂsya
Not go? Begins to shout. Neighbours! Heh! heh!
MatryĂłna
Closes her mouth. What are you about? Youâre mad! Heâll go.â ââ ⊠Go, sonnie; go, my own.
AnĂsya
Iâll cry murder!
NikĂta
Now stop! Oh what people! Youâd better be quick.â ââ ⊠As well be hung for a sheep as a lamb! Goes towards the cellar.
MatryĂłna
Yes, thatâs just it, honey. If you know how to amuse yourself, you must know how to hide the consequences.
AnĂsya
Still excited. Heâs trampled on meâ ââ ⊠he and his slut! But itâs enough! Iâm not going to be the only one! Let him also be a murderer! Then heâll know how it feels!
MatryĂłna
There, there! How she flares up! Donât you be cross, lass, but do things quietly little by little, as itâs best. You go to the girl, and heâll do the work. Follows NikĂta to the cellar with a lantern. He descends into the cellar.
AnĂsya
And Iâll make him strangle his dirty brat! Still excited. Iâve worried myself to death all alone, with Peterâs bones weighing on my mind! Let him feel it too! Iâll not spare myself; Iâve said Iâll not spare myself!
NikĂta
From the cellar. Show a light!
MatryĂłna
Holds up the lantern to him. To AnĂsya. Heâs digging. Go and bring it.
AnĂsya
You stay with him, or heâll go away, the wretch! And Iâll go and bring it.
MatryĂłna
Mind, donât forget to baptize it, or I will if you like. Have you a cross?
AnĂsya
Iâll find one. I know how to do it. Exit.
See at end of Act, Variation, which may be used instead of the following.
MatryĂłna How the woman bristled up! But one must allow sheâs been put upon. Well, but with the Lordâs help, when weâve covered this business, thereâll be an end of it. Weâll shove the girl off without any trouble. My son will live in comfort. The house, thank God, is as full as an egg. Theyâll not forget me either. Where would they have been without MatryĂłna? Theyâd not have known how to contrive things. Peering into the cellar. Is it ready, sonnie? NikĂta Puts out his head. What are you about there? Bring it quick! What are you dawdling for? If it is to be done, let it be done. MatryĂłna Goes towards door of the hut and meets AnĂsya. AnĂsya comes out with a baby wrapped in rags. Well, have you baptized it? AnĂsya Why, of course! It was all I could do to take it awayâ âshe wouldnât give it up! Comes forward and hands it to NikĂta. NikĂta Does not take it. You bring it yourself! AnĂsya Take it, I tell you! Throws the baby to him. NikĂta Catches it. Itâs alive! Gracious me, itâs moving! Itâs alive! What am I toâ ââ ⊠AnĂsya Snatches the baby from him and throws it into the cellar. Be quick and smother it, and then it wonât be alive! Pushes NikĂta down. Itâs your doing, and you must finish it. MatryĂłna Sits on the doorstep of the hut. Heâs tenderhearted. Itâs hard on him, poor dear. Well, what of that? Isnât it also his sin? AnĂsya stands by the cellar. MatryĂłna Sits looking at her and discourses. Oh, oh, oh! How frightened he was: well, but what of that? If it is hard, itâs the only thing to be done. Where was one to put it? And just think, how often it happens that people pray to God to have children! But no, God gives them none; or they are all stillborn. Look at our priestâs wife now.â ââ ⊠And here, where itâs not wanted, here it lives. Looks towards the cellar. I suppose heâs finished. To AnĂsya. Well? AnĂsya Looking into the cellar. Heâs put a board on it and is sitting on it. It must be finished! MatryĂłna Oh, oh! One would be glad not to sin, but whatâs one to do? Re-enter NikĂta from cellar, trembling all over. NikĂta Itâs still alive! I canât! Itâs alive! AnĂsya If itâs alive, where are you off to? Tries to stop him. NikĂta Rushes at her. Go away! Iâll kill you! Catches hold of her arms; she escapes, he runs after her with the spade. MatryĂłna runs towards him and stops him. AnĂsya runs into the porch. MatryĂłna tries to wrench the spade from him. To his mother. Iâll kill you! Iâll kill you! Go away! MatryĂłna runsFree e-book: «The Power of Darkness by Leo Tolstoy (best reads of all time .TXT) đ» - read online now on website american library books (americanlibrarybooks.com)
Similar e-books:
Comments (0)