The Power of Darkness

The Act takes place in autumn in a large village. The Scene represents Peter’s roomy hut. Peter is sitting on a wooden bench, mending a horse-collar. Anísya and Akoulína are spinning, and singing a part-song.

Peter

Looking out of the window. The horses have got loose again. If we don’t look out they’ll be killing the colt. Nikíta! Hey, Nikíta! Is the fellow deaf? Listens. To the women. Shut up, one can’t hear anything.

Nikíta

From outside. What?

Peter

Drive the horses in.

Nikíta

We’ll drive ’em in. All in good time.

Peter

Shaking his head. Ah, these labourers! If I were well, I’d not keep one on no account. There’s nothing but bother with ’em. Rises and sits down again. Nikíta!⁠ ⁠… It’s no good shouting. One of you’d better go. Go, Akoúl, drive ’em in.

Akoulína

What? The horses?

Peter

What else?

Akoulína

All right. Exit.

Peter

Ah, but he’s a loafer, that lad⁠ ⁠… no good at all. Won’t stir a finger if he can help it.

Anísya

You’re so mighty brisk yourself. When you’re not sprawling on the top of the oven you’re squatting on the bench. To goad others to work is all you’re fit for.

Peter

If one weren’t to goad you on a bit, one’d have no roof left over one’s head before the year’s out. Oh what people!

Anísya

You go shoving a dozen jobs on to one’s shoulders, and then do nothing but scold. It’s easy to lie on the oven and give orders.

Peter

Anísya

Mother Matryóna, would you believe it? I’m that sick of him, that sick of this long-nosed cur of mine, I can hardly bear to look at him.

Matryóna

Yes, I see, it’s one of them cases. Just look here, looks round and whispers I’ve been to see that old man, you know⁠—he’s given me simples of two kinds. This, you see, is a sleeping draught. “Just give him one of these powders,” he says, “and he’ll sleep so sound you might jump on him!” And this here, “This is that kind of simple,” he says, “that if you give one some of it to drink it has no smell whatever, but its strength is very great. There are seven doses here, a pinch at a time. Give him seven pinches,” he says, “and she won’t have far to look for freedom,” he says.

Anísya

O-o-oh! What’s that?

Matryóna

“No sign whatever,” he says. He’s taken a rouble for it. “Can’t sell it for less,” he says. Because it’s no easy matter to get ’em, you know. I paid him, dearie, out of my own money. If she takes them, thinks I, it’s all right; if she don’t, I can let old Michael’s daughter have them.

Anísya

It’s not that you deceived me when you promised to marry me that hurts, but that you’ve left off loving. No, it’s not that you’ve stopped loving me either, but that you’ve changed me for another, that’s what hurts. I know who it is!

Nikíta

Comes up to her viciously. Eh! what’s the good of talking to the likes of you, that won’t listen to reason? Be off, or you’ll drive me to do something you’ll be sorry for.

Marína

What, will you strike me, then? Well then, strike me! What are you turning away for? Ah, Nikíta!

Nikíta

Supposing someone came in. Of course, it’s quite improper. And what’s the good of talking?

Marína

So this is the end of it! What has been has flown. You want me to forget it? Well then, Nikíta, listen. I kept my maiden honour as the apple of my eye. You have ruined me for nothing, you have deceived me. You have no pity on a fatherless and motherless girl! Weeping. You have deserted, you have killed me, but I bear you no malice. God forgive you! If you find a better one you’ll forget me, if a worse one you’ll remember me. Yes, you will remember, Nikíta! Goodbye, then, if it is to be. Oh, how I loved you! Goodbye for the last time. Takes his head in her hands and tries to kiss him.

Matryóna

What do you mean, honey? Lord help you! Why are you turning it on to me? Mind, lass, don’t go twisting matters from the sick on to the healthy. If anything were to happen, I stand aside! I know nothing! I’m aware of nothing! I’ll kiss the cross on it; I never gave you any kind of powders, never saw any, never heard of any, and never knew there were such powders. You think about yourself, lass. Why, we were talking about you the other day. “Poor thing, what torture she endures. The stepdaughter an idiot; the old man rotten, sucking her lifeblood. What wouldn’t one be ready to do in such a case!”

Anísya

I’m not going to deny it. A life such as mine could make one do worse than that. It could make you hang yourself or throttle him. Is this a life?

Matryóna

That’s just it. There’s no time to stand gaping; the money must be found one way or other, and then he must have his tea.

Anísya

I told you, what d’ye call it, I told you about the orphan lass. That you had wronged an orphan⁠—Marína, I mean, wronged her!

Nikíta

Eh! he’s at it again. Let bygones be bygones⁠ ⁠… All that’s past!

Akím

Excited. Past! No, lad, it’s not past. Sin, I mean, fastens on to sin⁠—drags sin after it, and you’ve stuck fast, Nikíta, fast in sin! Stuck fast in sin! I see you’re fast in sin. Stuck fast, sunk in sin, I mean!

Nikíta

Sit down and drink your tea, and have done with it!

Akím

I can’t, I mean can’t what d’ye call it, can’t drink tea. Because of your filth, I mean; I feel what d’ye call it, I feel sick, very sick! I can’t what d’ye call it, I can’t drink tea with you.

Nikíta

Eh! There he goes rambling! Come to the table.

Akím

You’re in your riches same as in a net⁠—you’re in a net, I mean. Ah, Nikíta, it’s the soul that God needs!