Shipwreck ( Coast of Utopia-2)

HERZEN   This is not a sensible conversation. There will have to be a European revolution first, and there’s no sign of it. There’s no movement among the people here. The opposition has no faith in itself. Six months ago meeting Ledru-Rollin or Louis Blanc in a café felt like being a cadet talking to veterans. Their superior condescension to a Russian seemed only proper. What had we got to offer? Belinsky’s articles and Granovsky’s lectures on history. But these celebrities of the left spend their time writing tomorrow’s headlines and hoping that someone else will make the news to go with them. And don’t they know what’s good for us! Virtue by decree. They’re building prisons out of the stones of the Bastille. There’s no country in the world that has shed more blood for liberty and understands it less. I’m going to Italy.

BAKUNIN   (excitedly) Forget about the French. Polish independence is the only revolutionary spark in Europe. I’ve been here six years and I know what I’m talking about. I’m in the market for a hundred rifles, by the way, payment in cash.

Sazonov shushes him urgently. The Servant has entered. He whispers to Bakunin.

BAKUNIN   (cont.) My cabbie wants to go home. Can you lend me five francs?

HERZEN   No. You should have walked.

TURGENEV   I’ll do it.

Turgenev gives five francs to the Servant, who leaves.

BELINSKY   Isn’t it time to go?

SAZONOV   (to Belinsky) It’s a shame. With your abilities, you could have done more, instead of wasting your time in Russia.

HERZEN   (to Sazonov) And do tell us, what have you done? You don’t think discussing the borders of Poland with the émigrés every day in the Café Lamblin is doing something?—

SAZONOV   Hold on, hold on, you forget our situation.

HERZEN   What situation? You’ve lived in freedom all these years, playing statesmen-in-waiting and calling yourselves pink budgerigars—

SAZONOV   (furiously) Who told you about the—

HERZEN   You did.

SAZONOV   (bursting into tears) I knew I wasn’t to be trusted!

EMMA   Parlez français, s’il vous plaît!

BAKUNIN   (comforting Sazonov with a hug) I trust you.

NATALIE   Is George all right?

HERZEN   I never saw a man more all right.

Natalie goes to George and Emma.

BAKUNIN   (to Herzen) Don’t be deceived by George Herwegh. He got expelled from Saxony for political activity.

HERZEN   Activity? George?

BAKUNIN   And he’s got what every revolutionary needs, a rich wife.

HERZEN   Nick Ogarev knew him when they were together in Paris … Nick gave me a letter …

BAKUNIN   What’s more, she’ll do anything for him. I once heard Marx explaining economic relations to George for an hour while Emma rubbed his feet.

HERZEN   Why?

BAKUNIN   He said his feet were cold … other parts of him, it seems, are kept warm by the Contesse d’Agoult.

NATALIE   (to Emma) Continuez, continuez …

HERZEN   (offended) I won’t have tittle-tattle about my friends in my house … and anyway, you don’t know it’s true.

BAKUNIN   (laughs) You’re right—maybe he’s only boasting.

Emma continues to smooth George’s brow.

NATALIE   (arriving) Ah, that’s what love should be!

BAKUNIN   Love is a mystery, and woman’s privilege is to be the priestess of the mystery, vestal of the sacred flame.

HERZEN   Am I being reproached because I don’t let you mother me?

NATALIE   I don’t reproach you, Alexander, I only say it’s a fine thing to see.

HERZEN   What is? George having the vapours?

NATALIE   No … a woman’s love that transcends egoism.

HERZEN   Love without egoism cheats women of equality and independence, not to mention any other … satisfaction.

BAKUNIN   He’s right, madame!

HERZEN   But you just said the opposite!

BAKUNIN   (unabashed) He’s right again!

GEORGE   (in German) Emma, Emma …

EMMA   Was ist denn, mein Herz? [What is it, my precious?]

GEORGE   Weiss ich nicht … Warum machst du nicht weiter? [I don’t know … Why have you stopped?]

Emma resumes stroking his brow.

NATALIE   (privately to Herzen) You’re being unkind.

HERZEN   I like George, but I’d feel ridiculous.

NATALIE   (angrily) Idealised love doesn’t mean a lack of … or perhaps you think it does?

HERZEN   What’s this?

NATALIE   It’s despicable to imply George doesn’t … satisfy a woman …

HERZEN   (stung) I’m sure he does—I’m told she’s a countess.

NATALIE   I see. Well, if it’s only a countess …