Shipwreck ( Coast of Utopia-2)

NATALIE   But I want her to smell of me, and I want to smell of her—

NATASHA   You smell like camellias …

Natalie inhales rapturously from Natasha’s hair.

NATALIE   Russia!

Mother enters.

MOTHER   Natalie!—suppose the servant came in … ! (taking Kolya) Look at your terrible mother … If this is what goes on in a republic … (to Natalie) There’s a letter for you.

NATASHA   It’s from me!

Natalie and Natasha embrace. Herzen drapes the flag over Natalie as a manservant, BENOIT, opens the door to admit Sazonov with an air of condescension.

SAZONOV   Citoyens!—you’re back at last …

Natalie and Natasha dash out past Sazonov, who is thrown off his stride. Benoit follows the women out.

SAZONOV   (cont.) And who was the young …?

HERZEN   (lightly) My wife has fallen in love … We met the family in Rome, they’re neighbours of Ogarev back home.

Mother accepts Sazonov’s bow.

MOTHER   We arrived back ten days ago. (to Kolya) Come on, it’s time for your and Tata’s tea …

HERZEN   Maman, ask Benoit to post this for me, please …

He puts his written sheets into the prepared envelope and seals it.

MOTHER   The Marquis? All right, but he’s grander than the last one—the last one spoke, the new one always seems about to ask me to dance …

Mother leaves with Kolya, leaving behind Kolya’s top.

HERZEN   French servants were the biggest surprise. I knew you weren’t allowed to send them into the army or sell them … but nothing prepares you for their amazing efficiency, politeness and absolute lack of calling.

SAZONOV   Forget France! Don’t you see?—our time has come. The Russian government is in an impasse. They won’t want to be the pariahs of Europe. They’ll have to make a gesture.

HERZEN   Oh, they will! They’ll cancel all leave for the Cossacks, Tsar Nicholas will be the last righteous ruler in a wilderness of cowards and constitutions.

SAZONOV   No, history is being made! Russia is going to need a liberal cultured ministry, men with European experience. Have you thought of that?

HERZEN   I promise you, I never have.

SAZONOV   Well, the government will have to appeal to us.

HERZEN   You and me?

SAZONOV   Well, people of our circle.

HERZEN   (laughs) Which ministry do you fancy?

SAZONOV   You can laugh … but the stage is now bigger than your little articles for the Contemporary.

HERZEN   Nevertheless, the workers are marching on the National Assembly this morning … so let’s see if the elected government acts like republicans …

There is a transition to some hours later, with a sound of rioting.

Herzen enters tired and angry. Turgenev is shown in by Benoit.

HERZEN   (cont.) (to Benoit) Du vin. [Wine.]

Benoit leaves.

HERZEN   (cont.) So, what do you think now of your democratic republic?

TURGENEV   Mine? I’m a tourist like you. You should be asking what the Parisians thought of it … and the remarkable thing is, you couldn’t tell. It was as if they’d bought tickets and were interested to see how it would turn out. The lemonade and cigar sellers circulated, very content, like fishermen hauling in a good catch. The National Guard waited to see which way it was going, and then set about the mob.

HERZEN   The mob? Workers marching behind their banners.

TURGENEV   Invading the National Assembly to demand the self-abolition of an elected parliament which happens to be not to their taste.

HERZEN   Turgenev!—you talk to me of taste? A republic behaving like the monarchy it displaced is not a failure of aesthetics. This is a republic by superstition only, by incantation. Vive la République! But it turns out the Republic makes revolution unnecessary and, in fact, undesirable. Power is not to be shared with the ignoramuses who built the barricades. They’re too poor to have a voice.

TURGENEV   It was an insurrection, and order has triumphed.