Shipwreck ( Coast of Utopia-2)

TURGENEV   That’s true!—my mother keeps an orchestra at Spasskoye. What I find even harder to grasp, however, is that she also owns the nightingales.

HERZEN   Bringing in Russia always seems to confuse things. I’m not saying socialism is history’s secret plan, it just looks like the rational step.

GRANOVSKY   To whom?

HERZEN   To me. Not just me. The future is being scrawled on the factory walls of Paris.

GRANOVSKY   Why? Why necessarily? We have no factory districts. Why should we wait to be inundated from within by our very own industrialised Goths? Everything you hold dear in civilisation will be smashed on the altar of equality … the equality of the barracks.

HERZEN   You judge the common people after they’ve been brutalised. But people are good, by nature. I have faith in them.

GRANOVSKY   Without faith in something higher, human nature is animal nature.

HERZEN   Without superstition, you mean.

GRANOVSKY   Superstition? Did you say superstition?

Herzen forgets to keep his temper, and Granovsky starts to respond in kind until they are rowing.

HERZEN   Superstition! The pious and pitiful belief that there’s something outside or up there, or God knows where, without which men can’t find their nobility.

GRANOVSKY   Without ‘up there,’ as you call it, scores have to be settled down here—that’s the whole truth about materialism.

HERZEN   How can you—how dare you—throw away your dignity as a human being? You can choose well or badly without deference to a ghost!—you’re a free man, Granovsky, there’s no other kind.

Natalie arrives hurriedly and frightened. Her distress is at first misinterpreted. She runs to Alexander and hugs him, unable to speak. There are some mushrooms in her basket.

NATALIE   Alexander …

HERZEN   (apologetically to Natalie) It’s only a little argument …

GRANOVSKY   (to Natalie) It grieves me deeply to have to absent myself from a household in which I have always received a kind welcome. (Granovsky starts to leave.)

NATALIE   There’s a policeman come to the house—I saw him from the field.

HERZEN   A policeman?

A Servant comes from the house, overtaken by a uniformed

POLICEMAN.

HERZEN   (cont.) Oh God, not again … Natalie, Natalie …

POLICEMAN   Is one of you Herzen?

HERZEN   I am.

POLICEMAN   You’re to read this. From Count Orlov.

The Policeman gives Herzen a letter. Herzen tears it open.

NATALIE   (to the Policeman) I want to go with him.

POLICEMAN   I wasn’t told …

Herzen hugs Natalie.

HERZEN   It’s all right. (announces) After twelve years of police surveillance in and out of exile, Count Orlov has graciously let it be known, I can now apply to travel abroad … !

The others gather round him in relief and congratulation. The Policeman hesitates. Natalie snatches the letter.

KETSCHER   You’ll see Sazonov again.

GRANOVSKY   He’s changed.

TURGENEV   And Bakunin …

GRANOVSKY   He hasn’t, I’m afraid.

NATALIE   ‘… to travel abroad to seek medical assistance in respect of your son Nikolai Alexandrovich …’

HERZEN   (lifting her up) Paris, Natalie!

Her basket of mushrooms falls and spills.

NATALIE   (weeping with joy) … Kolya! … (Natalie runs off.)

HERZEN   Where’s Nick?

POLICEMAN   Good news, then.

Herzen takes the hint and tips him. The Policeman leaves.

NATALIE   (returning) Where’s Kolya?

HERZEN   Kolya? I don’t know. Why?

NATALIE   Where is he?

Natalie runs out, calling the name.

HERZEN   (following hurriedly) He can’t hear you …

Turgenev rushes out after them, Granovsky and Ketscher following anxiously.

After a pause, during which Natalie can be heard distantly, silence falls.

Distant thunder.