The Storm

VARVARA. I didn't know you were so afraid of a thunderstorm. I'm not afraid, you see.

KATERINA. Don't talk of not being afraid! Everyone must be afraid. What is dreadful is not it's killing you, but that death may overtake you all of a sudden, just as you are, with all your sins, with all your erring thoughts. I have no fear of death, but when I think that I shall be brought all at once before the face of God just as I am here, with you, after this talk,—that's what is awful! What I had in my heart! What wickedness! fearful to think of! (Thunder.) Ah!

[Enter Kabanov.

VARVARA.

Here comes my brother. (To Kabanov) Hurry up!

[Thunder.

KATERINA.

Ah! Make haste! Make haste!

ACT II

SCENE I

A room in the house of the Kabanovs.

GLASHA (packing up clothes in a bundle).

Enter FEKLUSHA.

FEKLUSHA.

Dear girl, always at work! What are you doing, my dear?

GLASHA.

I'm getting the master's things ready for his journey.

FEKLUSHA.

Is he going away then—the light of our eyes?

GLASHA.

Yes.

FEKLUSHA.

Is he going to be away long, my dear?

GLASHA.

No, not long.

FEKLUSHA. Well, God speed him on his way! And say, will the young mistress do a wail for his going or not?

GLASHA.

That I can't say, really.

FEKLUSHA.

But she does wail at times, I suppose?

GLASHA.

Never heard of her doing it.

FEKLUSHA. Well now, my dear, if there's one thing I love, it's to hear a wail well done! (Silence.) And mind you keep a sharp look out, my girl, on the beggar woman below, that she don't lay her hands on anything.

GLASHA. Who's to tell the rights and wrongs of it with you begging pilgrims, you all speak ill of one another. Why can't you live and let live? I should have thought you wandering women get plenty in our house all of you, and yet you must always be quarrelling and nagging at each other. Aren't you afraid of such sin?

FEKLUSHA. One can't be without sin, my good girl; we live in the world. I'll tell you what, my dear; you, simple folk, are tempted of one devil, but we pilgrim folk are beset, one with six, another with twelve devils; and here we have to struggle against all at once. It's a hard fight, my dear, a hard fight!

GLASHA.

Why is it you have such a lot?

FEKLUSHA. Ah, my good girl, that comes of the hatred the evil one has for us, because we lead a life of such holiness. But I can't say, my dear, that I'm one to gossip; that's not a sin of mine. One failing I have, truly; I know myself what it is. I love dainty eating. Well, well, the Lord in His mercy provides according to my weakness.

GLASHA.

And have you travelled far in your wanderings, Feklusha?

FEKLUSHA. No, my dear, owing to my weakness, I've never gone far away; but many a thing I've heard. They do say, my dear, there are countries where there are no Tsars of the true faith, but Sultans rule the lands. In one land there is the Sultan Mahnoot the Turk on the throne—and in another the Sultan Mahnoot the Persian. And they rule, my good girl, over all men, and whatever they decree it's always unrighteous. And they cannot, my dear, judge righteously in any one thing, such is the ban laid upon them. We have a just law, but they, my dear, an unjust law. Everything that is one way in our land is the very opposite in theirs. And all the judges with them, in their countries, are unjust too, so that, do you know, my girl, they even write in their petitions: "judge me, unjust judge!" And there is a country too where all the men have the heads of dogs.

GLASHA.

How do they come to have dogs' heads?

FEKLUSHA. For their infidelity. I am going off on my rounds among the merchant gentry, my dear, to see if there won't be some alms for poverty. Good-bye for the present!

GLASHA. Good-bye! (Exit Feklusha.) Only fancy that there are lands like that! There's no end to the marvels in the world. And here we sit at home and know nothing. A good thing it is to be sure, that there are pious folk; from time to time one hears what is being done in the light of day; if it weren't for them, we should live and die in our foolishness.

Enter Katerina and Varvara.

SCENE II

KATERINA and VARVARA.

VARVARA (to Glasha).

Carry the bundles down to the chaise, the horses are at the door. (To

Katerina) You were married off young, and you never had any fun when you

were a girl; and so your heart is restless still.

[Glasha goes out.

KATERINA.

And it always will be.

VARVARA.

Why?

KATERINA. I have been like that from my birth up, full of fire! I was only six years old, when do you know what I did? They offended me somehow at home,—it was in the evening and quite dark—I ran away to the Volga, and got into a boat, and pushed it off from the bank. They found me next morning, ten miles down the river.

VARVARA.

Really! And were there any men in love with you, as a girl?

KATERINA.

Of course there were!

VARVARA.

Well? And didn't you care for anyone?

KATERINA.

No, I only laughed at them.

VARVARA.