Anna enters.
BorkinWell, your wife’s here now . . . I’ll leave you to it.
Borkin leaves.
Ivanov stops near the table and stands with his bead banging down.
Anna(after a pause) What was she doing here?
Pause.
I said – what was she doing here?
IvanovDon’t ask me to explain, Anyuta.
Pause.
She’s not to blame. You can make me pay any way you like, I won’t complain . . . but don’t ask me about her, I haven’t the strength.
Anna(angrily) Why did she come here?
Pause.
So now I know. Now at last I know what kind of man you are. A man without honour. Everything you told me about truth and goodness and your high-minded plans was a lie, and I believed every word . . .
IvanovAnyuta, I have never lied to you.
AnnaI’ve lived with you for five years, I’ve been sick with anguish about giving up my faith, but I loved you and never stopped loving you for a single minute. I idolised you. And all for what? You were deceiving me the whole time and not caring who knew it.
IvanovAnyuta, don’t say things which aren’t true. I made mistakes, I know, but I’ve never told a lie in my life . . . Don’t you dare accuse me of that.
AnnaEverything’s clear now. You married me thinking my parents would forgive me and you’d get a large dowry – that’s what you thought.
IvanovOh God, not you too!
AnnaBe quiet! When you realised there wasn’t going to be any money . . . you had to think again . . . I can see it all now. (Weeps.) You never loved me and were never faithful to me – never! . . .
IvanovAnna, that’s not true! Say anything you like, but don’t insult my honour with these lies.
AnnaYou have no honour to insult, you’re a swine. You owe money to Lebedev and to get out of paying you’re trying to seduce his daughter – to deceive her just like you deceived me. That’s the truth, isn’t it?
IvanovStop it, for God’s sake! I won’t answer you, you’re making me so angry I’ll say something I’ll wish I hadn’t.
AnnaIt’s not just me you’ve managed to fool –
IvanovAnna, please stop it –
AnnaAll those shady deals you blame on Borkin –
IvanovLeave me alone or I won’t be responsible for what I say –
AnnaIt wasn’t Borkin –
IvanovI mean it, I’m just about ready to –
AnnaIt was you all the time –
IvanovOh, shut up, you silly yid, just –
AnnaNo, I won’t shut up! It’s too late for that –
IvanovWon’t you? Oh – God –
Anna– so you might as well go over to the Lebedevs and carry on making a fool of him –
Ivanov(cries out) What do you care?! – You’re a dead woman! The doctor says you’ll be dead before . . . before . . .
Anna sits down. Her voice drops.
AnnaWhen did he say that?
Pause.
IvanovThat’s the worst thing I’ve ever done.
Ivanov sobs.
End of Act Three.
* The re-entrance of Pyotr with the onion pasties – though at a later moment in the scene – was the irresistible innovation of David Hare’s translation for Jonathan Kent’s production of Ivanov at the Almeida Theatre, London (1997).
Act Four
A year later.
A reception room in the Lebedev house, decorated for a wedding party. There is an upright piano, and on it a violin and a cello by the piano. Guests can be heard and seen, coming and going in the background.
Lvov enters, looks at his pocket watch.
Lvov(aside) It’s gone four. It’ll be time for the blessing, then off to the altar. The triumph of virtue. Ivanov and the Lebedev girl, of course. He got nothing out of the first one, and now it’s the next one’s turn to be robbed and sent to her grave. The same old story of grab what you can. He’s beside himself with happiness. He’ll live comfortably to a ripe old age and die with a clear conscience. Well, not if I have anything to do with it. Once I’ve torn away the mask and people see what kind of jackal he is, he’ll go from seventh heaven into the pit where all the powers of hell can’t drag him out. As an honest man, it’s my duty to say ‘enough’, and open people’s eyes. So I’ll do my duty and get out of this horrible district first thing tomorrow. (Thinks for a moment.) But how? Tell the Lebedevs what I know? Pointless. Challenge him to a duel? Make a scene? God, I’m feeling as nervous as a schoolboy. I can’t think straight. So what’s it to be? A duel?
Kosykh enters.
Kosykh(to Lvov) Yesterday I declared a small slam in clubs and made a grand slam! Only, Barabanov made a mess of it again. We play. I bid: no trumps. He passes. Two no trumps. He passes. I go two diamonds . . .
LvovI’m sorry, I don’t play cards so I can’t share your pleasure. Is it nearly time for the blessing?
KosykhIt must be. They’re trying to talk sense into Zyuzyushka. She’s having a weeping fit.
LvovLosing her daughter?
KosykhNo, the dowry. And she’s extremely pissed off about him getting off paying what he owes her, now he’s going to be her son-in-law.
Babakina enters, dressed up to the nines. She self-importantly passes across the stage past Lvov and Kosykh, who laughs into his fist. She looks round.
BabakinaGrow up!
Kosykh prods her waist with his finger and laughs out loud.
Oaf!
She continues out.
Kosykh(laughs) The old girl’s never been the same since she got her sights on being a countess. She’s off her chump, you can’t go near her now. (Mimics.) ’Oaf!’
Lvov(agitated) Tell me, what’s your opinion of Ivanov?
KosykhUseless. Plays like a blacksmith. Take what happened last year – me, the Count, Borkin and him. I’m dealing –
Lvov(interrupting) Is he a good person?
KosykhIvanov? The morals of a magpie. He and the Count are birds of a feather. They’ll take anything there for the taking. With the Jewess he got less than he bargained for, so now he’s making his move for Zina’s cash box. Sasha’ll end up begging in the street within a year, the devil take me if I’m wrong. Ivanov will stitch up Zyuzyushka, and the same thing with the Count and Babakina. They’ll take the money and live like lords. You’ve gone pale – are you all right? You look terrible.
LvovIt’s nothing, I drank too much yesterday, that’s all.
Lebedev enters with Sasha.
LebedevCome in here, Sasha, where we can talk. (To Lvov and Kosykh.) Go and join the ladies, you two, we need to talk in private.