BELINSKY Our problem is feudalism and serfdom. What have these Western models got to do with us? We’re so big and backward!
TURGENEV (to Belinsky) My mother’s estate is ten times the size of Fourier’s model society.
BELINSKY I’m sick of Utopias. I’m tired of hearing about them.
Simultaneously with the above dialogue:
BAKUNIN The Poles should go in with the Slavs. Nationalism is the only movement that’s reached a revolutionary stage. A rising of all the Slav nations! Let me finish! Three necessary conditions—break up the Austrian Empire—politicise the peasants—organise the working class!
SAZONOV (talking over Bakunin) Some of the Poles think you’re a Tsarist agent. The French despise the Germans, the Germans distrust the French, the Austrians can’t agree with the Italians, the Italians can’t agree among themselves … but everybody hates the Russians.
Simultaneously with the above, the Servant enters to talk to Herzen.
HERZEN (to George) Du riechst wie eine ganze Parfumerie. [You smell like a perfume shop.]
GEORGE Wir haben der Welt Eau de Cologne und Goethe geschenkt. [Eau de cologne and Goethe, we gave to the world.]
SERVANT (to Herzen) Il y a deux messieurs en bas, Monsieur le Baron, qui retiennent deux fiacres. [There’s two gentlemen downstairs, Baron, keeping on two cabs.]
HERZEN Allez les aider à descendre leurs baggages. [Please help with the luggage.]
SERVANT Hélas, c’est mon moment de repos—c’est l’heure du café. [It’s my time to go to the café, alas.]
HERZEN Bien. C’est entendu. [Of course. I quite understand.]
SERVANT Merci, Monsieur le Baron. [Thank you, Baron.]
The Servant leaves.
NATALIE (talking over the above) And Heine!
EMMA Und Herwegh!
NATALIE Yes! Yes!
EMMA Du bist so bescheiden und grosszuegig. Schreibst du bald ein neues Gedicht? [You’re so modest and generous. Are you going to write a new poem soon?]
GEORGE Ich hasse solche Fragen! [I hate you asking me that!]
EMMA Verzeihg mir—sonst weine ich. [Forgive me—don’t make me cry!]
Kolya enters in search of his top. All the conversations cut off into silence simultaneously, but ‘continue.’
Turgenev and Belinsky are finally interrupted by Herzen (see reprise at end of Act One), signalling a general break-up and exodus, still ‘silent.’
Turgenev and Sazonov help Belinsky with his valise and parcels.
Kolya is left alone.
There is distant thunder, which Kolya doesn’t hear. Then there is a roll of thunder nearer. Kolya looks around, aware of something.
There is the growing sound of a roaring multitude, of rifle fire, shouting, singing, drumming … and a female voice, representing the famous actress Rachel, singing ‘The Marseillaise.’
Red banners and the Tricolour.
Natalie enters, picks up Kolya and takes him out.
[The monarchy of Louis Philippe fell on 24 February 1848.]
MARCH 1848
Exterior (Place de la Concorde).
[Herzen’s memoirs: These were the happiest days of Bakunin’s life.]
Bakunin flourishes a huge red banner on a pole. He has just encountered KARL MARX, aged thirty. Marx is carrying a yellow-wrapped book, The Communist Manifesto. Turgenev is gazing around in astonishment. A pigeon evidently excretes onto his head. He reacts.
BAKUNIN Marx! Who’d have thought it?!
MARX It was bound to happen. I was expecting it.
BAKUNIN Why didn’t you tell me? All our lives we’ll remember where we were when France became a republic again!
MARX I was in Brussels, waiting for the first copy of The Communist Manifesto to come from the printer …
BAKUNIN I was in Brussels, too, waiting for La Réforme to arrive with my open letter to the French government …
TURGENEV No! I was in Brussels! … The Barber of Seville … Can I have a look?
Marx gives him the book.
BAKUNIN I’ve been on my feet twenty hours a day—
MARX Minister Flocon said that with three hundred more like you …
BAKUNIN … preaching rebellion, destruction …
MARX … France would be ungovernable.
BAKUNIN I’ve been living in barracks with the Republican Guard. You won’t believe this, but it’s the first time I’ve actually met anyone from the working class.
MARX Really? What are they like?
BAKUNIN I’ve never come across such nobility.
TURGENEV (reading) ‘A ghost is going round Europe—the ghost of Communism!’
BAKUNIN A Polish National Committee has already been set up in Prussian Poland to plan the invasion of Russia. I’ve got to get there. Turgenev, this is the last thing I’ll ever ask of you—
TURGENEV Ask Flocon.
BAKUNIN You think the Provisional Government will give me the money to go to Poland?
TURGENEV I’m certain of it.
MARX (to Turgenev) You’re a writer. Do you think there’s something funny about ‘the ghost of Communism’? I don’t want it to sound as if Communism is dead.
Herwegh enters in red, black and gold military uniform.
BAKUNIN Herwegh!
MARX (to Turgenev) Do you know English?
TURGENEV Fairly well. Let me see … (in ‘English’) ‘A ghost … a phantom is walking around Europe …’
HERWEGH (somewhat embarrassed) What do you think?
BAKUNIN Nice. Are you a mason?
HERWEGH No—I’m in command of a brigade of German Democratic Exiles. We’re going to march on Baden!
BAKUNIN March all the way to Germany?
HERWEGH No, no, we’re going to the frontier by train—I’ve got six hundred tickets.
TURGENEV Did Flocon give you the money?
HERWEGH Yes, how did you know?
BAKUNIN Wonderful!
HERWEGH It was Emma’s idea.
TURGENEV I knew you weren’t really a poet. Only a poet. Have you had any military experience?
HERWEGH Emma says whether you’re a poet or a revolutionary, genius is genius.
BAKUNIN She’s right. Look at Byron.
HERWEGH Byron wrote far too much, actually.