Turgenev returns to pondering the book. Emma enters. She, too, is in military mode, with a red, black and gold cockade. She is accompanied by a small shop boy in the livery of a fashionable store, who is burdened with elegantly wrapped parcels. He may have a small pushcart in the same livery.
MARX (intervening sternly) Just a moment, Herwegh!
Then Marx sees Emma.
EMMA I’ve got provisions for the march, my angel—the most wonderful little meat pasties from Chevet, and a turkey stuffed with truffles—
MARX Scoundrel!
EMMA He’s got to eat, Karl. Come with us to the Champs Élysées—George is going to review the troops!
Marx is now beside himself with rage. He pursues the Herweghs out.
MARX Adventurist! By what right do you interfere in the economic struggle with this diversionary folly?
EMMA Don’t take any notice of him, darling.
MARX Victory in Europe will be decided between the proletariat and the bourgeoisie!—only ceaseless propaganda and agitation …
The shop boy follows Marx and the Herweghs out.
TURGENEV (thoughtfully) ‘A spook … a spectre …’
BAKUNIN (transported) This is what it was all for, from the beginning … studying Kant, Schelling, Fichte … with Stankevich and Belinsky … with you in Berlin, do you remember, you in your lilac waistcoat, I in my green, walking down Unter den Linden talking furiously about the spirit of history …
TURGENEV (jogged) ‘A spirit … a spirit is haunting Europe …’
BAKUNIN We were on a journey to this moment. Revolution is the Absolute we pursued at Premukhino, the Universal which contains all the opposites and resolves them. It’s where we were always going.
TURGENEV (taps the book, triumphantly satisfied) ‘A hobgoblin is stalking around Europe—the hobgoblin of Communism!’
He closes the book, looks up and ‘shoots’ twice.
Natalie and NATALIE (NATASHA) TUCHKOV, aged nineteen, enter rapidly in high spirits. Natasha’s hair is wet. Natalie has a tricolour wrapped round her as a shawl.
NATALIE Vive la République! Vive la République!
The two women have entered the next scene.
15 MAY 1848
A different apartment, near the newly completed Arc de Triomphe. Herzen is with Kolya, holding Kolya’s palms to his—Herzen’s—face.
HERZEN Vive la République, Kol-ya! (to Natalie) Where did you get that?
NATASHA Everybody’s wearing them!
Natalie and Natasha are in a state of ecstatic, romantic friendship in which everything is joyous or hilarious or soulful.
NATALIE It’s a present for you from Natasha.
HERZEN Well … thank you.
Natalie removes the ‘shawl’ and presents it to Herzen, leaving herself déshabillée but only her shoulders and arms actually bare.
HERZEN (cont.) But you’ve got no clothes on.
NATASHA I’m wearing them!
NATALIE Poor darling, she arrived wet through, so I said—
NATASHA ‘Take off your clothes! At once!’
NATALIE I made her put on my dress.
HERZEN Of course. I had no idea you had only one dress. In fact, my impression was that you had a dress shop …
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.