Leo Tolstoy Archive
Written: 1890
Source: Original Text from TheAnarchistLibrary.org
Transcription/Markup: Andy Carloff
Online Source: RevoltLib.com; 2021
Room in Hospital. Head Doctor, Assistant Doctor, an Officer-Patient in a dressing-gown, and two Warders wearing blouses.
PATIENT. I tell you that you are only leading me to perdition. I have already several times felt quite well.
HEAD DOCTOR. You must not get excited. I should be glad to sign an order for you to leave the hospital, but you know yourself that liberty is dangerous for you. If I were sure that you would be looked after …
PATIENT. You think I should take to drink again? No, I have had my lesson, but every extra day I spend here only does me harm. You are doing [gets excited] the opposite of what you ought to do. You are cruel. It’s all very well for you!
HEAD DOCTOR. Don’t get excited. [Makes a sign to Warders; who come up from behind].
PATIENT. It’s easy for you to argue, being at liberty; but how about us who are kept among madmen! [To Warders] What are you after? Be off!
HEAD DOCTOR. I beg of you to be calm.
PATIENT. But I beg and I demand that you set me free. [Yells, and rushes at the Doctor, but the Warders seize him. A struggle; after which he is taken out].
ASSISTANT DOCTOR. There! Now it has begun again. He nearly got at you that time.
HEAD DOCTOR. Alcoholic … nothing can be done. But there is some improvement.
Enter Adjutant.
ADJUTANT. How d’you do.
HEAD DOCTOR. Good morning!
ADJUTANT. I have brought you an interesting fellow, a 392certain Prince Cheremshánov, who has been conscripted, but on religious grounds refuses to serve. He was sent to the Gendarmes, but they say he does not come within their jurisdiction, not being a political conspirator. The Priest exhorted him, but also without effect.
HEAD DOCTOR [laughing] And then as usual you bring him to us, as the highest Court of Appeal. Well, let’s have him.
Exit Assistant Doctor.
ADJUTANT. He is said to be a highly educated young man, and he is engaged to a rich girl. It’s extraordinary! I really consider this is the right place for him!
HEAD DOCTOR. Yes, it’s a mania.
Borís is brought in.
HEAD DOCTOR. Glad to see you. Please take a seat and let’s have a chat. [To Adjutant] Please leave us. [Exit Adjutant].
BORÍS. I should like to ask you, if possible, if you mean to lock me up somewhere, to be so good as to do it quickly and let me rest.
HEAD DOCTOR. Excuse me, we must keep the rules. Only a few questions. What do you feel? What are you suffering from?
BORÍS. Nothing. I am perfectly well.
HEAD DOCTOR. Yes, but you are not behaving like other people.
BORÍS. I am behaving as my conscience demands.
HEAD DOCTOR. Well, you see you have refused to perform your military service. On what grounds do you do so?
BORÍS. I am a Christian, and therefore cannot commit murder.
HEAD DOCTOR. But one must defend one’s country from her foes, and keep those who want to destroy the social order from evil-doing.
BORÍS. No one is attacking our country; and there are 393more among the governors who destroy social order, than there are among those whom they oppress.
HEAD DOCTOR. Yes? But what do you mean by that?
BORÍS. I mean this: the chief cause of evil—vódka—is sold by the Government; false and fraudulent religion is also fostered by the Government; and this military service which they demand of me—and which is the chief means of demoralizing the people—is also demanded by the Government.
HEAD DOCTOR. Then, in your opinion, Government and the State are unnecessary.
BORÍS. That I don’t know; but I know for certain that I must take no part in evil-doing.
HEAD DOCTOR. But what is to become of the world? Is not our reason given in order to enable us to look ahead.
BORÍS. It is also given in order to enable us to see that social order should not be maintained by violence, but by goodness; and that one man’s refusal to participate in evil cannot be at all dangerous.
HEAD DOCTOR. Well now, allow me to examine you a bit. Will you have the goodness to lie down? [Begins touching him] You feel no pain here?
BORÍS. No.
HEAD DOCTOR. Nor here?
BORÍS. No.
HEAD DOCTOR. Take a deep breath, please. Now don’t breathe. Now allow me [takes out a measure and measures forehead and nose]. Now be so good as to shut your eyes and walk.
BORÍS. Are you not ashamed to do all this?
HEAD DOCTOR. What do you mean?
BORÍS. All this nonsense? You know that I am quite well and that I am sent here because I refuse to take part in their evil deeds, and because they have no answer to give to the truth I told them; and that is why they 394pretend to think me mad. And you co-operate with them. It is horrid and it is shameful. Don’t do it!
HEAD DOCTOR. Then you don’t wish to walk?
BORÍS. No, I don’t. You may torture me, but you must do it yourself; I won’t help you. [Hotly] Let me alone! [The Doctor presses button of bell. Enter two Warders].
HEAD DOCTOR. Don’t get excited. I quite understand that your nerves are strained. Will you please go to your ward?
Enter Assistant Doctor.
ASSISTANT DOCTOR. Some visitors have just come to see Cheremshánov.
BORÍS. Who are they?
ASSISTANT DOCTOR. Sarýntsov and his daughter.
BORÍS. I should like to see them.
HEAD DOCTOR. There is no reason why you shouldn’t. Ask them in. You may see them here. [Exit, followed by Assistant and Warders].
Enter Nicholas Ivánovich and Lyúba. The Princess looks in at the door and says, “Go in, I’ll come later.”
LYÚBA [goes straight to Borís, takes his head in her hands and kisses him] Poor Borís.
BORÍS. No, don’t pity me. I feel so well, so joyful, so light. How d’you do. [Kisses Nicholas Ivánovich].
NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. I have come to say chiefly one thing to you. First of all, in such affairs it is worse to overdo it than not to do enough. And in this matter you should do as is said in the Gospels, and not think beforehand, “I shall say this, or do that”: “When they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaketh in you.” That is to say, do not act because you have reasoned out beforehand that you should do so and so, but act only when your whole being feels that you cannot act otherwise.
BORÍS. I have done so. I did not think I should refuse 395to serve; but when I saw all this fraud, those Mirrors of Justice, those Documents, the Police and Officers smoking, I could not help saying what I did. I was frightened, but only till I had begun, after that it was all so simple and joyful.
Lyúba sits down and cries.
NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. Above all, do nothing for the sake of being praised, or to gain the approval of those whose opinion you value. For myself I can say definitely, that if you take the oath at once, and enter the service, I shall love and esteem you not less but more than before; because not the things that take place in the external world are valuable, but that which goes on within the soul.
BORÍS. Of course, for what happens within the soul must make a change in the outside world.
NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. Well, I have said my say. Your mother is here. She is terribly upset. If you can do what she asks, do it—that is what I wished to say to you.
From the corridor outside hysterical weeping is heard. A Lunatic rushes in, followed by Warders who drag him out again.
LYÚBA. How terrible! And you will be kept here? [Weeps].
BORÍS. I am not afraid of it, I’m afraid of nothing now! I feel so happy, the only thing I fear is what you feel about it. Do help me; I am sure you will!
LYÚBA. Can I be glad about it?
NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. Not glad, that is impossible. I myself am not glad. I suffer on his account and would gladly take his place, but though I suffer I yet know that it is well.
LYÚBA. It may be well; but when will they set him free?
BORÍS. No one knows. I do not think of the future. The present is so good, and you can make it still better.
396 Enter the Princess, his mother.
PRINCESS. I can wait no longer! [To Nicholas Ivánovich] Well, have you persuaded him? Does he agree? Bórya, my darling, you understand, don’t you, what I suffer? For thirty years I have lived but for you; rearing you, rejoicing in you. And now when everything has been done and is complete—you suddenly renounce everything. Prison and disgrace! Oh no! Bórya!
BORÍS. Mama! Listen to me.
PRINCESS [to Nicholas Ivánovich] Why do you say nothing? You have ruined him, it is for you to persuade him. It’s all very well for you! Lyúba, do speak to him!
LYÚBA. I cannot!
BORÍS. Mama, do understand that there are things that are as impossible as flying; and I cannot serve in the army.
PRINCESS. You think that you can’t! Nonsense. Everybody has served and does serve. You and Nicholas Ivánovich have invented some new sort of Christianity which is not Christianity, but a devilish doctrine to make everybody suffer!
BORÍS. As is said in the Gospels!
PRINCESS. Nothing of the kind, or if it is, then all the same it is stupid. Darling, Bórya, have pity on me. [Throws herself on his neck, weeps] My whole life has been nothing but sorrow. There was but one ray of joy, and you are turning it into torture. Bórya—have pity on me!
BORÍS. Mama, this is terribly hard on me. But I cannot explain it to you.
PRINCESS. Come now, don’t refuse—say you will serve!
NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH. Say you will think it over—and do think it over.
BORÍS. Very well then. But you too, Mama, should have pity on me. It is hard on me too. [Cries are again heard from the corridor]. You know I’m in a lunatic asylum, and might really go mad.
397 Enter Head Doctor.
HEAD DOCTOR. Madam, this may have very bad consequences. Your son is in a highly excited condition. I think we must put an end to this interview. You may call on visiting days—Thursdays and Sundays. Please come to see him before twelve o’clock.
PRINCESS. Very well, very well, I will go. Bórya, good-bye! Think it over. Have pity on me and meet me next Thursday with good news!
NICHOLAS IVÁNOVICH [shaking hands with Borís] Think it over with God’s help, and as if you knew you were to die to-morrow. Only so will you decide rightly. Good-bye.
BORÍS [approaching Lyúba] And what do you say to me?
LYÚBA. I cannot lie; and I do not understand why you should torment yourself and everybody. I do not understand—and can say nothing. [Ges out weeping. Exeunt all except Borís].
BORÍS [alone] Oh how hard it is! Oh, how hard, Lord help me! [Prays].
Enter Warders with dressing-gown.
WARDER. Please change.
Borís puts on dressing-gown.
Curtain.