The Glebe 1914/01 (Vol. 1, No. 4): Love of One's NeighborAndreyev, Leonid
General
The Glebe 1914/01 (Vol. 1, No. 4): Love of One's Neighbor
Andreyev, Leonid
Literature, Modern -- 20th century -- Periodicals; Russian drama -- Translations into English
SECOND GIRL. Papa, Mary has closed her eyes again.
FIRST STUDENT. Let us sit down, papa! Upon my word, he won't fall
to-day. The porter told me so. I can't stand it any more. You've been
dragging us about every day from morning till night visiting art
galleries.
TOURIST. What's that? For whose benefit am I doing this? Do you think I
enjoy spending my time with a dunce?
SECOND GIRL. Papa, Mary is blinking her eyes again.
SECOND STUDENT. I can't stand it either. I have terrible dreams.
Yesterday I dreamed of garçons the whole night long.
TOURIST. Jimmie.
FIRST STUDENT. I have gotten so thin I am nothing but skin and bones. I
can't stand it any more, father. I'd rather be a farmer, or tend pigs.
TOURIST. Aleck.
FIRST STUDENT. If he were really to fall--but it's a fake. You believe
every lie told you! They all lie. Baedecker lies, too. Yes, your
Baedecker lies!
MARY (dismally). Papa, children, he's beginning to fall.
(The man on the rock shouts something down into the crowd. There is
general commotion. Voices, "Look, he's falling." Field-glasses are
raised; the photographers, violently agitated, click their cameras; the
policemen diligently clean the place where he is to fall.)
PHOTOGRAPHER. Oh, hang it! What is the matter with me? The devil! When a
man's in a hurry--
SECOND PHOTOGRAPHER. Brother, your camera is closed.
PHOTOGRAPHER. The devil take it.
VOICES. Hush! He's getting ready to fall.-- No, he's saying
something.--No, he's falling.--Hush!
UNKNOWN MAN ON THE ROCK (faintly). Save me! Save me!
TOURIST. Ah, poor young man. Mary, Jimmie, there's a tragedy for you.
The sky is clear, the weather is beautiful, and has he to fall and be
shattered to death? Can you realize how dreadful that is, Aleck?
STUDENT (wearily). Yes, I can realize it.
TOURIST. Mary, can you realize it? Imagine. There is the sky. There are
people enjoying themselves and partaking of refreshments. Everything is
so nice and pleasant, and he has to fall. What a tragedy! Do you
remember Hamlet?
SECOND GIRL (prompting). Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, of Alsinore.
JAMES. Of Helsingfors, I know. Don't bother me, father!
MARY (dismally). He dreamed about garçons all night long.
ALECK. Why don't you order sandwiches, father.
COMB-VENDER (mysteriously). Tortoise-shell. Genuine tortoise-shell.
TOURIST (credulously). Stolen?
VENDER. Why, sir, the idea!
TOURIST (angrily). Do you mean to tell me it's genuine if it isn't
stolen? Go on. Not much.
MILITARY WOMAN (amiably). Are all these your children?
TOURIST. Yes, madam. A father's duty. You see, they are protesting. It
is the eternal conflict between fathers and children. Here is such a
tragedy going on, such a heart-rending tragedy--Mary, you are blinking
your eyes again.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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