ANNA PÁVLOVNA. What a likeness! Isn't he a strapping fellow? If only he
has not inherited everything--his father's heart ...
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. But not his weakness.
LISA. No, everything! Victor agrees with me that if only he had been
rightly guided in childhood ...
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Well, I don't know about that; but I simply can't think
of him without tears.
LISA. No more can we. How much higher he stands now in our recollection!
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Yes, I am sure of it.
LISA. How it all seemed insoluble at one time--and then everything
suddenly came right.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. Well, Victor, did you get the wool?
KARÉNIN. Yes, I did. [Brings a bag, and takes out parcels]. Here is the
wool, and this is the eau-de-Cologne; and here are letters--one "On
Government Service" for you, Lisa [hands her a letter]. Well Anna
Pávlovna, if you want to wash your hands I will show you your room. I
must make myself tidy too; it is almost dinner time. Lisa, Anna
Pávlovna's room is the corner one downstairs, isn't it?
Lisa is pale; holds the letter in trembling hands, and reads it.
KARÉNIN. What's the matter? Lisa, what is it?
LISA. He is alive!... Oh God! When will he release me! Victor, what does
this mean? [Sobs].
KARÉNIN [Takes letter and reads] This is dreadful!
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. What is it? Why don't you tell me?
KARÉNIN. It is dreadful! He's alive, she's a bigamist, and I a
criminal! It's a notice from the Examining Magistrate--a summons for
Lisa to appear before him.
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. What a dreadful man! Why has he done this?
KARÉNIN. All lies, lies!
LISA. Oh, how I hate him! I don't know what I am saying ... [Exit in
tears. Karénin follows her].
ANNA PÁVLOVNA. How is it he's alive?
ANNA DMÍTRIEVNA. All I know is, that as soon as Victor came in contact
with this world of mud--they were sure to draw him in too! And so they
have. It's all fraud--all lies!
Curtain.
ACT VI
SCENE 1
The room of an Examining Magistrate, who sits at a table talking to
Mélnikov. At a side table a clerk is sorting papers.
EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. But I never said anything of the kind to her. She
invented it, and now reproaches me.
MÉLNIKOV. She does not reproach you, but is grieved.
EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. All right, I'll come to dinner. But now I have a
very interesting case on. [To Clerk] Ask her in.
CLERK. Shall I ask them both?
EXAMINING MAGISTRATE [finishes his cigarette and hides it] No, only Mrs.
Karénina, or rather--by her first husband--Protásova.
MÉLNIKOV [going out] Ah, Karénina!
EXAMINING MAGISTRATE. Yes, it's a nasty affair. It's true I am only
beginning to look into it, but it's a bad business. Well, good-bye!
[Exit Mélnikov].
Enter Lisa, in black and veiled.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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