[ Transcriber's Note: This e-book belongs to Tolstoy's Plays (Complete Edition). The front matter, including the table of contents, can be found in e-book #26660; it lists the other plays in the collection. Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as possible; changes (corrections of spelling and punctuation) made to the original text are listed at the end of this file. ] THE POWER OF DARKNESS OR IF A CLAW IS CAUGHT THE BIRD IS LOST A DRAMA IN FIVE ACTS (1886) CHARACTERS PETER IGNÁTITCH. A well-to-do peasant, 42 years old, married for the second time, and sickly. ANÍSYA. His wife, 32 years old, fond of dress. AKOULÍNA. Peter's daughter by his first marriage, 16 years old, hard of hearing, mentally undeveloped. NAN (ANNA PETRÓVNA). His daughter by his second marriage, 10 years old. NIKÍTA. Their labourer, 25 years old, fond of dress. AKÍM. Nikíta's father, 50 years old, a plain-looking, God-fearing peasant. MATRYÓNA. His wife and Nikíta's mother, 50 years old. MARÍNA. An orphan girl, 22 years old. MARTHA. Peter's sister. MÍTRITCH. An old labourer, ex-soldier. SIMON. Marína's husband. BRIDEGROOM. Engaged to Akoulína. IVÁN. His father. A NEIGHBOUR. FIRST GIRL. SECOND GIRL. POLICE OFFICER. DRIVER. BEST-MAN. MATCHMAKER. VILLAGE ELDER. VISITORS, WOMEN, GIRLS, AND PEOPLE come to see the wedding. N.B.--The 'oven' mentioned is the usual large, brick, Russian baking-oven. The top of it outside is flat, so that more than one person can lie on it. THE POWER OF DARKNESS ACT I The Act takes place in autumn in a large village. The Scene represents Peter's roomy hut. Peter is sitting on a wooden bench, mending a horse-collar. Anísya and Akoulína are spinning, and singing a part-song. PETER [looking out of the window] The horses have got loose again. If we don't look out they'll be killing the colt. Nikíta! Hey, Nikíta! Is the fellow deaf? [Listens. To the women] Shut up, one can't hear anything. NIKÍTA [from outside] What? PETER. Drive the horses in. NIKÍTA. We'll drive 'em in. All in good time. PETER [shaking his head] Ah, these labourers! If I were well, I'd not keep one on no account. There's nothing but bother with 'em. [Rises and sits down again] Nikíta!... It's no good shouting. One of you'd better go. Go, Akoúl, drive 'em in. AKOULÍNA. What? The horses? PETER. What else? AKOULÍNA. All right. [Exit]. PETER. Ah, but he's a loafer, that lad ... no good at all. Won't stir a finger if he can help it. ANÍSYA. You're so mighty brisk yourself. When you're not sprawling on the top of the oven you're squatting on the bench. To goad others to work is all you're fit for.