Читать книгу The Essential Russian Plays & Short Stories - Максим Горький - Страница 239

—There they are. There they are. What an honor!

—How handsome he is!

—What a manly face!

—Look! Look!

—He isn't looking at us!

—He doesn't see us!

—We are his guests!

—What an honor! What an honor!

—And his wife! Look! Look!

—How beautiful she is!

—How proud!

—I tell you, just look at her diamonds!

—Her pearls! Her pearls!

—And her rubies!

—How rich! What an honor!

—Honor! Honor! Honor!

[The same phrases are repeated again.

—Here are Man's Friends!

—Look, look, there are Man's Friends.

—Noble faces!

—Proud gait!

—They shine with the reflected splendor of his fame.

—How they love him!

—How faithful they are to him!

—What an honor to be one of Man's Friends!

—They regard everything here as their own!

—They're at home here!

—What an honor!

—Honor! Honor! Honor!

[Same phrases are repeated.

—And there are Man's Enemies!

—Look, look, Man's Enemies!

—They walk like whipped curs!

—Man has subdued them!

—He's put a muzzle on them!

—They're wagging their tails!

—They're sneaking behind one another.

—They're pushing one another.

—Ha-ha! Ha-ha!

[Everybody laughs.

—What mean faces!

—What greedy looks!

—Cowardly!

—Malevolent!

—They're afraid to look at us!

—They feel we're at home!

—Let's frighten them.

—Man'll be thankful to us for it.

—Ho-ho!

[They shout at Man's Enemies, mingling their shouts with laughter. The Enemies huddle closer together and cast sharp, timid, sideward glances.

—They're going! They're going!

—What an honor!

—They're going!

—Ho-ho! Ha-ha!

—They're gone! They're gone! They're gone!

[The procession disappears through the door on the left. A pause of silence. The music plays less loudly, and the dancers begin gradually to fill the hall.

—Where did they go?

—I believe they went to the dining-room, where supper is being served.

—I suppose they'll soon invite us in. Do you see anybody looking for us?

—Yes, it's time for supper. If you eat too late, you can't sleep well.

—I always serve supper early.

—A late supper lies heavy on your stomach.

—And the music is still playing.

—And they're still dancing.

—I wonder they don't get tired.

—How rich!

—How magnificent!

—Do you know for how many guests they have prepared the supper?

—I didn't get a chance to count all the covers. The caterer came in, and I had to get out.

—Could they possibly have forgotten us?

—Man is so proud, and we are so unimportant.

—Don't say that. My husband says we do him an honor by accepting his invitation. We are rich, too.

—When you consider the reputation of his wife—

—Do you see anyone looking for us? Maybe he's looking for us in the other rooms.

—How rich!

—If you are not careful with other people's money, it's easy to get rich, I think.

—Oh, now, it's only his enemies who say that.

—Well, after all, there are some very respectable people among them.

I must admit that my husband—

—It is late, though.

—It's clear there must be a mistake somewhere. I can't believe we've simply been forgotten.

—Evidently you know people and life very little if you think so.

—I am surprised. We are rich enough ourselves.

—It seems to me someone called us.

—You're mistaken, no one called us. I don't understand it. To be quite frank—why did we come to a house like this, with such a reputation? One should be very careful of the friends one chooses.

A LIVERIED LACKEY (appears at the door)

Man and his Wife beg the honored guests to step into the dining-room.

GUESTS (rising quickly)

—What a livery!

—He asked us to come in!

—I said there must be a mistake somewhere.

—Man is so good. I'm sure he hasn't had a chance to sit down at table himself.

—Didn't I say someone was looking for us?

—What a livery!

—They say the supper is grand.

—Everything at Man's is done in a grand style.

—What music! What an honor to be at Man's ball!

—Let those envy us who—

—How grand!

—How magnificent!

—What an honor!

[They go out one after the other, repeating the last phrases. One couple after the other stop dancing and follow the Guests in silence. For some time a single couple remain circling on the floor, but they too join the others at last. The musicians, however, continue to play, making the same desperate effort. The lackey turns out the electric lights, leaving only one light in the farthest chandelier. The figures of the musicians are vaguely seen in the dim light, swaying to and fro with their instruments. The outline of Someone in Gray is sharply visible. The flame of the candle flickers, illuminating His stony face and chin with a garish, yellow light. He turns around without raising his head, walks slowly and calmly through the whole length of the room, and disappears through the door through which Man passed out.