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 aseparate e-book;it links to the other plays in the collection.
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AKULÍNA. An old woman of seventy, brisk, dignified, old-fashioned.
MICHAEL. Her son, thirty-five years old, passionate, self-satisfied,vain and strong.
MARTHA. Her daughter-in-law, a grumbler, speaks much andrapidly.
PARÁSHKA. Ten years old, daughter of Martha and Michael.
TARÁS. The village elder's assistant, speaks slowly and giveshimself airs.
A TRAMP. Forty years old, restless, thin, speaks impressively;when drunk is particularly free and easy.
IGNÁT. Forty years old, a buffoon, merry and stupid.
THE CAUSE OF IT ALL
Autumn. A peasant's hut, with a small room partitioned off.Akulína sits spinning; Martha the housewife is kneadingbread; little Paráshka is rocking a cradle.
MARTHA. Oh dear, my heart feels heavy! I know itmeans trouble; there's nothing to keep him there. Itwill again be like the other day, when he went to townto sell the firewood and drank nearly half of it. And heblames me for everything.
AKULÍNA. Why look for trouble? It is still early, andthe town is a long way off. For the present …
MARTHA. What do you mean by early? Akímych is backalready. He started after Michael but Michael's notback yet! It's worry worry all day long; that's all thepleasure one gets.
AKULÍNA. Akímych took his load straight to a customer;but our man took his to sell at the market.
MARTHA. If he were alone I shouldn't worry, but Ignátis with him; and when he's with that lousy hound (Godforgive me!), he's sure to get drunk. Early and late onetoils and moils. Everything is on our shoulders! If oneonly got anything by it! But no! hustling about all daylong is all the pleasure one gets.
Door opens and Tarás enters with a ragged Tramp.
306TARÁS. Good day to you! I've brought a man whowants a night's lodging.[1]
TRAMP [bows] My respects to you.
MARTHA. Why do you bring them to us so often? Weput up a tramp last Wednesday night; you always bringthem to us. You should make Stepanída put them up;there ar