The First Scene - Page 2

lounging on
an ottoman between his end of the table and the door, very sulky
and dissatisfied, perhaps because he is preoccupied with his
papers and his brandy bottle, and she can see nothing of him but
his broad back.

There is a screen behind the ottoman.

An old soldier, a Cossack sergeant, enters.

THE SERGEANT [softly to the lady, holding the door handle].
Little darling honey, is his Highness the prince very busy?

VARINKA. His Highness the prince is very busy. He is singing out
of tune; he is biting his nails; he is scratching his head; he is
hitching up his untidy stockings; he is making himself disgusting
and odious to everybody; and he is pretending to read state
papers that he does not understand because he is too lazy and
selfish to talk and be companionable.

PATIOMKIN [growls; then wipes his nose with his dressing-gown]!!

VARINKA. Pig. Ugh! [She curls herself up with a shiver of disgust
and retires from the conversation.]

THE SERGEANT [stealing across to the coat, and picking it up to
replace it on the back of the chair]. Little Father, the English
captain, so highly recommended to you by old Fritz of Prussia, by
the English ambassador, and by Monsieur Voltaire (whom [crossing
himself] may God in his infinite mercy damn eternally!), is in
the antechamber and desires audience.

PATIOMKIN [deliberately]. To hell with the English captain; and
to hell with old Fritz of Prussia; and to hell with the English
ambassador; and to hell with Monsieur Voltaire; and to hell with
you too!

THE SERGEANT. Have mercy on me, Little Father. Your head is bad
this morning. You drink too much French brandy and too little
good Russian kvass.

PATIOMKIN [with sudden fury]. Why are visitors of consequence
announced by a sergeant? [Springing at him and seizing him by the
throat.] What do you mean by this, you hound? Do you want five
thousand blows of the stick? Where is General Volkonsky?

THE SERGEANT [on his knees]. Little Father, you kicked his
Highness downstairs.

PATIOMKIN [flinging him dawn and kicking him]. You lie, you dog.
You lie.

THE SERGEANT. Little Father, life is hard for the poor. If you
say it is a lie, it is a lie. He FELL downstairs. I picked him
up; and he kicked me. They all kick me when you kick them. God
knows that is not just, Little Father!

PATIOMKIN [laughs ogreishly; then returns to his place at the
table, chuckling]!!!

VARINKA. Savage! Boot! It is a disgrace. No wonder the French
sneer at us as barbarians.

THE SERGEANT [who has crept round the table to the screen, and
insinuated himself between Patiomkin's back and Varinka]. Do you
think the Prince will see the captain,