The Power of Darkness

friend, I was that sick⁠—that sick of my life! It’s not as if I didn’t love him. Neighbour That goes without saying. Anísya Ah, how hard it is to bear such treatment from him! Oh, how it hurts! Neighbour Yes, and I’ve heard say he’s becoming too free with his fists? Anísya And that too! There was a time when he was gentle when he’d had a drop. He used to hit out before, but of me he was always fond! But now when he’s in a temper he goes for me and is ready to trample me under his feet. The other day he got both hands entangled in my hair so that I could hardly get away. And the girl’s worse than a serpent; it’s a wonder the earth bears such furies. Neighbour Ah, ah, my dear, now I look at you, you are a sufferer! To suffer like that is no joke. To have given shelter to a beggar, and he to lead you such a dance! Why don’t you pull in the reins? Anísya Ah, but my dear, if it weren’t for my heart! Him as is gone was stern enough, still I could twist him about any way I liked; but with this one I can do nothing. As soon as I see him all my anger goes. I haven’t a grain of courage before him; I go about like a drowned hen. Neighbour Ah, neighbour, you must be under a spell. I’ve heard that Matryóna goes in for that sort of thing. It must be her. Anísya Yes, dear; I think so myself sometimes. Gracious me, how hurt I feel at times! I’d like to tear him to pieces. But when I set eyes on him, my heart won’t go against him. Neighbour It’s plain you’re bewitched. It don’t take long to blight a body. There now, when I look at you, what you have dwindled to! Anísya Growing a regular spindle-shanks. And just look at that fool Akoulína. Wasn’t the girl a regular untidy slattern, and just look at her now! Where has it all come from? Yes, he has fitted her out. She’s grown so smart, so puffed up, just like a bubble that’s ready to burst. And, though she’s a fool, she’s got it into her head, “I’m the mistress,” she says; “the house is mine; it’s me father wanted him to marry.” And she’s that vicious! Lord help us, when she gets into a rage she’s ready to tear the thatch off the house. Neighbour Oh dear, what a life yours is, now I come to look at you. And yet there’s people envying you: “They’re rich,” they say; but it seems that gold don’t keep tears from falling. Anísya Much reason for envy indeed! And the riches, too, will soon be made ducks and drakes of. Dear me, how he squanders money! Neighbour But how’s it, dear, you’ve been so simple to give up the money? It’s yours. Anísya Ah, if you knew all! The thing is that I’ve made one little mistake. Neighbour Well, if I were you, I’d go straight and have the law of him. The money’s yours; how dare he squander it? There’s no such rights. Anísya They don’t pay heed to that nowadays. Neighbour Ah, my dear, now I come to look at you, you’ve got that weak. Anísya Yes, quite weak, dear, quite weak. He’s got me into a regular fix. I don’t myself know anything. Oh, my poor head! Neighbour Listening. There’s someone coming, I think. The door opens and Akím enters. Akím Crosses himself, knocks the snow off his feet, and takes off his coat. Peace be to this house! How do you do? Are you well, daughter? Anísya How d’you do, father? Do you come straight from home? Akím I’ve been a-thinking, I’ll go and see what’s name, go to see my son, I mean⁠—my son. I didn’t start early⁠—had my dinner, I mean; I went, and it’s so what d’you call it⁠—so snowy, hard walking, and so there I’m what d’you call it⁠—late, I mean. And my son⁠—is he at home? At home? My son, I mean. Anísya No; he’s gone to the town. Akím Sits down on a bench. I’ve some business with him, d’you see, some business, I mean. I told him t’other day, told him I was in need⁠—told him, I mean, that our horse was done for, our horse, you see. So we must what d’ye call it, get a horse, I mean, some kind of a horse, I mean. So there, I’ve come, you see. Anísya Nikíta told me. When he comes back you’ll have a talk. Goes to the oven. Have some supper now, and he’ll soon come. Mítritch, eh Mítritch, come have your supper. Mítritch Oh Lord! merciful Nicholas! Anísya Come to supper. Neighbour I shall go now. Good night. Exit. Mítritch Gets down from the oven. I never noticed how I fell asleep. Oh Lord! gracious Nicholas! How d’you do, Daddy Akím? Akím Ah, Mítritch! What are you, what d’ye call it, I mean?⁠ ⁠… Mítritch Why, I’m working for your son, Nikíta. Akím Dear me! What d’ye call⁠ ⁠… working for my son, I mean. Dear me! Mítritch I was living with a tradesman in town, but drank all I had there. Now I’ve come back to the village. I’ve no home, so I’ve gone into service. Gapes. Oh Lord! Akím But how’s that, what d’you call it, or what’s name, Nikíta, what does he do? Has he some business, I mean besides, that he should hire a labourer, a labourer I mean, hire a labourer? Anísya What business should he have? He used to manage, but now he’s other things on his mind, so he’s hired a labourer. Mítritch Why shouldn’t he, seeing he has money? Akím Now that’s what d’you call it, that’s wrong, I mean, quite wrong, I mean. That’s spoiling oneself. Anísya Oh, he has got spoilt, that spoilt, it’s just awful. Akím There now, what d’you call it, one thinks how to make things better, and it gets worse I mean. Riches spoil a man, spoil, I