Page:Complete Works of Count Tolstoy - 18.djvu/209

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THE FRUITS OF ENLIGHTENMENT

ACT I.

The stage represents the antechamber of a rich house in Moscow. Three doors the outer, into Leónid Fédorovich's private cabin, and into Vasíli Leonídych's room. A staircase leading to the upper rooms; back of it, a passage to the butler's pantry.

Scene I. Grigóri (a young, handsome lackey, looking in the mirror and primping himself).

Grigóri. I am sorry for my moustache. She says a moustache is not good for a lackey. Why? That you may see that I am a lackey, or else I might look finer than her darling son. Who is he, anyway? Even though I am without a moustache, he can't come up to me— (Looking in the mirror, smiling.) What a lot of women are after me! But I do not like any of them as much as Tánya— A simple chambermaid, yes, but she is finer than any lady! (Smiling.) And so sweet! (Listening.) There she is herself! (Smiling.) Just hear her strike the floor with her heels! Whew!

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