ghosts！　The　shivers　are　running　up　and　down　my　back。　＇Calls＇
  Yegorka！　Petrushka！　Where　are　you　both？　What　on　earth　makes　me
  think　of　such　gruesome　things　here？　I　must　give　up　drinking；　I'm
  an　old　man；　I　shan't　live　much　longer。　At　sixty…eight　people　go
  to　church　and　prepare　for　death；　but　here　I　amheavens！　A
  profane　old　drunkard　in　this　fool's　dressI'm　simply　not　fit　to
  look　at。　I　must　go　and　change　it　at　once。。。。　This　is　a　dreadful
  place；　I　should　die　of　fright　sitting　here　all　night。　＇Goes
  toward　his　dressing…room；　at　the　same　time　NIKITA　IVANITCH　in　a
  long　white　coat　comes　out　of　the　dressing…room　at　the　farthest
  end　of　the　stage。　SVIETLOVIDOFF　sees　IVANITCHshrieks　with
  terror　and　steps　back＇　Who　are　you？　What？　What　do　you　want？
  ＇Stamps　his　foot＇　Who　are　you？
  IVANITCH。　It　is　I；　sir。
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　Who　are　you？
  IVANITCH。　＇Comes　slowly　toward　him＇　It　is　I；　sir；　the　prompter；
  Nikita　Ivanitch。　It　is　I；　master；　it　is　I！
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　＇Sinks　helplessly　onto　the　stool；　breathes　heavily
  and　trembles　violently＇　Heavens！　Who　are　you？　It　is　you　。　。　。　you
  Nikitushka？　What　。　。　。　what　are　you　doing　here？
  IVANITCH。　I　spend　my　nights　here　in　the　dressing…rooms。　Only
  please　be　good　enough　not　to　tell　Alexi　Fomitch；　sir。　I　have
  nowhere　else　to　spend　the　night；　indeed；　I　haven't。
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　Ah！　It　is　you；　Nikitushka；　is　it？　Just　think；　the
  audience　called　me　out　sixteen　times；　they　brought　me　three
  wreathes　and　lots　of　other　things；　too；　they　were　all　wild　with
  enthusiasm；　and　yet　not　a　soul　came　when　it　was　all　over　to　wake
  the　poor；　drunken　old　man　and　take　him　home。　And　I　am　an　old　man；
  Nikitushka！　I　am　sixty…eight　years　old；　and　I　am　ill。　I　haven't
  the　heart　left　to　go　on。　＇Falls　on　IVANITCH'S　neck　and　weeps＇
  Don't　go　away；　Nikitushka；　I　am　old　and　helpless；　and　I　feel　it
  is　time　for　me　to　die。　Oh；　it　is　dreadful；　dreadful！
  IVANITCH。　＇Tenderly　and　respectfully＇　Dear　master！　it　is　time　for
  you　to　go　home；　sir！
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　I　won't　go　home；　I　have　no　homenone！
  none！none！
  IVANITCH。　Oh；　dear！　Have　you　forgotten　where　you　live？
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　I　won't　go　there。　I　won't！　I　am　all　alone　there。　I
  have　nobody；　Nikitushka！　No　wifeno　children。　I　am　like　the　wind
  blowing　across　the　lonely　fields。　I　shall　die；　and　no　one　will
  remember　me。　It　is　awful　to　be　aloneno　one　to　cheer　me；　no　one
  to　caress　me；　no　one　to　help　me　to　bed　when　I　am　drunk。　Whom　do　I
  belong　to？　Who　needs　me？　Who　loves　me？　Not　a　soul；　Nikitushka。
  IVANITCH。　＇Weeping＇　Your　audience　loves　you；　master。
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　My　audience　has　gone　home。　They　are　all　asleep；
  and　have　forgotten　their　old　clown。　No；　nobody　needs　me；　nobody
  loves　me；　I　have　no　wife；　no　children。
  IVANITCH。　Oh；　dear！　Oh；　dear！　Don't　be　so　unhappy　about　it。
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　But　I　am　a　man；　I　am　still　alive。　Warm；　red　blood
  is　tingling　in　my　veins；　the　blood　of　noble　ancestors。　I　am　an
  aristocrat；　Nikitushka；　I　served　in　the　army；　in　the　artillery；
  before　I　fell　as　low　as　this；　and　what　a　fine　young　chap　I　was！
  Handsome；　daring；　eager！　Where　has　it　all　gone？　What　has　become
  of　those　old　days？　There's　the　pit　that　has　swallowed　them　all！　I
  remember　it　all　now。　Forty…five　years　of　my　life　lie　buried
  there；　and　what　a　life；　Nikitushka！　I　can　see　it　as　clearly　as　I
  see　your　face：　the　ecstasy　of　youth；　faith；　passion；　the　love　of
  womenwomen；　Nikitushka！
  IVANITCH。　It　is　time　you　went　to　sleep；　sir。
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　When　I　first　went　on　the　stage；　in　the　first　glow
  of　passionate　youth；　I　remember　a　woman　loved　me　for　my　acting。
  She　was　beautiful；　graceful　as　a　poplar；　young；　innocent；　pure；
  and　radiant　as　a　summer　dawn。　Her　smile　could　charm　away　the
  darkest　night。　I　remember；　I　stood　before　her　once；　as　I　am　now
  standing　before　you。　She　had　never　seemed　so　lovely　to　me　as　she
  did　then；　and　she　spoke　to　me　so　with　her　eyessuch　a　look！　I
  shall　never　forget　it；　no；　not　even　in　the　grave；　so　tender；　so
  soft；　so　deep；　so　bright　and　young！　Enraptured；　intoxicated；　I
  fell　on　my　knees　before　her；　I　begged　for　my　happiness；　and　she
  said：　〃Give　up　the　stage！〃　Give　up　the　stage！　Do　you　understand？
  She　could　love　an　actor；　but　marry　himnever！　I　was　acting　that
  day；　I　rememberI　had　a　foolish；　clown's　part；　and　as　I　acted；　I
  felt　my　eyes　being　opened；　I　saw　that　the　worship　of　the　art　I
  had　held　so　sacred　was　a　delusion　and　an　empty　dream；　that　I　was
  a　slave；　a　fool；　the　plaything　of　the　idleness　of　strangers。　I
  understood　my　audience　at　last；　and　since　that　day　I　have　not
  believed　in　their　applause；　or　in　their　wreathes；　or　in　their
  enthusiasm。　Yes；　Nikitushka！　The　people　applaud　me；　they　buy　my
  photograph；　but　I　am　a　stranger　to　them。　They　don't　know　me；　I　am
  as　the　dirt　beneath　their　feet。　They　are　willing　enough　to　meet
  me　。　。　。　but　allow　a　daughter　or　a　sister　to　marry　me；　an
  outcast；　never！　I　have　no　faith　in　them；　＇sinks　onto　the　stool＇
  no　faith　in　them。
  IVANITCH。　Oh；　sir！　you　look　dreadfully　pale；　you　frighten　me　to
  death！　Come；　go　home；　have　mercy　on　me！
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　I　saw　through　it　all　that　day；　and　the　knowledge
  was　dearly　bought。　Nikitushka！　After　that　。　。　。　when　that　girl　。
  。　。　well；　I　began　to　wander　aimlessly　about；　living　from　day　to
  day　without　looking　ahead。　I　took　the　parts　of　buffoons　and　low
  comedians；　letting　my　mind　go　to　wreck。　Ah！　but　I　was　a　great
  artist　once；　till　little　by　little　I　threw　away　my　talents；
  played　the　motley　fool；　lost　my　looks；　lost　the　power　of
  expressing　myself；　and　became　in　the　end　a　Merry　Andrew　instead
  of　a　man。　I　have　been　swallowed　up　in　that　great　black　pit。　I
  never　felt　it　before；　but　to…night；　when　I　woke　up；　I　looked
  back；　and　there　behind　me　lay　sixty…eight　years。　I　have　just
  found　out　what　it　is　to　be　old！　It　is　all　over　。　。　。　＇sobs＇　。　。　。
  all　over。
  IVANITCH。　There；　there；　dear　master！　Be　quiet　。　。　。　gracious！
  ＇Calls＇　Petrushka！　Yegorka！
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　But　what　a　genius　I　was！　You　cannot　imagine　what
  power　I　had；　what　eloquence；　how　graceful　I　was；　how　tender；　how
  many　strings　＇beats　his　breast＇　quivered　in　this　breast！　It
  chokes　me　to　think　of　it！　Listen　now；　wait；　let　me　catch　my
  breath；　there；　now　listen　to　this：
  〃The　shade　of　bloody　Ivan　now　returning
  Fans　through　my　lips　rebellion　to　a　flame；
  I　am　the　dead　Dimitri！　In　the　burning
  Boris　shall　perish　on　the　throne　I　claim。
  Enough！　The　heir　of　Czars　shall　not　be　seen
  Kneeling　to　yonder　haughty　Polish　Queen！〃*
  *From　〃Boris　Godunoff；〃　by　Pushkin。　＇translator's　note＇
  Is　that　bad；　eh？　＇Quickly＇　Wait；　now；　here's　something　from　King
  Lear。　The　sky　is　black；　see？　Rain　is　pouring　down；　thunder　roars；
  lightningzzz　zzz　zzzsplits　the　whole　sky；　and　then；　listen：
  〃Blow　winds；　and　crack　your　cheeks！　rage！　blow！
  You　cataracts　and　hurricanoes　spout
  Till　you　have　drench'd　our　steeples；　drown'd　the　cocks！
  You　sulphurous　thought…executing　fires
  Vaunt…couriers　of　oak…cleaving　thunderbolts
  Singe　my　white　head！　And　thou；　all　shaking　thunder；
  Strike　flat　the　thick　rotundity　o'　the　world！
  Crack　nature's　moulds；　all　germons　spill　at　once
  That　make　ungrateful　man！〃
  ＇Impatiently＇　Now；　the　part　of　the　fool。　＇Stamps　his　foot＇　Come
  take　the　fool's　part！　Be　quick；　I　can't　wait！
  IVANITCH。　＇Takes　the　part　of　the　fool＇
  〃O；　Nuncle；　court　holy…water　in　a　dry　house　is　better　than　this
  rain…water　out　o'　door。　Good　Nuncle；　in；　ask　thy　daughter's
  blessing：　here's　a　night　pities　neither　wise　men　nor　fools。〃
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。
  〃Rumble　thy　bellyful！　spit；　fire！　spout；　rain！
  Nor　rain；　wind；　thunder；　fire；　are　my　daughters；
  I　tax　not　you；　you　elements；　with　unkindness；
  I　never　gave　you　kingdom；　call'd　you　children。〃
  Ah！　there　is　strength；　there　is　talent　for　you！　I'm　a　great
  artist！　Now；　then；　here's　something　else　of　the　same　kind；　to
  bring　back　my　youth　to　me。　For　instance；　take　this；　from　Hamlet；
  I'll　begin　。　。　。　Let　me　see；　how　does　it　go？　Oh；　yes；　this　is　it。
  ＇Takes　the　part　of　Hamlet＇
  〃O！　the　recorders；　let　me　see　one。　To　withdraw　with　you。　Why　do
  you　go　about　to　recover　the　wind　of　me；　as　if　you　would　drive　me
  into　a　toil？〃
  IVANITCH。　〃O；　my　lord；　if　my　duty　be　too　bold；　my　love　is　too
  unmannerly。〃
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　〃I　do　not　well　understand　that。　Will　you　play　upon
  this　pipe？〃
  IVANITCH。　〃My　lord；　I　cannot。〃
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　〃I　pray　you。〃
  IVANITCH。　〃Believe　me；　I　cannot。〃
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　〃I　do　beseech　you。〃
  IVANITCH。　〃I　know　no　touch　of　it；　my　lord。〃
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　〃　'Tis　as　easy　as　lying：　govern　these　vantages
  with　your　finger　and　thumb；　give　it　breath　with　your　mouth；　and
  it　will　discourse　most　eloquent　music。　Look　you；　these　are　the
  stops。〃
  IVANITCH。　〃But　these　I　cannot　command　to　any　utterance　of
  harmony：　I　have　not　the　skill。〃
  SVIETLOVIDOFF。　〃Why；　look　you；　how　unworthy　a　thing　you　make　of
  me。　You　would　play　upon　me；　you　would　seem　to　know　my　stops；　you
  would　pluck　out　the　heart　of　my　mystery；　you　would　sound　me　from
  my　lowest　note　to　the　top　of　my　compass；　and　there　is　much　music；
  exce　llent　voice；　in　this　little　organ；　yet　cannot　you　make　it
  speak。　S'blood！　Do　you　think　I　am　easier　to　be　played　on　than　a
  pipe？　Call　me　what　instrument　you　will；　though　you　can　fret　me；
  you　cannot　play　up