He Who Gets Slapped - Leonid Andreyev (books under 200 pages .TXT) š
- Author: Leonid Andreyev
Book online Ā«He Who Gets Slapped - Leonid Andreyev (books under 200 pages .TXT) šĀ». Author Leonid Andreyev
epub:type="z3998:persona">Briquet
Yelling. No! Donāt! You canāt lookā ādamned profession! Donāt go. You will scorch herā āevery pair of eyes that looks at herā āat her lionsā āno, no. It is impossibleā āit is a sacrilege. I ran away.ā āā ā¦ He, they will tear herā ā
He
Tries to be cheerful. Keep cool, Papa Briquetā āI had no idea you were such a coward. You ought to be ashamed. Have a drink. Mancini, give him some wine.
Briquet
I donāt want any. Heavens, if it were only overā āAll listen. I have seen many things in my life, but this.ā āā ā¦ Oh, she is crazy. All still listen. Suddenly the silence breaks, like a huge stone wall crashing. There is a thunder of applause, mixed with shouts, music, wild screamsā āhalf bestial, half human. The men give way, relieved. Briquet sinks to a seat.
Mancini
Nervous. You seeā āyou seeā āyou old fool!
Briquet
Sobs and laughs. I am not going to allow it any more!
He
Here she is!
Zinida walks in, alone. She looks like a drunken bacchante, or like a mad woman. Her hair falls over her shoulders dishevelled, one shoulder is uncovered. She walks unseeing, though her eyes glow. She is like the living statue of a mad Victory. Behind her comes an actor, very pale, then two clowns, and a little later Consuelo and Bezano. All look at Zinida fearfully, as if they were afraid of a touch of her hand, or her great eyes.
Briquet
Shouting. You are crazyā āyouāre a mad woman!
Zinida
I? No. Did you see? Did you see? Well? She stands smiling, with the expression of a mad Victory.
Tilly
Plaintively. Cut it out, Zinida. Go to the devil!
Zinida
You saw, too! And!ā āā ā¦ whatā ā
Briquet
Come homeā ācome home. To the others. You can do what you like here. Zinida, come home.
Polly
You canāt go, Papa. Thereās still your number.
Zinida
Her eyes meet those of Bezano. Ah! Bezano. Laughs long and happily. Bezano! Alfred! Did you see? My lions do love me! Bezano, without answering, leaves the stage. Zinida seems to wither and grow dim, as a light being extinguished. Her smile fades, her eyes and face grow pale. Briquet anxiously bends over her.
Briquet
In a slow voice. A chair! Zinida sits. Her head drops on her shoulder, her arms fall, she begins to shiver and tremble. Someone calls, āCognacāā āan actor runs to get it.
Briquet
Helpless. What is the matter, Zinida darling?
Mancini
Running about. She must quiet down. Get out, get outā āvagabonds! Iāll fix everything, Papa Briquet. The wrapā āwhereās the wrap? Sheās cold. A clown hands it to him; they cover her.
Tilly
Timidly. Wouldnāt you like some moosic?
Mancini
Giving her some cognac. Drink, Duchess, drink! Drink it allā āthatās it. Zinida drinks it like water, evidently not noticing the taste. She shivers. The clowns disappear one by one. Consuelo, with a sudden flexible movement, falls on her knees before Zinida and kisses her hands, warming them between her own.
Consuelo
Dear, dear, you are cold! Poor little hands, dear good one, beloved oneā ā
Zinida
Pushes her away, gently. Hoā āhome. It will soon be over. Itās nothingā āā ā¦ I am verā āveryā āā ā¦ home.ā āā ā¦ You stay here, Briquetā āyou must. Iām all right.
Consuelo
You are cold? Here is my shawl.
Zinida
Noā ālet me.ā āā ā¦ Consuelo gets up, and moves aside.
Briquet
And itās all because of your books, Zinidaā āyour mythology. Now tell me, why do you want those beasts to love you? Beasts! Do you understand, He? You too, youāre from that world. Sheāll listen more to you. Explain it to her. Whom can those beasts love? Those hairy monsters, with diabolic eyes?
He
Genially. I believeā āonly their equals. You are right, Papa Briquetā āthere must be the same race.
Briquet
Of course, and this is all nonsenseā āliterature. Explain it to her, He.
He
Takes on a meditative air. Yes, you are right, Briquet.
Briquet
You see, dear, silly womanā āeverybody agrees.ā āā ā¦
Mancini
Oh! Briquet, you make me sick; you are an absolute despot, an Asiatic.
Zinida
With the shadow of a smile, gives her hand to be kissed. Calm yourself, Louis. It is overā āI am going home. She stands up, shaking, still chilled.
Briquet
But how? alone, dear?
Mancini
What! fool! Did you imagine that Count Mancini would leave a woman when she needed help? I shall take her homeā ālet your brutal heart be at restā āI shall take her home. Thomas, run for an automobile. Donāt push me Briquet, you are as awkward as a unicornā āā ā¦ thatās the way, thatās the wayā āThey are holding her, guiding her slowly toward the door. Consuelo, her chin resting in her hand, is following them with her eyes. Unconsciously she assumes a somewhat affected pose.
Mancini
Iāll come back for you, childā āOnly He and Consuelo are left on the stage. In the ring, music, shrieks, and laughter begin again.
He
Consueloā ā
Consuelo
Is that you, He, dear?
He
Where did you learn that pose? I have seen it only in marble. You look like Psyche.
Consuelo
I donāt know, He. She sighs and sits on the sofa, keeping in her pose the same artificiality and beauty. Itās all so sad here, today. He, are you sorry for Zinida?
He
What did she do?
Consuelo
I didnāt see. I had closed my eyes, and didnāt open them. Alfred says she is a wicked woman, but that isnāt true. She has such nice eyes, and what tiny cold handsā āas if she were dead. What does she do it for? Alfred says she should be audacious, beautiful, but quiet, otherwise what she does is only disgusting. It isnāt true, is it, He?
He
She loves Alfred.
Consuelo
Alfred? My Bezano? Shrugging her shoulders, and surprised. How does she love him? The same as everyone loves?
He
Yesā āas everyone lovesā āor still more.
Consuelo
Bezano? Bezano? Noā āitās nonsense. Pause; silence. What a beautiful costume you have, He. You invented it yourself?
He
Jim helped me.
Consuelo
Jim is so nice! All clowns are nice.
He
I am wicked.
Consuelo
Laughs. You? You are the nicest of all. Oh, goodness! Three
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