Fruits of Culture : A Comedy in Four Acts

Notes
Economical balls at which the ladies are bound to appear in dresses made of cotton materials. The present value of the ruble is rather over two shillings and one penny. The Gypsy choirs are very popular in Moscow. BETSY. Cease! You are becoming quite unbearable! PETRÍSTCHEF. I have C said (ceased), B said, and D said. BARONESS. But tell me, please, is he paid for this? ANNA PÁVLOVNA. I really do not know. BARONESS. But he is a gentleman? ANNA PÁVLOVNA. Oh yes! BARONESS. It is almost miraculous. Isn't it? How does he manage to find things? ANNA PÁVLOVNA. I really can't tell you. My husband will explain it to you.… Excuse me.… Stunning! BARONESS. Capital! Does it not cau... (From : Gutenberg.org.)

Act 4
The same scene as in Act I. The next day. Two liveried footmen, Theodore Ivánitch and Gregory. FIRST FOOTMAN [with gray whiskers] Yours is the third house to-day. Thank goodness that all the at-homes are in this direction. Yours used to be on Thursdays. THEODORE IVÁNITCH. Yes, we changed to Saturday so as to be on the same day as the Golóvkins and Grade von Grabes … SECOND FOOTMAN. The Stcherbákofs do the thing well. There's refreshments for the footmen every time they've a ball. The two Princesses, mother and daughter, come down the stairs accompanied by Betsy. The old Princess looks in her note-book and at her watch, and sits down on the settle. Gregory puts on her overshoes. YOUNG PRINCESS. Now, do come. Because, if you refuse, and Dodo refuses, the whole thing will be spoiled. BETSY. I don't know. I must certainly go to the Shoúbins. And then there is the rehears... (From : Gutenberg.org.)

Act 3
Evening of the same day. The small drawing-room in Leoníd Fyódoritch's house, where the séances are always held. Leoníd Fyódoritch and the Professor. LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Well then, shall we risk a séance with our new medium? PROFESSOR. Yes, certainly. He is a powerful medium, there is no doubt about it. And it is especially desirable that the séance should take place to-day with the same people. Grossman will certainly respond to the influence of the mediumistic energy, and then the connection and identity of the different phenomena will be still more evident. You will see then that, if the medium is as strong as he was just now, Grossman will vibrate. LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Then I will send for Simon and ask those who wish to attend to come in. PROFESSOR. Yes, all right! I will just jot down a few notes. [Takes out his note-book and writes]. Enter Sahát... (From : Gutenberg.org.)

Act 2
Evening of the same day. The scene represents the interior of the servants' kitchen. The Peasants have taken off their outer garments and sit drinking tea at the table, and perspiring. Theodore Ivánitch is smoking a cigar at the other side of the stage. The discharged Cook is lying on the brick oven, and is unseen during the early part of the scene. THEODORE IVÁNITCH. My advice is, don't hinder him! If it's his wish and hers, in Heaven's name let him do it. She is a good, honest girl. Never mind her being a bit dressy; she can't help that, living in town: she is a good girl all the same. SECOND PEASANT. Well, of course, if it is his wish, let him! He'll have to live with her, not me. But she's certainly uncommon spruce. How's one to take her into one's hut? Why, she'll not let her mother-in-law so much as pat her on the head. THEODORE IVÁNITCH. That does not depend on the spruceness, but on character. If her nature is good, sh... (From : Gutenberg.org.)

Act 1
The entrance hall of a wealthy house in Moscow. There are three doors: the front door, the door of Leoníd Fyódoritch's study, and the door of Vasíly Leoníditch's room. A staircase leads up to the other rooms; behind it is another door leading to the servants' quarters. Scene 1. GREGORY [looks at himself in the glass and arranges his hair, &c.] I am sorry about those mustaches of mine! “Mustaches are not becoming to a footman,” she says! And why? Why, so that any one might see you're a footman,—else my looks might put her darling son to shame. He's a likely one! There's not much fear of his coming anywhere near me, mustaches or no mustaches! [Smiling into the glass] And what a lot of 'em swarm round me. And yet I don't care for any of them as much as for that Tánya. And she only a lady's-maid! Ah well, she's nicer than any young lady. [Smiles] She is a duck! [Liste... (From : Gutenberg.org.)

LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH ZVEZDÍNTSEF. A retired Lieutenant of the Horse Guards. Owner of more than 60,000 acres of land in various provinces. A fresh-looking, bland, agreeable gentleman of 60. Believes in Spiritualism, and likes to astonish people with his wonderful stories. ANNA PÁVLOVNA ZVEZDÍNTSEVA. Wife of Leoníd. Stout; pretends to be young; quite taken up with the conventionalities of life; despises her husband, and blindly believes in her doctor. Very irritable. BETSY. Their daughter. A young woman of 20, fast, tries to be mannish, wears a pince-nez, flirts and giggles. Speaks very quickly and distinctly. VASÍLY LEONÍDITCH ZVEZDÍNTSEF. Their son, aged 25; has studied law, but ha... (From : Gutenberg.org.)