Diane Stubbings - The Parricide

FEDYA: No-one was killed. No-one was injured.

KOLYA: Livelihoods were destroyed. Peace of mind.

Was it Elena Petrovna persuaded you to write it?

FEDYA: Shall I find another publisher?

KOLYA: Forever the gambler, Fedya. Forever certain there’s no way you can lose—but lose it all you inevitably do.

FEDYA: One win is enough to counter a hundred losses.

A beat.

KOLYA: The novel progresses well then?

FEDYA: I have no paper. Ink. The stationer—at Gostiny Dvor—he refuses to give me my order. Not until I’ve paid him.

KOLYA: Is the novel even started?

FEDYA: It can’t be done. / It’s impossible.

KOLYA: It must be done. / You have a contract—

FEDYA: I have other things—important things—

KOLYA: [ referring to the letter ] Like this?

FEDYA: Ideas. Pages and pages of them.

About a man who murders his father.

KOLYA: Then write it and send it to Stellovsky.

FEDYA: I wouldn’t waste it on a crook like him.

KOLYA: You signed his contract. You took his money.

FEDYA: I won’t rush out another half-baked novel just to satisfy him—

KOLYA: You write this novel or he owns you—

FEDYA: I won’t give him this story—

KOLYA: Then throw something together. Anything.

FEDYA: How?

KOLYA: I don’t know.

I don’t know.

We’ll find an answer, Fedya. We always have, you and I.

[ Holding out money ] For the stationer.

FEDYA: And the letter?

KOLYA: I’ll put it to the censorship committee.

Must it be under your name?

FEDYA: There’s not a word there I fear.

KOLYA: Under ordinary circumstances, perhaps not. But these are no longer ordinary circumstances.

A beat.

KOLYA gestures towards the money again. FEDYA takes it.

The street outside a coffee house. KARAKOZOV is distributing leaflets.

STUDENT/S: [ off ] We have no need of a power that persecutes its people—a power that thwarts the development of our nation. We have no need of a power that raises corruption and self-seeking as its banner. Let the words of the people—the deeds of the people—be its end. Whatever the cost, so must it be.

During this, ANNA arrives. She is looking around, trying to find the place she is meant to be.

At the sound of a whistle , KARAKOZOV hurries away. As he does so, he pushes a leaflet into ANNA ’s hands. She is looking at it when KOLYA approaches.

KOLYA: [ referring to the leaflet ] Yours?

ANNA: No.

No.

I don’t understand it. All this hate.

KOLYA: You’ve taken the words from my mouth.

ANNA: You’re Nikolai Ivanovich?

KOLYA: And you’re Anna. But you must call me Kolya.

Come inside. I’ll order us coffee.

As they move inside, KOLYA gestures for two coffees. They sit.

During the following, coffee and cakes etc are served.

KOLYA: [ handing her a note ] Stolyarney Lane—house of Alonkin—apartment 13. Ask for Dostoyevsky.

ANNA: Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoyevsky?

KOLYA: Your professor didn’t tell you?

ANNA: No…

KOLYA: I need someone who knows his work—

ANNA: I know his work, yes—

KOLYA: The importance of what he does—

ANNA: I understand—

KOLYA: I’m sure you do—

ANNA: But Nikolai Ivanovich—

KOLYA: Kolya.

ANNA: Kolya—

The novelist Dostoyevsky?

KOLYA: He’s nothing to be afraid of. Believe me.

Your professor said you were top of your class.

ANNA: I was.

KOLYA: Then you’re already cleverer than Fedya.

Work hard—and keep working him hard—and all of Russia will be in your debt.

[ Indicating the note ] The directions are there. And a small down-payment. To get you started.

He offers her a cake/pastry. She hesitates, then takes one.

KOLYA: Yes. We have each other’s trust. I feel it.

Together, Anna, we will see this done.

FEDYA ’s door. ANNA knocks. Waits. Listens, her ear close to the door. Knocks again.

LANDLADY: [ off ] He’s not there.

ANNA: I was told to keep knocking. That he pretends not to hear.

LANDLADY: [ off ] He’s never there this time of day.

ANNA: I heard voices. Inside.

LANDLADY: [ off ] Then you want to stay well clear. He’s a madman. Would cut your throat as soon as look at you.

ANNA: You’re mistaken, I’m sure—

LANDLADY: [ off ] He has no money. He won’t be able to pay you. No matter what services you’re offering.

ANNA: I’m not—

He’s not—

I’m a stenographer.

LANDLADY: [ off ] Whatever it is you’re calling yourself nowadays, he’s not worth the effort. Not even for a mountain of gold.

FEDYA ’s flat. It is dark. The faint sound of knocking.

FEDYA is working; MITYA and ALYOSHA are with him.

MITYA: He’s turned you against me.

ALYOSHA: No.

MITYA: You’re always hurrying away.

ALYOSHA: Listening to you reminds me what I am.

MITYA: What’s that?

ALYOSHA: The same as you.

MITYA: You and me? The same?

ALYOSHA: We share the same blood, the same history. Why not the same future?

Knocking.

MITYA: You know she has her eye on you. My woman.

Says all you need is the fury of a lover’s touch and you’d be cured.

ALYOSHA: Cured?

MITYA: Of your obscene dedication to the truth.

Keep your distance, brother. She’ll test you like she’s tested the rest of us.

ALYOSHA: Stay away from father.

MITYA: Let him take everything that’s mine—?

ALYOSHA: He is playing us one against the other—

MITYA: The hate that’s in my heart—

ALYOSHA: I’m scared what you’ll do.

A beat.

FEDYA: [ to himself; barely heard ] If we could discard God…

MITYA: [ to FEDYA] You think I don’t hear you muttering? You think it doesn’t make perfect sense?

ALYOSHA: What? What does he say?

Knocking.

MITYA: [ to FEDYA] Tell him.

A beat.

Always quiet as the grave…

[ To ALYOSHA] All we need do is let go of this absurd hope that there’s something more—something beyond us—and we’d know it. [ To FEDYA] Isn’t that right, brother?

ALYOSHA: Know what?

MITYA: Nothing is sinful.

Knocking.

ALYOSHA: What does he know/ of sin—?

MITYA: Anything—everything—is allowed.

Knocking.

FEDYA: To kill a thing as foul and sordid as our father…?

MITYA: Under such a system, it’d almost be an obligation.

Insistent knocking.

ANNA at FEDYA ’s door. She is knocking.

As she’s knocking, FEDYA opens the door in a rush.

FEDYA: What?

ANNA is dumb-struck.

What?

ANNA grasps at words.

FEDYA: Go away.

ANNA: I was sent—

FEDYA: I don’t care.

ANNA: I was sent you’re expecting me.

FEDYA: I’m not—

ANNA: For the novel—

FEDYA: The novel—?

ANNA: There’s a deadline and he gave/ me—

FEDYA: He sent you?

ANNA: This address and/ I’m here and I’m to—

FEDYA: You tell Stellovsky, Miss—

ANNA: I don’t know who you think—

FEDYA: Tell him he can threaten me all he wants—

ANNA: I don’t know anyone called Stellovsky —