annajanska, the bolshevik empress-第3章

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unspeakable　boredom　until　your　grave　yawned　wider　still；　and　you
fell　into　it　because　you　had　nothing　better　to　do。　How　can　you　be
so　stupid；　so　heartless？

STRAMMFEST。　You　must　be　mad　to　think　of　royalty　in　such　a　way。　I
never　yawned　at　court。　The　dogs　yawned；　but　that　was　because　they
were　dogs：　they　had　no　imagination；　no　ideals；　no　sense　of　honor
and　dignity　to　sustain　them。

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　My　poor　Strammfest：　you　were　not　often　enough
at　court　to　tire　of　it。　You　were　mostly　soldiering；　and　when　you
came　home　to　have　a　new　order　pinned　on　your　breast；　your
happiness　came　through　looking　at　my　father　and　mother　and　at　me；
and　adoring　us。　Was　that　not　so？

STRAMMFEST。　Do　YOU　reproach　me　with　it？　I　am　not　ashamed　of　it。

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Oh；　it　was　all　very　well　for　you；　Strammfest。
But　think　of　me；　of　me！　standing　there　for　you　to　gape　at；　and
knowing　that　I　was　no　goddess；　but　only　a　girl　like　any　other
girl！　It　was　cruelty　to　animals：　you　could　have　stuck　up　a　wax
doll　or　a　golden　calf　to　worship；　it　would　not　have　been　bored。

STRAMMFEST。　Stop；　or　I　shall　renounce　my　allegiance　to　you。　I
have　had　women　flogged　for　such　seditious　chatter　as　this。

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Do　not　provoke　me　to　send　a　bullet　through
your　head　for　reminding　me　of　it。

STRAMMFEST。　You　always　had　low　tastes。　You　are　no　true　daughter
of　the　Panjandrums：　you　are　a　changeling；　thrust　into　the
Panjandrina's　bed　by　some　profligate　nurse。　I　have　heard　stories
of　your　childhood：　of　how

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Ha；　ha！　Yes：　they　took　me　to　the　circus　when　I
was　a　child。　It　was　my　first　moment　of　happiness；　my　first
glimpse　of　heaven。　I　ran　away　and　joined　the　troupe。　They　caught
me　and　dragged　me　back　to　my　gilded　cage；　but　I　had　tasted
freedom；　and　they　never　could　make　me　forget　it。

STRAMMFEST。　Freedom！　To　be　the　slave　of　an　acrobat！　to　be
exhibited　to　the　public！　to

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Oh；　I　was　trained　to　that。　I　had　learnt　that
part　of　the　business　at　court。

STRAMMFEST。　You　had　not　been　taught　to　strip　yourself　half　naked
and　turn　head　over　heels

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Man；　I　WANTED　to　get　rid　of　my　swaddling
clothes　and　turn　head　over　heels。　I　wanted　to；　I　wanted　to；　I
wanted　to。　I　can　do　it　still。　Shall　I　do　it　now？

STRAMMFEST。　If　you　do；　I　swear　I　will　throw　myself　from　the
window　so　that　I　may　meet　your　parents　in　heaven　without　having
my　medals　torn　from　my　breast　by　them。

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Oh；　you　are　incorrigible。　You　are　mad；
infatuated。　You　will　not　believe　that　we　royal　divinities　are
mere　common　flesh　and　blood　even　when　we　step　down　from　our
pedestals　and　tell　you　ourselves　what　a　fool　you　are。　I　will
argue　no　more　with　you：　I　will　use　my　power。　At　a　word　from　me
your　men　will　turn　against　you：　already　half　of　them　do　not
salute　you；　and　you　dare　not　punish　them：　you　have　to　pretend　not
to　notice　it。

STRAMMFEST。　It　is　not　for　you　to　taunt　me　with　that　if　it　is　so。

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　＇haughtily＇。　Taunt！　I　condescend　to　taunt！　To
taunt　a　common　General！　You　forget　yourself；　sir。

STRAMMFEST　＇dropping　on　his　knee　submissively＇。　Now　at　last　you
speak　like　your　royal　self。

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Oh；　Strammfest；　Strammfest；　they　have　driven
your　slavery　into　your　very　bones。　Why　did　you　not　spit　in　my
face？。

STRAMMFEST　＇rising　with　a　shudder＇。　God　forbid！

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Well；　since　you　will　be　my　slave；　take　your
orders　from　me。　I　have　not　come　here　to　save　our　wretched　family
and　our　bloodstained　crown。　I　am　come　to　save　the　Revolution。

STRAMMFEST。　Stupid　as　I　am；　I　have　come　to　think　that　I　had
better　save　that　than　save　nothing。　But　what　will　the　Revolution
do　for　the　people？　Do　not　be　deceived　by　the　fine　speeches　of　the
revolutionary　leaders　and　the　pamphlets　of　the　revolutionary
writers。　How　much　liberty　is　there　where　they　have　gained　the
upper　hand？　Are　they　not　hanging；　shooting；　imprisoning　as　much
as　ever　we　did？　Do　they　ever　tell　the　people　the　truth？　No：　if
the　truth　does　not　suit　them　they　spread　lies　instead；　and　make
it　a　crime　to　tell　the　truth。

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Of　course　they　do。　Why　should　they　not？

STRAMMFEST　＇hardly　able　to　believe　his　ears＇。　Why　should　they
not？

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Yes：　why　should　they　not？　We　did　it。　You　did
it；　whip　in　hand：　you　flogged　women　for　teaching　children　to
read。

STRAMMFEST。　To　read　sedition。　To　read　Karl　Marx。

THP　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Pshaw！　How　could　they　learn　to　read　the　Bible
without　learning　to　read　Karl　Marx？　Why　do　you　not　stand　to　your
guns　and　justify　what　you　did；　instead　of　making　silly　excuses？
Do　you　suppose　I　think　flogging　a　woman　worse　than　flogging　a
man？　I；　who　am　a　woman　myself！

STRAMMFEST。　I　am　at　a　loss　to　understand　your　Imperial　Highness。
You　seem　to　me　to　contradict　yourself。

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Nonsense！　I　say　that　if　the　people　cannot
govern　themselves；　they　must　be　governed　by　somebody。　If　they
will　not　do　their　duty　without　being　half　forced　and　half
humbugged；　somebody　must　force　them　and　humbug　them。　Some
energetic　and　capable　minority　must　always　be　in　power。　Well；　I
am　on　the　side　of　the　energetic　minority　whose　principles　I　agree
with。　The　Revolution　is　as　cruel　as　we　were；　but　its　aims　are　my
aims。　Therefore　I　stand　for　the　Revolution。

STRAMMFEST。　You　do　not　know　what　you　are　saying。　This　is　pure
Bolshevism。　Are　you；　the　daughter　of　a　Panjandrum；　a　Bolshevist？

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　I　am　anything　that　will　make　the　world　less
like　a　prison　and　more　like　a　circus。

STRAMMFEST。　Ah！　You　still　want　to　be　a　circus　star。

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Yes；　and　be　billed　as　the　Bolshevik　Empress。
Nothing　shall　stop　me。　You　have　your　orders；　General　Strammfest：
save　the　Revolution。

STRAMMFEST。　What　Revolution？　Which　Revolution？　No　two　of　your
rabble　of　revolutionists　mean　the　same　thing　by　the　Revolution
What　can　save　a　mob　in　which　every　man　is　rushing　in　a　different
direction？

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　I　will　tell　you。　The　war　can　save　it。

STRAMMFEST。　The　war？

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Yes；　the　war。　Only　a　great　common　danger　and　a
great　common　duty　can　unite　us　and　weld　these　wrangling　factions
into　a　solid　commonwealth。

STRAMMFEST。　Bravo！　War　sets　everything　right：　I　have　always　said
so。　But　what　is　a　united　people　without　a　united　army？　And　what
can　I　do？　I　am　only　a　soldier。　I　cannot　make　speeches：　I　have　won
no　victories：　they　will　not　rally　to　my　call　＇again　he　sinks　into
his　chair　with　his　former　gesture　of　discouragement＇。

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Are　you　sure　they　will　not　rally　to　mine？

STRAMMFEST。　Oh；　if　only　you　were　a　man　and　a　soldier！

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Suppose　I　find　you　a　man　and　a　soldier？

STRAMMFEST　＇rising　in　a　fury＇。　Ah！　the　scoundrel　you　eloped　with！
You　think　you　will　shove　this　fellow　into　an　army　command；　over
my　head。　Never。

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　You　promised　everything。　You　swore　anything。
＇She　marches　as　if　in　front　of　a　regiment。＇　I　know　that　this　man
alone　can　rouse　the　army　to　enthusiasm。

STRAMMFEST。　Delusion！　Folly！　He　is　some　circus　acrobat；　and　you
are　in　love　with　him。

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　I　swear　I　am　not　in　love　with　him。　I　swear　I
will　never　marry　him。

STRAMMFEST。　Then　who　is　he？

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Anybody　in　the　world　but　you　would　have
guessed　long　ago。　He　is　under　your　very　eyes。

STRAMMFEST　＇staring　past　her　right　and　left＇。　Where？

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Look　out　of　the　window。

He　rushes　to　the　window；　looking　for　the　officer。　The　Grand
Duchess　takes　off　her　cloak　and　appears　in　the　uniform　of　the
Panderobajensky　Hussars。

STRAMMFEST　＇peering　through　the　window＇。　Where　is　he？　I　can　see
no　one。

THE　GRAND　DUCHESS。　Here；　silly。

STRAMMFEST　＇turning＇。　You！　Great　Heavens！　The　Bolshevik　Empress！







End