style="font-size:15px;"> Victoria Pavlovna. Well, see you, then. Good night, Inna.
Lebedev. See you tomorrow, my sweethearts. (Kisses his daughters).
Inna. Good night.
Aglaya. Mum and dad, I love you.
Victoria Pavlovna and Lebedev go off.
Inna. Mitya has gone.
Aglaya. Aren’t you happy to see him?
Inna. I’ve been waiting for him for a long time, but when I say him today, I suddenly understood I had been afraid of his return at the same time.
Aglaya. That’s strange news! (Pensively) The parents were so happy to hear about your engagement last winter! Veselov said Mitya gave up drugs. The senior Gromov was generous to treat him. It seems the treatment in Switzerland has really done him good.
Inna. They say there are no ex-addicts. But this is not what’s worrying me.
Aglaya, sister, you are ever so sensible and you’ve never lied to me. Just look at us- what kind of a husband and wife are we? My relationship with Mitya is nothing more than gratifying our mother and his father’s wish. Mother dreams of settling me with some rich heir. Mitya’s father hopes that his silver spoon will become steady and start doing business once he marries. But those are only their dreams and wishes, and nobody’s asked us!
Aglaya. Inna, my dear! Our parents mean well. I’m not saying you are wrong. Certainly, love and feelings are still in force, but one can’t underestimate the importance of choosing sensibly.
Inna. Choosing sensibly… a sensible choice… a convenience marriage. Whatever you call it, it’s not me.
I don’t want to be a rich heir’s wife. I don’t need a pushover for a husband, afraid of holding reins of his own life. I want to be a Muse! Men seek inspiration… I want him to be feel good with me. I want the relationship with this man to be the main project of my life. I want to invest effort, time and energy into my man, so that he would go to conquer the world and achieve whatever he wanted!
Aglaya. Alexey once said we couldn’t have expectations regarding something we don’t control. I didn’t pay much attention then…
We all had a perfect picture of your ideal future ready in our heads. We expected your union with Gromov to bring some income, but obviously brother didn’t call you a rebel without a reason. Really, we can’t have any expectation from something we don’t control.
Scene 3
The office at Victoria Lebedeva’s gallery whish belongs to Veselov. It’s well-furnished and has a door to a balcony.
Veselov is in his arm-chair. Nikolay and Katya are drinking and playing fool: Katya is playing The Flea Waltz on a small keyboard, Nikolay Orlov is miming a phone conversation.
Katya. Enough! (stops playing, pours more alcohol from the bottle, takes her glass and hands the second one to Orlov) Where did we stop?
Orlov (paces the office) I love my haters and enemies: they motivate me with their negative energy. When I feel low and want to cry and roll on the floor in a throw of despair… what do I think about?
Veselov. Really, what?
Orlov. I remember how many people will be happy if I fall. «Yes, Orlov’s lost it!» I tell them in my mind: «Sod off, you bunch of losers!».
I get up and keep on. It’s easier for me to do a lot of things in defiance, not in the name of something. I have done my best deeds when I was depressed, when I had problems, when I was disappointed and nothing seemed to go right!
When I’m happy and satisfied I have no motivation to go ahead. A diamond isn’t made lying on a sofa, it needs a lot of pressure. That’s why I thank the ill-wishers that stand in my way, I give them my biggest smile which you can read as «To hell with you, bitch!» (He throws the rest of the drink from his glass into the face of an imaginary opponent)
Veselov. You’re a real terrorist! (Laughs)
Orlov. I’m rather a conformer. I’ve learnt to survive in the modern world. I’ve adapted. Unlike my father, I’ve got accustomed. I’ve made my choice and I’m ready to be responsible for it.
Now I’ll feel okay in any regime, be it capitalism, communism or even Queen Catherine. I’ve even started going to church… It’s fashionable now. By the way, I met the governor there, all cats are grey.
Everyone only cares about their belly, willing to stuff it fuller, to snatch a better share, and settle one’s children comfy and nice, as if it were our mission to gourmandize and grow capital.
Just look who’s at the wheel now! Grandchildren of those who managed to snatch a bite.
I’m not the hero of my time, but its product.
If my environment is criminal, then my obedience to it becomes a crime, too. That’s the price of conformism.
Silence
Katya. I split up with Nikita yesterday. Do you remember the cheerleaders you introduced us to a week ago? He cheated on me with one of them, the red-haired one. I think her name’s Sveta.
Orlov. Congratulations, it was high time. (Sits on a chair)
Katya. Do you think so?
Orlov. We’re old acquaintances, and I can see very well that you’re tired of his cheating and binging.
Katya. At least he didn’t use his fists.
Orlov. Katya! Why do you estimate yourself so low? You aren’t stupid.
Katya. I’m afraid I’ll always be single. I’m already twenty-three.
Veselov. Oh, the young today! Most girls only pay attention to a man’s appearance, his money and his sweet words… All of this is rubbish! What really matters is how a man treats you, what he does for you and to what extent you can rely on him.
And if he’s a good-looking douche, who behaves like a homeless cat – today he’s here, tomorrow he has another girl, and the next day – yet another… Let him go to hell and make space for a normal adequate reliable guy!
Orlov. Amen.
Katya. And how do I recognise that adequate and reliable one? At first they all say the same. They’re all generous and nice. One offers to move to Italy together, another one promises to divorce his wife… but no one proposes.
Veselov. If you can’t choose
