A play in one act by Italo Svevo
Translated from the Italian © by Leticia Austria
Cast of Characters:
Giovanna
her children:
Lucia
Matilde
Emilio
Romolo (a boy of twelve)
Giuliano, Lucia's husband
Maria, Giovanna's maid
Circa 1880. A simply furnished room. Door R, another US. Table C surrounded by three chairs.
SCENE ONE
(Lucia and Maria)
LUCIA (Entering, preceded by Maria.) Is my mother still in bed?
MARIA She is dressing. But it is barely seven o'clock! Signora, you've always said you will never rise before ten!
LUCIA I have not even been to bed.
MARIA Ah! The signori have been out all night?
LUCIA (Impatiently.) Yes, yes! Go and see if my mother has arisen.
SCENE TWO
(Enter Giovanna.)
GIOVANNA Why, Lucia! At this hour?
LUCIA (Bursting into tears and throwing her arms round her mother's neck.) Yes, Mamma!
GIOVANNA Good heavens, what has happened? Is he ill?
LUCIA No, Mamma.
GIOVANNA What is it, then?
LUCIA Maria, please excuse us. There is something I wish to tell my mother. And once you have heard about it, everyone will know!
MARIA I'm leaving, Signora. Of course, I never take the slightest interest in other people's business. (Exits.)
GIOVANNA Well, then? Tell me.
LUCIA (Clings to her neck, sobbing.)
GIOVANNA Why, Lucia, you are frightening me to death!
LUCIA It is nothing to be frightened of; only so sad! Oh, Mamma!
GIOVANNA Tell me!
LUCIA I've had a row with Giuliano.
GIOVANNA Is that all? Silly girl, to frighten me so! (Sinking into a chair.) I cannot bear this!
LUCIA Oh, Mamma, if you only knew what a horrible night I've passed! I didn't close my eyes all night. (Bitterly.) He, on the other hand, slept as if nothing at all happened!
GIOVANNA Whatever is the matter?
LUCIA Well—I can hardly say. It sounds so ludicrous. I haven't often complained of my husband's rages. You surely could not think he threw tantrums at me, because I have kept silence for fear of distressing you too much. And then, he himself always hoped that these rages would cease once and for all; and when we do have a bit of respite, he would always swear that would be the last time! But instead, he has one bout after another, almost continuously.
GIOVANNA Oh, come, now!
LUCIA I assure you, Mamma, it has been very bad, especially this last. I would shout and threaten—I have complained to Matilde many times, but with you I kept silence. And it is always I who makes peace and grants pardon. But I would tell him that if ever again he were abusive, if he ever again shouted at me or was beastly to me, I would leave that house. And so, today I left.
GIOVANNA You are not serious!
LUCIA Very serious. I have thought about it most seriously indeed, all night long, evaluating each of my reasons one by one.
GIOVANNA Have you told him you are leaving him?
LUCIA Oh, no! But I have written to him.
GIOVANNA (Laughing.) Oh, my poor girl, you are still such a child! really, you married much too young. You would leave your husband for such trifles?
LUCIA (In a low voice.) He beat me.
GIOVANNA Beat you? Merciful heavens! That villain! My poor girl!
LUCIA When he came home last night, he was already in bad humour. I don't know what happened at work to set him off. He grumbled all through supper. They brought his food too slowly, then the meat was cold, the salad poorly dressed; then he shouted in the most horrible manner because the serving girl broke a glass. I kept quiet, because I know him. Right after dinner I settled down to my needlework. I told him I must finish it that evening and he was silent for a long time. He contained his anger. But all of a sudden, he got up, swept his chair aside, took my hoop and threw it in the air. He dragged me to the table and forced me to sit. He truly had to force me, for I was so rigid—more from fear than resistance. I started to cry, but I did not say a word. What good did that do? So I resolved to do more: I made a decision. I thought it over all night, never closing my eyes. I realized I would be a fool to continue living such a life. Why should I? And for whom?
GIOVANNA (Soberly.) This is a very serious step you have taken. Why indeed should you go on with the life you've led thus far? Do you love him?
LUCIA Love him? I despise him! He is a fool, a madman. I haven't even told you half the story! He claims to be jealous—and do you know of whom? Filippo!
GIOVANNA (Surprised.) Your cousin?
LUCIA Yes. Dim-witted cousin Filippo! Giuliano found him two or three times at the house, but said nothing at first. He was even kind to that poor wretch. Then, just when he was beginning to act like a normal person, he insulted me by telling me not to believe that I could fool him; that he has eyes and ears and sooner or later he would have the proof with which to accuse me. all this, without warning, as if he had thought it all along!
GIOVANNA You must try and convince him otherwise. Who knows? Perhaps he will believe you.
LUCIA What does it matter now? What good would it do? Even before this great discovery of his, he had these attacks of rage, and often enough.
GIOVANNA Is he truly so terrible?
LUCIA Oh, Mamma, if you could only see him; you would not recognize him! His eyes would have such a dark gleam, as if they could kill merely by looking at me. At times, when I answered him bravely, in my mind I was praying to be ready if death should come.
GIOVANNA You exaggerate!
LUCIA Oh, no, Mamma. It truly is so.
GIOVANNA How does he treat you when he is not angry?
LUCIA No differently, really. If I were still at home, for a few days he would treat me rudely, or not say a word to me. Last night he slept with his back to me, his head beneath the coverlet, and when he rose this morning his eyes were red from the heat. He left without a word. Perhaps he shall not even lunch at home, so he will not notice my absence until tonight. He would come home calm, but indifferent as stone. Normally, I would not speak to him, but if I should ask why he did not come home to lunch, he would say very softly, but without looking at me, "I was very busy." He would then go to bed without another word, unless he needed something, and then he would ask for it nicely. In the morning, I always used to pretend to be still asleep and he would move about quietly so as not to wake me; but before leaving, he would lean over me, gaze at me, and kiss me very lightly. Every morning, without fail, he would do so. At the beginning of our marriage I had not yet learned to pretend that I was still asleep, and I would open my eyes, throw my arms round his neck, and the coldness of the night before would not be spoken of. But after his putting me through this practice so many times, I then learned to pretend sleep, and so we would hold the grudge for many days. A grudge, was it? On my part, yes; but not on his, for he was self-possessed, indifferent, as if nothing was of any concern to him. He would speak to me little and civilly; he would no longer come near me unless there was absolute need of it. One day we made peace with one another without our knowing.
GIOVANNA And then?
LUCIA (Sadly.) It is true, for days, for weeks, he treated me well; lovingly, even, as no other husband could treat his wife. It seemed impossible that he would ever again speak harshly to me. But then, for no apparent reason, again came the grim looks, the foul words and deeds. (Weeps.)
GIOVANNA It is absolutely incomprehensible! He needs to be examined by a doctor, for that man must be truly ill.
LUCIA That is what I think, too; I certainly am not the one to cure him.
SCENE THREE
(Enter Emilio.)
EMILIO Good morning, Mamma. Good morning, Lucia; here so early? Have you been weeping?
LUCIA No.
EMILIO You look as though you had been.
GIOVANNA She has been.
EMILIO Why? Is your husband ill?
GIOVANNA In a manner of speaking. He has beaten her.
EMILIO Beaten her?!
LUCIA No, not exactly. He grasped me a bit roughly and forced me to sit where he wanted.
EMILIO Thank goodness! But didn't you tell us two or three days ago that his irritability had subsided?
LUCIA I only said that to put Mamma at ease, but it was not true.
EMILIO Ah! Well, you'll see he shall improve with time. He loves you very much.
LUCIA It would take too much time. I have tried. For these two years I have been his wife, I have tried.
SCENE FOUR
(Enter Matilde.)
MATILDE Have you been by my house this morning?
LUCIA Yes, I wanted to speak with you before coming to Mamma, but you were so long getting up and I was too impatient to wait.
MATILDE I knew right away that you had come after having one of the usual rows that interrupt your eternal honeymoon.
GIOVANNA Has she told you of her discontentment with her husband?
MATIDLE Yes; it was I who advised her not always to tell you about it.
GIOVANNA You were wrong to do so, for I perhaps could have stopped things going any further.
MATILDE It has gone further than usual?
GIOVANNA I should say! Unspeakable, villainous behaviour!
MATILDE (Surprised.) That beast! (Then, checking herself, to Lucia.) Sorry.
LUCIA Go ahead and say it; you are not saying anything I myself have not thought.
GIOVANNA (Soberly.) Now it is time, Matilde, to advise her, and advise her well. Tell her that she has every reason to separate from her husband.
MATILDE Separate? You have considered as much?
LUCIA Considered? I've done it. I have come home to Mamma and I shall never go back.
MATILDE (Aghast.) You are mad!
EMILIO I am astonished that Mamma would take seriously anything you say out of anger.
LUCIA You are mistaken; I am no longer angry. At what should I be angry? At what happened last night? One cannot lose one's head about an event that is but a repetition of so many others like it; one feels the usual hostility, a bit more so, perhaps. Much more so, in fact. (Becoming angry.) Just thinking of it again —I cannot but cry or laugh at such boorishness.
EMILIO You are still angry.
LUCIA True. (Calming herself.) But you see, I soon calm myself. Now I am completely calm, for I have made my decision, I've thought about it, and I have taken steps to carry it out.
EMILIO Let us hear what you have thought. What do you plan to do, for instance?
LUCIA That is the first thing I've considered. I know that you, Emilio, are concerned with maintaining Mamma and yourself respectably. I shall work too, and endeavor to regain my post as public school teacher. (Cheerfully.) Who knows? Perhaps I shall even help my family. I am disposed to work day and night so that I may live here with Mamma.
GIOVANNA My poor girl!
EMILIO Is this your noble resolution? Do you not realize that this cold-hearted resolve may ruin the family? It is not the maintenance that would ruin us, but your animosity towards your husband. Do you not realize that all of us depend on him? I rely on his financial support, his backing; Matilde's husband as well, perhaps even more so. And Momi is in his employ.
LUCIA Oh! The great advantages that Momi has in his employ! I believe the family may do well enough without them.
EMILIO That is not the point. I am able to keep Mamma comfortable, and can even think of taking a wife. I owe all this to your husband.
LUCIA My dear Emilio, I could not think of everyone; I could only think of myself. I found I could no longer continue such a life, and thought that with my education I could live independently and have resolved to do so. Indeed, I've already written to regain my post.
EMILIO If it is so, if I, your sister, and your mother matter not to you, then well done. Well done indeed.
GIOVANNA Lucia must after all do what her heart tells her. I do not wish to see her distressed by such arguments.
END SCENE
To be continued ....
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