Shipwreck ( Coast of Utopia-2)

TURGENEV   I’m not pure spirit, but I’m not society’s keeper either. No, listen, Captain! People complain about me having no attitude in my stories. They’re puzzled. Do I approve or disapprove? Do I want the reader to agree with this man or the other man? Whose fault is it that this peasant is a useless drunkard, his or ours? What about this story I gave you?—is the bailiff worse than the master, or the master worse than the bailiff? Where does the author stand? Why doesn’t he come clean with us? Well, maybe I’m wrong, but how would that make me a better writer? What has it got to do with anything? (raising his voice) Why are you getting at me, anyway? I’m not well, you know—well, I’m not not well like you’re not well—(hastily)—though you’ll get better, don’t worry—sorry—but coming all this way to this dump to keep you company … Can we not talk about art and society with the waters sloshing through my kidneys? …

Belinsky, who has been coughing, is suddenly in distress. Turgenev comes to his aid.

TURGENEV   (cont.) Easy, Captain! Easy …

BELINSKY   (recovering) The waters of Salzbrunn are not the elixir of life, in my opinion. It’s a mystery how these places get their reputation. Anyone can see they’re killing people off like flies.

TURGENEV   Let’s get out! Come with me to Berlin. I’ve got some friends going to London, I promised to see them off—or we can meet in Paris.

BELINSKY   No, I …

TURGENEV   You can’t go home without seeing Paris!

BELINSKY   I suppose not.

TURGENEV   Are you all right now?

BELINSKY   Yes. (He drinks some water.)

TURGENEV   (Pause.) So you didn’t like my story?

BELINSKY   Who said? You’re going to be one of our great writers, one of the few—I’m never wrong.

TURGENEV   (moved) Oh … (lightly) You said Fenimore Cooper was as great as Shakespeare.

BELINSKY   That wasn’t wrong, it was only ridiculous.

There is a transition.

JULY   1847

Paris. La Place de la Concorde.

Turgenev and Belinsky are out walking. Belinsky stares gloomily around.

TURGENEV   Herzen has established himself in the Avenue Marigny. He’s got a chandelier, and a footman to bring things in on a silver tray. The snow on his boots is all gone like les neiges d’antan. (He points.) The obelisk marks the spot where they had the guillotine.

BELINSKY   They say the Place de la Concorde is the most beautiful square in the world, don’t they?

TURGENEV   Yes.

BELINSKY   Good. Well, I’ve seen it now. Let’s walk back to where I saw that red-and-white dressing gown in the window.

TURGENEV   It was expensive.

BELINSKY   I only want to look at it.

TURGENEV   I’m sorry about … you know … going off to London like that.

BELINSKY   It’s all right. (He coughs painfully.)

TURGENEV   Are you getting tired? You wait here, I’ll go to the cab rank.

BELINSKY   I could write amazing things in a dressing gown like that.

Turgenev leaves.

SEPTEMBER   1847

Belinsky recovers. A chandelier descends into view. Belinsky looks at it.