The Power of Darkness

By Leo Tolstoy

The Act takes place in autumn in a large village. The Scene represents Peter's roomy hut. Peter is sitting on a wooden bench, mending a horse-collar. Anisya and Akoulina are spinning, and singing a part song.
PETER [looking out of the window] The horses have got loose again. If we don't look out they'll be killing the colt. Nikita! Hey, Nikita! Is the fellow deaf? [Listens. To the women] Shut up, one can't hear anything.
NIKITA [from outside] What?
PETER. Drive the horses in.
NIKITA. We'll drive 'em in. All in good time.
PETER [shaking his head] Ah, these labourers! If I were well, I'd not keep one on no account. There's nothing but bother with 'em. [Rises and sits down again] Nikita!? It's no good shouting. One of you'd better go. Go, Akoul, drive 'em in.
AKOULINA. What? The horses?
PETER. What else?
AKOULINA. All right. [Exit].
PETER. Ah, but he's a loafer, that lad ? no good at all. Won't stir a finger if he can help it.
ANISYA. You're so mighty brisk yourself. When you're not sprawling on the top of the oven you're squatting on the bench. To goad others to work is all you're fit for.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Books on Demand
• Release date: Jan 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9783748192404

Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy was born in 1828 in Tula, near Moscow. His parents, who both died when he was young, belonged to the Russian nobility, and to the end of his life Tolstoy remained conscious of his aristocratic status. His novels, ‘War and Peace’ and ‘Anna Karenina’ are literary classics and he is revered as one of the greatest writers of the nineteenth century. He died in 1910 at the age of 82.

Book preview

���2^book_preview_excerpt.html�Y�r�����%J�(�c'>�[��J\��D�Dz��R9�!
�`1��ؓ�
{r�!7�r�U�/�{=�����U^
����ݯ__�^������,6��nM��R]�b���������͟�p����zp?�� �/�P��=;���ӷG>��y]$���{�����1V�l�J[|��(�ƺ�!�T����/�����L�4�W�5izZ��Ȫ�h�����򵪍.��i�W]��������,l�2٘����K�Ɔ/�c0s0~�<}?�\'Nm�%>�fo�%���Q
O��0�����8�pgJS�8� �
�y�b�L Wz� �������.d���lWLV�4�U�E���67�����X�q0����x���(:��;�`����g��:)T��*L�W_�?������1N֏���,5‚]��Uw��T'�ij�Z������#фz�������ヨI�w�m������En�)[���*)R����ͮ���|�;)�q����Ó�p�tt;�5��x�-�7q���o���������d�f+D)o�`m��k�W��>�2���#r:5���_O~��y�ft?�����M�h:���/���MnFC5y��ۭ������z8���������v�C盷�����P o.��NG������Mn�㾜��0�n8���g�1��#D�5Q�d� �i���N�v5X���k㘕��L骬6���+VF=$i ��WL&3�09�e�T����_��G����%��r�������d�Xj�V�ylgN� 6���7Wk��6�J �<�2)�n�ʯ�uQ�!���;g��n���S�8e��e,P%Yd�~�?�=1���Z�Ra�C��P�gj��*�ى�X�Vا>IS����'pk�$B}�Ե����FN�Y��q|d��<y���@/3�-Dp���)�UU��8@�r(��8���ja�ea74�%�i�z��\uQ:S�E��S(�@�y򝡳�|zb6��O�/+X�ϙ:����O���Qc�ɀ3�r��G�G��0��jt��X���Ȩ�*�X؊|��I�o����0"b\ƴ�,�q��5�BH_�?��mj�����R�R6��� �Z�T��`�ܔL��=���������=�>��;��+�:s~d1��x5��������0� j��%����)�@?���K���P��g+�3;6��Ks��;�U���R��иZ͋ĭ��u*�R _ �H��,|�P;���kR�h/
T�!.�1f��Ζa+,�|5OJ�4�X���*5˒��2$���_<�xlɄ�Xm�snl���1�p*3���Yd?���܉�6���K#��ɯ$����twiݒ��5��i4�vŴ�7;^����0A� �'�T#c����‹a�N%_�l��"t�h�d#�f�*#]?-�`�]�p�j�W�n�����h%M��iUf`���u���+�P['�ZS6ЩEa<�L[��H�!�Fϔ��B�V�~��X)�P:g�q��};֋5���=�@d���&A�c�l�'�M���h�۝�|���ͼ���wM}u�zz�,��۬�p�d�e(i'����L�81s�t��5Uh���K 9 � ����;��]�>�zq�k!�ć�@ C��ćޯ�����O�������)��5;i��J�����ǂ�������viHO� ����.�{��5��6�V��-���s:�N�S��E�i��ӑʟYT�Z0�+�0q�ۑF�,|"�H*=�&ݮ�jEXJ6�-�]�,�#48��@׾S/�7`�ש�(�,����k��W�дS?UX������ԗ�#u���+T���2HL�Y<��!�}���l �*R�F:�ZFI@�z{t�As���Xr���4�=�
�0�tD�8�=S��"�-� 2�G6�LԔ�d|À0���o���C�,�;,!�Y)�
�����d�3ZB0�mT�L��`%AƧ���2�Ȼ�0hm}2jk��-J.��h.��:�St>�������?�p7��ˌ0��{J����+�ZS�� ��K�+��,��T��������r^'e2EW� �/�bm%_!�@d��Vg�0-�N ^���d��պ+7H;�X�u��)�wI���kͫ�;��@O� C�1oY�#����O�y���Q/C���e&���`�m$(�Cj���Q{ϫ�ą��#T�ڥ� W�˦%!E���(\���k$�7["?�N{O<�u�~��g��� �m�k�����1u���
3ł�"͊�\,�mt��K�jY^��!|�I��s�͉�j���A���\I�$�0�h=��d��(`Ѭ�r �$�q������\����߈���7��z?\^p0�
�r���kHy�[���4�>{�G?O���Є��_�H����a��\����-�!<�Ȫ��g=7����>�}Q 4�4�3���ltd����>��ҽ04�2V�-�+i�{fa�VHP�h���;l�������Ę'�WB�n�

Enjoying the preview?

Subscribe to continue reading