talk to…
Golyshkin. That’s so nice to talk to you, Olenka! By the way, have you read my book? The one I gave you last week.
Olga. Of course, Stalver Udarpyatovich.
Golyshkin. And..?
Olga. And I understood almost nothing.
Golyshkin. What a pity!
Olga. You are too smart, professor! How can I, a stupid girl, understand this philosophy? I have too many questions. And there was no one to answer them. I was reading your book at nights. Alone, lying in a cold bed under the blanket. The room was lit only by a dim table lamp. A strong wind was howling sadly outside the dark window. It was so scary!
Golyshkin. Poor girl! So what's the problem? Ask me now and I will answer.
Olga. Okay. So, you wrote about necromancy…
Golyshkin. Oh, my God, Olenka, and you too!
Olga. Have I said something stupid? Oh, I really have! Not a single word about your book any more! I don't want to seem funny to you. After all, you, Stalver Udarpyatovich, are a professor of Philosophy, and who am I? Ordinary nurse from a local district clinic.
Golyshkin. Please, forgive me, Olenka! And don't take my remark personally. The reason is my today’s guest. You might have seen him.
Olga. You mean that mysteriously looking man? He passed by me and didn’t even notice me, as if I were invisible.
Golyshkin. It’s just impossible! No man in the world can behave like that. You are perfection, Olenka!
Olga. Therefore, he is not a man. It's a comforting statement. But what did you want to tell about him, Stalver Udarpyatovich?
Golyshkin. Nothing special. I mean that this man was torturing me with his talk about spiritual séances. So, when you suddenly started talking about necromancy… about the art of communicating with the dead people’ spirits… I couldn't help exclaiming emotionally. Once again, please forgive me, Olenka!
Olga. Do not apologize, Stalver Udarpyatovich. I understand you. But, in fact, this necromancy gets me interested very much. You write so exiting about it! Especially the chapter, where you say, that the dead can show the future to the living. You can’t imagine how much I would like…
Golyshkin. Why are you silent, Olenka? Go on! What would you like?
Olga. To know my future. Isn't that clear, professor? Or does it seem strange? Any woman would give a lot to know what awaits her in the future. And not in some distant future, but in the nearest. Will she get married and when? Will she have children and how many?…
Golyshkin. But it's so dangerous!
Olga. Dangerous? Why?
Golyshkin. Knowledge about the future is not given without loss. Communication with the spirits of the dead suggests some unpredictable consequences.
Olga. So what?
Golyshkin. Well, don't you understand, Olenka?
Olga. I don't think you understand, professor. Life is short. Especially for women. After all, they live only while they are young and beautiful. When youth passes and beauty fades the life ends for us. Instead, existence begins. Just existence – boring, tedious, which nobody needs, including themselves. But if only a woman could know her future! Oh! It would change a lot.
Golyshkin. I don't understand what exactly?
Olga. Of course you don’t, since you are a man! It would protect her from many mistakes. Those which are made easily, but it takes years to correct them. If there are no mistakes, there will be no wasted years. Isn't it worth it, professor?
Golyshkin. And yet you have not convinced me, Olenka.
Olga. Neither have you, Stalver Udarpyatovich.
Golyshkin. I can predict your future even without a séance.
Olga. And that would be false, professor. Shame on you! There is nothing easier than to mislead a naive girl who trusts you so much. But if you really want me to believe you…
Golyshkin. What then? Speak up, Olenka, what should I do for this?
Olga. Hold a spiritual seance.
Golyshkin. And whose spirit would you like to summon?
Olga. Anyone’s. The main thing: he has to be dead for at least a couple of centuries or millennia ago. But not as outrageously alive and healthy as you are, Stalver Udarpyatovich!
Golyshkin. Olenka, you don’t understand what you are asking. That's really true: Oh, poor, you wanted this!
Olga. Actually, I'm not asking you for anything, professor. You just asked me to be frank with you. And I freaked out in my sincerity. But how can I trust men? This will be another bitter lesson for me. Thanks for that professor!
Golyshkin. Olenka! Don't talk to me so harshly! I feel like my blood pressure is rising again.
Olga. Perhaps, you need another injection, professor?
Golyshkin. Oh, don't remind me of injections!
Olga. I won’t. Besides, I have no time now.
Golyshkin. Are you in a hurry, Olenka? And you are not going to have tea with me, as usual?
Olga. I have to visit a dozen of other patients. And very few of them feel as good as you do, professor. Remember, I'm the district nurse, not your personal one.
Golyshkin. But are you going to come tomorrow, Olenka?
Olga. Tomorrow? Maybe. Or perhaps, another nurse would come. There are a lot of good nurses in our clinic, professor. And I'm far from the best.
Golyshkin. But I've got so used to you, Olenka! And any other does not suit me.
Olga. In our life we often have to put up with something, Stalver Udarpyatovich. Don't you know this?!
Golyshkin. But, Olenka… Are you offended?
Olga. Not at all! Goodbye professor. And don't see me off. I’ll find the way myself. I know it quite well. Hopefully, I am not going to meet any ghosts on the way. If only your son. But he's not that scary, is he?
Olga leaves the office. Rodion meets her at the door.
Olga. Wouldn’t you like to tell me anything? I can see your happy face. Was your talk successful?
Rodion. You can't even imagine how successful it was! So, tonight my pockets will be full of cash like … I will be rich like King Solomon!
Olga. I think he was wise, not rich.
Rodion. But what about his diamond mines?! And his throne of pure gold and ivory on which he used to seat?!
Olga. Okay, you can
