“Eugene Onegin” – Act 3

ACT THREE

Scene Six 19. Polonaise. 20. Scene, Écossaise and Prince Gremin’s Aria. A ball at the house of a St. Petersburg nobleman. Guests dance the polonaise. Onegin watches. ONEGIN (aside): I’m bored here too. The brilliance and bustle of society cannot dispel my constant world-weariness! Having killed my best friend in a duel, having no aim, no work, I have reached the age of twenty-six wearied by the idleness of leisure; without employment, wife or occupation, I’ve found nothing to which I could devote myself! Restlessness held me in thrall, the desire for constant change of scene, an extremely vexing trait, a cross that few would choose! I left my country estates, the solitude of woods and fields, where a bloodstained ghost confronted me every day! I began to travel, aimlessly, going where fancy led me... And what happened? I found, to my disgust, that travel was boring too! I returned and went, like Chatsky, straight from a ship to a ball! The guests dance an écossaise. Onegin steps to one side. People take notice of him. Prince Gremin enters with Tatyana on his arm. GUESTS: Princess Gremina! Look! Look! The guests respectfully make way for Gremin and Tatyana.

GROUP OF MEN: Which is she? ANOTHER GROUP: Over there, look! LADIES: The one who’s just sat down by that table. MEN: Her serene beauty is delightful! ONEGIN (examining Tatyana intently through his lorgnette, aside): Can that be Tatyana? Surely... no! What? From the backwoods of that village in the steppes? It’s impossible! And how unaffected, how dignified, how perfectly at ease! She bears herself like a queen! (Onegin moves over toward Gremin.) TATYANA (to the guests): Tell me, who is that... over there with my husband? I can’t quite make him out. GUESTS: One who affects eccentricity, a strange, extravagant melancholic. He’s been travelling abroad... And now, here’s Onegin back with us! TATYANA: Eugene? GUESTS: Do you know him? TATYANA: He’s a neighbour of ours in the country. (Aside.) O God, help me to hide the dreadful tumult in my heart!... ONEGIN (to Prince Gremin): Tell me, prince, do you happen to know who that is over there in the scarlet turban talking to the Spanish ambassador? GREMIN: Ah! It’s some time since you were last in society! Wait a moment, and I’ll present you. ONEGIN: But who is she? GREMIN: My wife! ONEGIN: So you’re married? I didn’t know! Have you been married long? GREMIN: About two years. ONEGIN: To whom? GREMIN: To Larin’s daughter... ONEGIN: Tatyana! GREMIN: Have you met? ONEGIN: I’m a neighbour of theirs!

GREMIN: Love is no respecter of age — its transports bless alike those in the bloom of youth yet unacquainted with the world, and the grey-headed warrior tempered by fate’s experience! Onegin, I shan’t disguise the fact that I love Tatyana to distraction! My life was slipping drearily away; she appeared and brightened it like a ray of sunlight in a stormy sky, and brought me life and youth — yes, youth, yes, youth and happiness! Among these sly, poor-spirited, foolish, pampered children, these scoundrels both absurd and boring, dull, fractious arbiters, among the cold verdicts, the cruel-hearted vanity, amid the vexing vacuity of calculation, thought and conversation, she shines like a star in the night’s darkest hour, in a pure, clear sky, and to me she always appears in the radiant, radiant nimbus of an angel. Come, I’ll present you to her. Gremin leads Onegin over to Tatyana.

21. Scene and Onegin’s Arioso, Écossaise. GREMIN (to Tatyana): My dear, allow me to introduce an old friend and relation of mine, Onegin. Onegin bows. TATYANA (to Onegin): I’m delighted. We’ve met before. ONEGIN: In the country, yes... a long time ago. TATYANA: Where have you come from? From our parts, perhaps? ONEGIN: Oh, no! I’ve been on distant travels. TATYANA: And long have you been back? ONEGIN: Only today. TATYANA (to Prince Gremin): My dear, I’m tired. Tatyana leaves on Prince Gremin’s arm. Onegin follows her with his eyes. ONEGIN (aside): Can this really be the same Tatyana to whom, in private, in the depths of a distant countryside, I, in a fine moral outburst, once read a lecture on principles? The same girl, whom in her humble station I disdained? Was this really her, so poised, so self-possessed? But what’s the matter with me? I must be dreaming! What is stirring in the depths of my cold and slothful heart? Vexation, vanity, or once again, that preoccupation of youth — love? Alas, there’s no doubt, I’m in love, in love like a boy, a passionate youth! Let me perish, but first let me summon, in dazzling hope, I drink the magic potion of desire, intoxicate myself with impossible dreams! Everywhere, everywhere I look, I see that beloved, desired image! Wherever I look, I see her! Onegin rushes out. The guests dance an écossaise.

Scene Seven 22. Final Scene. The drawing room of Prince Gremin’s house. Tatyana is reading Onegin’s letter. TATYANA (weeping): O, how distressed I am! Once more Onegin has crossed my path like a relentless apparition! His burning glance has troubled my heart and so vividly reawakened my dormant passion that I feel like a young girl again, as if nothing had ever parted us! Onegin appears at the door. Seeing Tatyana, he rushes to her and falls to his knees at her feet. Enough, get up. I must talk to you frankly. Onegin, do you remember that time when, in the avenue of our garden, fate brought us together and I listened so meekly to your lecture? ONEGIN: O spare me, have pity on me! I was so mistaken; I have been cruelly punished! TATYANA: Onegin, I was younger then, and a better person, I think! And I loved you — but what, then, what response did I find in your heart? Only severity! Am I not right in thinking that a simple young girl’s love was no novelty to you? And now... Dear God, my blood runs cold whenever I recall that cold look, that sermon! But I do not blame you... In that dreadful moment you behaved honourably, you acted correctly towards me.

At that time, I suppose, in the back of beyond, far from the frivolity of social gossip, you didn’t find me attractive. Why, then, do you pursue me now? Why am I the object of such attentions? Could it be because I now frequent the highest circles, because I am rich and of the nobility, because my husband, wounded in battle, enjoys, on that account, the favour of the court? Could it not be that my disgrace would now be generally remarked and would confer upon you the reputation of a seducer? ONEGIN: Oh! My God! Is it possible that in my humble pleading your cold look sees nothing but the wiles of despicable cunning? Your reproach torments me! If you only knew how terrible it is to suffer love’s torments, to endure and constantly to check the fever in the blood by reason, to long to clasp your knees and, weeping at your feet, pour out prayers, avowals, reproaches — all, all that words can express! TATYANA: I am weeping! ONEGIN: Weep on — those tears are dearer than all the treasures in the world! TATYANA: Ah! Happiness was within our reach, so close! So close! TATYANA, ONEGIN: Happiness was within our reach, so close! So close!

TATYANA: But my fate has already been decided, and irrevocably. I am married; you must — I beg you — leave me! ONEGIN: Leave you? Leave you! What!... Leave you? No! No! To see you hourly, to follow your every smile, movement and glance with loving eyes, to listen to you for hours, to understand in my heart all your perfection, to swoon before you in passionate torment, turn pale and fade away — this is bliss, this is bliss, this is my only dream, my only happiness! TATYANA: Onegin, your heart knows both pride and true honour! ONEGIN: I cannot leave you! TATYANA: Eugene! You must. I beg you to leave me. ONEGIN: Oh, have pity! TATYANA: Why hide it, why pretend? I love you! ONEGIN: What do I hear? What was that word you spoke? O joy! Oh, my life! You are again the Tatyana of former days! TATYANA: No! No! You cannot bring back the past! I am another’s now, my fate is already decided. I shall always be true to him.

ONEGIN: Oh, do not drive me away; you love me! And I will not leave you! You will ruin your life for nothing! This is the will of Heaven: you are mine! All your life has been a pledge of our union! And be assured: I was sent to you by God — I am your protector to the grave! You cannot refuse me. For me you must forsake this hateful house, the clamour of society — you have no other path! TATYANA: Onegin, I shall remain firm... ONEGIN: No, you cannot... refuse me... TATYANA: ...By fate, to another... have I been given; with him will I live and never leave him; ONEGIN: For me... you must forsake all, all — hateful house and social clamour! You have no other path! Oh, do not drive me from you, I implore! You love me; you will ruin your life for nothing! You are mine, mine for ever! TATYANA: ...No, I must remember my vows! (Aside.) Deep in my heart his desperate appeal strikes an answering chord, but having stifled the sinful flame, honour’s severe and sacred duty will triumph over passion!

TATYANA: I am leaving! ONEGIN: No! No! No! No! TATYANA: Enough! ONEGIN: Oh, I implore you: do not go! TATYANA: No, I am resolved! ONEGIN: I love you! I love you! TATYANA: Leave me! ONEGIN: I love you! TATYANA: Farewell for ever! Tatyana leaves. ONEGIN: Ignominy!... Anguish!... Oh, my pitiable fate! End of the opera.