“Jenůfa” – Act 3

Act Three

Kostelnička’s room, as in Act Two. On the table is a white cloth and a pot of rosemary, with several ribbon-tied sprigs of rosemary on a plate. A bottle of wine, several glasses and a plate of cakes.

Scene One

Kostelnička, Jenůfa, Laca, Grandmother Buryja, the Shepherdess. (Jenůfa sits on a chair in her best clothes, with a prayer book and a handkerchief in her hand. The Shepherdess stands behind her, tying a headscarf on her head. Laca stands beside Jenůfa. Grandmother Buryja from the mill sits on a chair by the table. Kostelnička paces up and down, showing feverish agitation and inner torment; she looks very drawn and exhausted. Jenůfa looks fresher than in Act Two, but serious.)

The Shepherdess Are you feeling sad, Jenůfka? Jenůfa No. Laca Why should she be sad? I would never hurt her! The Shepherdess But that is how it always is: a girl is sorry to lose her freedom. God, how foolish I was, how I cried — and yet I got a good, kind, decent man! The Shepherdess (to herself) What should I do first? Should I give them the flowers or offer them a glass of wine? I only came to help. Kostelnička still isn’t quite herself after her illness! Kostelnička (startled) What’s that rustling outside the door? Who’s coming? The Shepherdess (opening the door to the new arrivals) Welcome! (to Kostelnička) Don’t be frightened, it’s the Mayor and his wife.

Scene Two

The Mayor, the Mayor’s Wife, the preceding. The Mayor (offering his hand to Kostelnička) God grant you happiness... Why, were you frightened of us? The Shepherdess It’s her illness! It’s her illness! Welcome! The Mayor We’ve come because we were invited. Karolka is only waiting for Števa; they’ll come together. Laca Welcome! Jenůfa (rising) Welcome! The Mayor You can see it in her, she’s somehow wasting away! (to Kostelnička) What a strong woman you used to be, everything about you was full of life! (He drinks a toast.) No more grieving now, may everything be well! Kostelnička Today I am arranging Jenůfa’s wedding to a good man; I have no reason to lament. But I can feel it — I am wasting away. (She clasps her head in her hands.) Oh, what torment this is! Sleep never brings relief; I must stay awake, I must, to live through all of it!

Jenůfa Mother, God willing, you will still recover! Kostelnička I don’t want to recover, I don’t want to recover, I don’t... A long life would be a horror, would be a horror... and what awaits me there? (She pulls herself together.) Today is your wedding day, Jenůfko, and I am happy for you. The Mayor’s Wife (to Kostelnička) Whatever has Jenůfa got into her head, going to her wedding dressed like a respectable widow? Kostelnička She, Jenůfa? The greatest ladies and gentlemen go to the altar just as simply. The Mayor’s Wife The gentry do everything according to fashion, but we here in the village! Well, I would never have gone to the altar without a bridal wreath and ribbons, never, not for a thousand Rhenish guilders, never! The Shepherdess (to the Mayor’s Wife) Even so, she’ll still be a respectable and capable woman! Kostelnička Come and have a look at her trousseau! I arranged everything myself: you don’t often see a trousseau like this! (Everyone goes into the chamber, leaving only Jenůfka and Laca.)

Scene Three

Laca, Jenůfa Jenůfa You see, Laca, I knew everyone would notice how I am dressed for my wedding. Laca (taking a little posy from the pocket of his jacket) Jenůfka, I did bring you a little posy... It came all the way from the gardener in Belovec. Jenůfa Thank you, Laca! Laca Wouldn’t you take it, wouldn’t you take it, Jenůfka! Jenůfa (fastening the posy to her bodice) Oh, Laca, you did not deserve a bride like me! Laca Oh, child, don’t speak to me about it anymore. It struck me like a blow at first, when Aunty told me, but then I immediately forgave you! After all, I have wronged you so much myself, all my life I must make it up to you, all my life, all my life. Jenůfa I feel so sorry for you, I feel so sorry for you! You stood by me in my misfortune, you instead of Števa. You stood by me in my misfortune, you instead of Števa! Laca I know you loved Števa, if only now you no longer think of him. I carried hatred for Števa in my heart and would gladly have deprived him of everything. But you told me to make peace with him, and I have now overcome all that evil within me, all of it, because you are with me, because you are with me! I invited Števa, as was proper, to our wedding, to our wedding; he promised he would come as a brother, with Karolka. And look, they’re here already!

Scene Four

Števa, Karolka, the preceding. (Karolka and Števa enter.)

Karolka May God grant you a good day, may God grant you a good day! Števa took so long getting himself ready, as though his feet were stuck to the ground! I wish you, may God grant you happiness and God’s blessing, and God’s blessing! Today I’ll look at you with a heavy heart, knowing that my turn too will come to go to the altar. It’s only a pity that you, that you are having it like sensible people, without any music! And now, Števa, you give your wishes! And now, Števa, you give your wishes! Števa (embarrassed) I can’t do it as well as Karolka! Jenůfa Well, never mind, here, shake hands with your brother! Each of you has something fine about him. You, Števa, your good looks, and Laca, that good soul God gave him! Karolka Just go on and tell Števa again that he’s handsome; he already doesn’t know what to do with himself! Jenůfa Can he still be such a child? Laca When will you have your wedding? Števa Exactly two weeks from now. Karolka (jokingly) Ha, only if I want to! I may still send you packing. People already warn me enough about you! Števa If you did that, I’d have to take my own life! Jenůfa You see, Števa, that is your true love! May it never cause you pain! (The Mayor, Kostelnička and the others return from the chamber.)

Scene Five

The Mayor, Kostelnička, the Mayor’s Wife, the preceding. The Mayor That was quite an inspection! Kostelnička (frightened and trembling) Števa is here! He’s come again to cause some trouble! (to Laca) What does he want here? I cannot bear to see him. Laca (to Kostelnička) Jenůfa was the one who asked for it! The Mayor If I hadn’t lit a cigar, all that rummaging would have made me furious! The Mayor’s Wife You’ve provided for her very well, you must be given credit for that!

Scene Six

The preceding, Barena and the girls. (They bring a bouquet of rosemary and geranium flowers, decorated with coloured ribbons.)

Barena May God grant you a good day! The Girls May God grant you a good day! You didn’t invite us, but we won’t keep you long, we won’t keep you long... we won’t keep you long, we won’t! Barena Even though you’re having no celebration, we still couldn’t stay away without coming to wish Jenůfa well and sing for her! Barena and the Girls So we wish you both as much happiness as there are drops in a heavy rain. And now we’ll sing! The Girls Hey, mother, mother, dear mother of mine! Get me some new clothes, I’m going to get married. Hey! Hey, daughter, daughter, dear daughter of mine! Forget about getting married, you’re still much too young. Hey! Hey, mother, mother, dear mother of mine! You were young once too, and you were glad to get married! Hey!

The Mayor You sang that very well! Barena (giving Jenůfa a posy of flowers) And take this from us, Jenůfko! Jenůfa I thank you with all my heart! It has touched me so deeply! Laca The priest told us, told us to come to the church at exactly nine! The Mayor Well, hurry now and get the blessing — so we can be off! (Laca and Jenůfa kneel before Grandmother Buryja.) Laca I respectfully ask you, ask you for your blessing. Grandmother Buryja Then I bless you, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. (The bride and groom kiss Grandmother Buryja’s hands.) And you, Laca, don’t think badly of me!

The Mayor (The bride and groom kneel before Kostelnička; she raises her hands. A commotion is heard outside. Kostelnička draws back in fright. Two voices can be distinguished amid the noise outside.) And now, Kostelnička, you surely know how to do it like the priest! First Voice (from outside) Poor little thing! Some beast has killed a child! Second Voice (from outside) What godless woman did this? Kostelnička What child? What are they shouting about a child out there?

Scene Seven

Jano, the others. Jano (running in) Mayor, they’re looking for you. The Mayor What’s happened? What is it? Števa What’s going on? Jano You haven’t heard yet? You haven’t heard yet? The brewery workers found a child frozen fast under the ice! All Oh, horror! Oh, horror! Jano They’re carrying it on a board, it looks as though it were alive, wrapped in a little quilt, in swaddling clothes, with a red bump on its head! It’s horrible; the people are wailing over it, oh, come quickly! (Jano runs off; the Mayor, the Mayor’s Wife, the people, the Shepherdess, Laca, Jenůfa and Karolka follow him. Only Števa remains standing motionless, while Kostelnička and Grandmother Buryja remain by the bed.)

Števa That cry seemed to cut my legs from under me! And now I feel such dread! (Jenůfa breaks away from Laca. Laca pulls Jenůfa inside.)

Scene Eight

Kostelnička, Grandmother Buryja, Števa. Kostelnička Jenůfa... don’t run away, oh, don’t run away! Hold me, protect me! Hold me, protect me! Hold me, protect me! They’re coming for me! Grandmother Buryja But, my daughter! But, my daughter! Daughter, you’re delirious again! (Števa runs off and at the door bumps into Karolka, who takes him by the hand.) Laca Jenůfka! Jenůfka! Pull yourself together! What dreadful thought has come over you! People can hear you! Oh, pull yourself together! Jenůfa Let me go! Let me go! That’s Števuška, my little boy, mine! (The Mayor enters, carrying swaddling clothes and a little red cap. The others follow him.)

Scene Nine

The preceding, Karolka, later Jenůfa and Laca. Karolka (to Števa) Števa, this is terrible! The wedding is ruined... If I were the bride, I would be crying. Jenůfa (from outside) Oh God, my God, that’s my little boy!

Scene Ten

The Mayor, the others. (The doors remain wide open, and the people peer inside.) Jenůfa Ah, you see, his swaddling clothes, his little cap! I made it myself from my own ribbons! The Mayor’s Wife Do you hear that, Mayor? They know about it! Jenůfa Oh, people, what have you done with him? Aunt Jesus Christ! So she killed her own child! Jenůfa Without a little coffin, without a little wreath. Why won’t you leave him in peace? You’ve dragged him about somewhere in the snow and ice! The Mayor I think I’m on the right track now, with none of the gentlemen here! I have to be the chief official — (wiping the sweat from his brow) and I’d rather be anywhere else!

The People Stone her! Stone her... Stone her! Stone her... Stone her! Jesus Christ! She killed the child! She must have brought it from Vienna! Jenůfa Števa, miller, run after them, quickly, run — that’s your child! Laca (threateningly) Just let anyone dare to touch her! It will cost you your life! I’ll beat you with my fists! Kostelnička (with difficulty, pulling herself together) I am still here! You know nothing! It was my deed — my punishment from God! The People Kostelnička! Kostelnička I killed Jenůfa’s child, I alone! Her life, her happiness I wanted to save. The shame weighed upon me that I had raised my stepdaughter only to see her ruined!

Kostelnička (She sinks to her knees.) You knew, God, that it was more than I could bear, that instead of the child two lives would be lost... Jenůfa was never in Vienna, I kept her hidden, drugged her, took the child, carried him to the river and pushed him through a hole cut in the ice. The People Jesus Christ! Kostelnička It was evening. He did not struggle... he did not even make a sound... Only it seemed as though he burned me in my arms... and from that moment I knew that I was a murderess. The People Jesus Christ! Our Kostelnička! Kostelnička Afterwards I told Jenůfa that her child had died while unconscious! Oh, have mercy on her, do not condemn her! She is innocent... Judge me, stone me, wretched as I am!

Jenůfa Oh, Mother — under the ice — oh! (furiously) Let me go! Karolka (to Števa, who, devastated, leans against the window) Števa, is this on your conscience? (throwing her arms around her mother’s neck) Mother, I feel so faint I could collapse! The Mayor’s Wife My Karolka! Karolka Take me out of here — I won’t marry Števa, I’d rather jump into the water. Let’s go home! (Karolka pushes her way out, followed by her mother.) Laca Oh, my God, I am the cause of it, I disfigured your cheek so that Števa would leave you, and then everything led to this misfortune! The Shepherdess That is his punishment! No girl will marry him. Not even an honest Gypsy girl! (Števa, covering his face with his hands, pushes his way out. The Shepherdess leads the devastated Grandmother Buryja away.)

Scene Eleven

Jenůfa, Laca, Kostelnička, the Mayor, the others (without the Mayor’s Wife, Karolka, Števa, Grandmother Buryja and the Shepherdess).

Jenůfa (rises resolutely and approaches Kostelnička) Rise, my foster mother! Enough mortal humiliation and suffering await you! (She helps Kostelnička to her feet.) Kostelnička Why do you raise me up? You know they will take me away? (horrified) Oh! (She runs to the chamber door.) No, no! I must not! They would judge you, Jenůfa! Jenůfa And my foster mother, now I understand, does not deserve to be cursed. Do not condemn her! Give her time to repent! The Saviour will look upon her too! Laca Jenůfka, have you lost your senses? Kostelnička Only you, forgive me. Now I see that I loved myself more than I loved you. Now you can no longer cry: “Mother, oh Mother!” You could not have inherited my nature, my blood, and now I draw strength from you... I want to suffer! The Saviour will look upon me too. Jenůfa May God comfort you! Kostelnička Come, Mayor! Lead me away!... Jenůfa May God comfort you! (The Mayor supports Kostelnička by the arm and leaves with her. Everyone follows them out. Only Jenůfa and Laca remain.)

Scene Twelve

Jenůfa, Laca. Jenůfa They have gone. You go too! Surely now you see that you cannot join your life to my wretched one! God be with you... and remember, remember that you were the best man, the best man I have ever known in this world! That you deliberately wounded my cheek, I forgave you long ago. You sinned only out of love, as I once did. Laca You will go out into the world to seek a better life, and you won’t take me with you, Jenůfka? Jenůfa You know they will call me to court, that everyone will look at me with contempt? Laca (more animatedly) Jenůfka, I will bear even that for you, I will bear even that for you! What do we care about the world, if we can be a comfort to each other! Jenůfa (overcome) Oh, Laca, my soul! Oh, come, oh, come! Now I have been led to you by that greater love, the love that God approves of!

End of the opera

libretto by Dmitrii Murashev