Free Collaborators by John Hodge Page B

Still, they’ll be back soon. I’m sure.
    Sergei Mr Bulgakov – can I tell you about something? It happened at work.
    Bulgakov Of course.
    Sergei The manager of the factory. He couldn’t meet the targets. It wasn’t his fault. We worked hard, extra shifts – so did he. But it still wasn’t enough. So he lied. Claimed we had made more tractors than we really had. It was the wrong thing to do, but . . . He was found out, of course. They were coming to arrest him but he committed suicide.
    Bulgakov I see.
    Sergei What do you think of that?
    Bulgakov Well, it’s obviously a tragedy, for the man and his family.
    Sergei They said he was a wrecker, a saboteur, and that’s why the targets weren’t being met.
    Bulgakov Yes . . . Well . . . I suppose, you have to look at it from the point of view of the authorities. Clearlythis man had . . . objective characteristics. That’s what it is. That’s why he was under suspicion. That’s how enquiries work. Of course, there’s no way that I could have known that.
    Sergei I’m sorry, Comrade, I do not have your education –
    Bulgakov Of course. You see, a man may appear innocent, but his position, of power and responsibility, means that he must inevitably be suspect. Think about it: the factory fails to meet its targets, he lies, and then he commits suicide before he can be arrested. Possibly to protect someone else. You put it all together . . .
    Sergei He left a note on his desk, denouncing the whole system.
    Bulgakov Well, that fits in, doesn’t it? Don’t you think so? It has to, doesn’t it?
    Sergei Like Praskovya and Vasilly, then?
    Bulgakov What about them?
    Sergei They have objective characteristics too, I think.
    Bulgakov No.
    Sergei He was a landowner. A possible Tsarist?
    Bulgakov Vasilly is harmless.
    Sergei And she teaches history – perhaps she subverts through counter-revolutionary propaganda.
    Bulgakov That’s not necessarily how it will be taken. There is, I’m sure, a perfectly innocent explanation for their absence.
    Silence.
    Sergei The suicide note – left by my boss – when the police came, they arrested anyone who had read it.
    Bulgakov That’s just a precaution. That’s all.
    A beat.
    You didn’t read the note, did you, Sergei?
    Sergei stares at Bulgakov. Turns away.
    The sound of a knock at the door.
    Sergei scuttles into his cupboard and pulls it fast.
    Enter the Driver.
    Driver Your car is ready, sir.
    Bulgakov Thank you – I’ll be out in a moment.
    Exit the Driver.
    Sergei.
    No response.
    Enter Yelena.
    They both stop and look at one another.
    A frosty silence from Yelena.
    Bulgakov moves as though everything is normal.
    Bulgakov Did the food go down well?
    Yelena says nothing.
    Yelena –
    Yelena Men and women are being arrested, for nothing at all. Every morning, another apartment is empty. And the first question they are asked is: who is in this conspiracy with you?
    Bulgakov has no reply.
    Yelena walks across to the gramophone.
    She places a record on, winds it up, and drops the stylus in place.
    It is their tune.
    She looks at her husband. He cannot meet her gaze.
    He turns away.
    The music plays.
    Yelena turns and walks away. She exits.
    Bulgakov stands alone.
    The music plays on.
    After a while, it sticks.
    The needle jumps, over and over.
    Bulgakov walks across to the gramophone.
    He lifts the stylus. Removes the record.
    Enter the two Actors. They busy themselves with their sack of props and costumes.
    Vladimir and Stepan follow as before.
    Bulgakov approaches.
    Vladimir I’m being followed.
    Bulgakov Isn’t everyone?
    Vladimir Of course, that’s normal – but now I’m really being followed.
    Bulgakov Is there a difference?
    Vladimir Yes – of course there is! It’s . . . You wouldn’t understand.
    Bulgakov I don’t.
    Vladimir You’ve changed.
    Bulgakov Have I?
    Vladimir That man we arrested. Do you