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The Power of Darkness 281
Akullna is driven to the barn, where her terrible
labor pains are stifled by the dread of her step
mother. When the innocent victim is born, Ni-
kita s vicious mother and Anisya persuade him
that the child is dead and force him to bury it in
the cellar.
While Nikita is digging the grave, he discovers
the deception. The child is alive! The terrible
shock unnerves the man, and in temporary madness
he presses a board over the little body till its bones
crunch. Superstition, horror and the perfidy of
the women drive Nikita to drink in an attempt to
drown the baby s cries constantly ringing in his
ears.
The last act deals with Akulina s wedding to the
son of a neighbor. She is forced into the mar
riage because of her misfortune. The peasants
all gather for the occasion, but Nikita is missing:
he roams the place haunted by the horrible phan
tom of his murdered child. He attempts to hang
himself but fails, and finally decides to go before
the entire assembly to confess his crimes.
Nikita. Father, listen to me! First of all, Marina,
look at me! I am guilty toward you: I had promised
to marry you, and I seduced you. I deceived you and
abandoned you; forgive me for Christ s sake!
Matrena. Oh, oh, he is bewitched. What is the mat
ter with him? He has the evil eye upon him. Get up
and stop talking nonsense!
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