The Game of Chess: A Play in One Act

by Kenneth Sawyer Goodman

[FOOTMAN enters, followed by SHAMRAYEFF.]

FOOTMAN. Boris Ivanovitch Shamrayeff.

[SHAMRAYEFF wears the clothes of a respectable artisan. He is, apparently, somewhat younger than ALEXIS, strongly built and has a rather fine but stolid face. He stands with his cap in his hand.]

ALEXIS. So, so! You are Boris Ivanovitch Shamrayeff, are you? Well, well!

BORIS. Yes, I am Boris Ivanovitch Shamrayeff!

ALEXIS. You found it hard to get at me, did you? Hard to get an interview with Alexis Alexandrovitch?

BORIS. Not so hard as I had expected, your excellency.

ALEXIS. [To CONSTANTINE and FOOTMAN.] Well, what are you waiting for? This man has something important to say to me. He’s bashful. He can’t speak out before so many people.

CONSTANTINE. Your excellency, I will wait in the passage.

ALEXIS. Nonsense, nonsense! Go into the garden and think about your game of chess! Go! [CONSTANTINE and FOOTMAN go out.]