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Makar Chudra – Maxim Gorky (contd..)

At once smitten by Radda’s beauty he tries to woo her. But she finds his talk humourless, finds his music bland, she doesn’t in anyway relent to him. Zobar plunges into deep despair and is seen playing his fiddle throughout the night. He is so brilliant with the fiddle , that his music melts everyone’s heart.


“You felt that tune with every fibre of your body, and you became a slave of it. And if at that moment Zobar had called out ‘out with your knives, comrades’ , every man would have bared his knife against anyone he pointed out. He could wind a person with his little finger, but everyone loved him dearly”. Such was Zobar’s effect on all. Yet Radda would have nothing at all of it. She mocked him continuously. While all others appreciated every song that he sang, she vehemently criticised them.


Not finding a way to make her approve of him directly , Zobar approaches Danilo , Radda’s father. Danilo approves ; says “Take her if you can” . Radda is seen sitting on a horse and Zobar approaches her. He says he has seen many a woman but none as fiery and beautiful as her. He asks her to be his wife but warns her that being his wife doesn’t mean that she would be able to curb his freedom. In reply she lashes her whip at him. The whip catches his feet and pulls him down. He falls on the ground on the back of his head. Radda has a wild grin on her face.


As he limps away Radda dismounts from the horse and comes towards him. As soon as she is near him , Zobar goes for his knife , Radda pulls her pistol out. She tells him that she is ready for truce , that she finds him the bravest man in the whole of steppe , the only one who could ever stand up to her. She presents a proposition before him . If she has to be his wife he has to touch her feet in front of every one around and then kiss her hand. She tells him that her passionate kisses and caresses are just waiting for him. Under their effect he will forget the brave life he led in the past and be a servant of her for ever.


Everyone finds is distasteful that Zobar has to touch her feet. Zobar says nothing , he goes away. He is seen thinking the whole night , sometimes playing sad tones with his fiddle in the night .
The next day comes . Zobar tells his comrades that he will touch her feet but he needed to test how strong her heart was. Zobar walks towards Radda , goes close to her and plunges his knife into her heart. She pulls the knife out and moments before life went out of her she said “Farewell Zobar. I knew you would do it”. As the stunned crowd sees a lifeless Radda fall down , Zobar throws himself on her feet. Moments later everyone is still silent as Zobar gets up and starts to walk away. It was then that Danilo Rushes towards Zobar and thrusts his knife to the back of his heart. Zobar falls.


The image of Radda and Zobar lying dead keeps circling in the authors mind, but Makar continues smoking his huge cigar.

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