Delphi Complete Works of Anton Chekhov

ACT I

Scene:

A garden. In the foreground a -flower-bed and a winding path. In the centre of the flower-bed, a statue. On the head of the statue, a lighted lantern. There are forms, chairs, small tables. To the right, the fagade of the house is visible. There are steps leading up to it. The windows are open. From them are audible laughter, conversation, the sounds of a piano and violin. (The quadrille, valses, etc.) In the depth of the garden there is a Chinese summer-house decorated with lanterns. Over its entrance there is a monogram consisting of the letters “S. V.” Beyond the summer-house a game of skittles is being played. There is heard the rolling of balls, and outcries: “Five good ones!” “Four poor ones!” etc. The garden and the house are illuminated. Visitors are pacing the garden back and forth, and occasionally a servant is seen. Vassily and Jakov, in black frock coats, drunken, are hanging lanterns and lighting them.

TRILETZKY. Well said! (Sighs.) You are right.

BUGROV (taking out his wallet). You think it right to scoff too. ... It doesn’t take much to send you off into Ha! Ha! Ha! Is it proper to do that? No, you can’t say it is... Though I’m not educated as you are, still I’ve been baptized the same as my learned brother. ... If I talk stupidly, then you ought to instruct me, and not laugh at me... That’s what I think. We moujiks are human beings, though we don’t use powder and though our skins are tough. You don’t have much to say to us. Excuse me, if V m blunt... (He opens his wallet.) It’s the last time, Nikolai Ivanitch. (He counts.) One . . . six . . . twelve...

TRILETZKY (looks into the wallet). Heavens! And they say Russians haven’t any money! Where did you get so much?

BUGROV. Fifty... (Gives him the money.) It’s the last time.

TRILETZKY. And what’s that piece of paper? You’d better hand it over too... It’s looking so fondly at me! (He takes the money.) You’d better hand it over too!

BUGROV (giving him more money). Take it! You’re surely greedy, Nikolai Ivanitch!

TRILETZKY. They’re all one-rouble notes, so many one-rouble notes... Looks as though you had begged them all. They’re not counterfeit, by any chance?

BUGROV. Hand them back to me, if they’re counterfeit!

TRILETZKY. I’d hand them back, if you needed them.

. . Merely Timofey Gordeitch! I wish you’d get stouter still, and get a medal. Tell me, Timofey Gordeitch, why do you lead such an abnormal life? You drink a lot, you talk in a bass voice, you sweat, you don’t sleep when you ought to... For example, why aren’t you asleep right now? You’re a full-blooded, splenetic, inflammable sort of man. You ought to go to bed early! Why, you even have more veins than others. Is it right to go on killing oneself as you do?

BUGROV. But . . .

TRILETZKY. But me no buts! Now don’t get frightened... I’m joking. It’s too early for you to die... You have a good many years left before you! Have you a lot of money, Timofey Gordeitch?

BUGROV. Enough to see me through.

TRILETZKY. You’re a good, clever man, Timofey Gordeitch, but a great scoundrel! Excuse me... I say it in friendship. You’re my friend, aren’t you? Well, you’re a great scoundrel! Why do you hold that note against Voinitzev? Why do you give him money?

BUGROV. That needn’t concern you, Nikolai Ivan- itch!

TRILETZKY. I suppose you and Vengerovitch have an eye on the general’s widow’s set of chess! The widow, let me tell you, will take pity on her stepson, she won’t let him perish. Do you think she’ll give up her chess-men? [You’re a scoundrel, a scoundrel! ] You’re a great man, but a scoundrel! A rogue!

BUGROV. I’ll tell you what I’ll do, Nikolai Ivanitch... I’ll go and have a nap somewhere near the summer-house, and when supper’s ready to be served you’ll come and wake me.

TRILETZKY. Excellent! Go and have your nap. [And don’t forget that you’re a scoundrel! ]

BUGROV (goes). And if they don’t serve supper, then wake me at half past ten! (Goes toward the summer- house.)