Delphi Complete Works of Anton Chekhov

SCENE II.

TRILETZKY and then VOINITZEV.

TRILETZKY (examining the money). It smells of a moujik... He’s done a lot of fleecing in his day, the rogue! What shall I do with this money? (To Vassily and Yakov.) Hey, there, hirelings! Vassily, call Yakov here. And you, Yakov, call Vassily here! Crawl this way! Lively!

YAKOV and VASSILY (approach Triletzky).

TRILETZKY. They’re in frock-coats! Oh, the deuce take you! You look quite like your masters! (Gives Yakov a rouble.) Here’s a rouble for you! (To Vassily.) And here’s a rouble for you! I give it to you because your noses are long.

YAKOV and VASSILY (bowing to him). Thank you, Nikolai Ivanitch!

TRILETZKY. Ah, you Slavs, why do you rock like that? Drunk, are you? You look like a couple of ropes. The general’s widow will give it to you, when she finds out! You’ll catch it across your snouts! (Gives each another rouble.) I give it to you because you’re called Yakov, and he Vassily, and the other way round! Bow down to me! (Yakov and Vassily °bey.) It’s a fact! And here’s another rouble for each of you because I am called Nikolai Ivanovitch and Ivan Nikolayevitch! (He gives them the roubles..) Bow down to me! So! See that you don’t spend it in drink! I’ll prescribe some bitter medicine for you! You look appallingly like your masters! Go on, and light the lanterns! March! I’ve had enough of you!

YAKOV and VASSILY (they leave him).

VOINITZEV (he walks across the stage).

TRILETZKY (to Voinitzev). Here’s three roubles for you!

VOINITZEV (takes the money, mechanically putting it into his pocket, and walks away into the depth of the garden).

TRILETZKY. Aren’t you going to thank me? (Ivan Ivanitch and Sasha come out of the house.)