Complete Works of Anton Chekhov

SCENE II.

SASHA.

SASHA (coming out of the school with a candle and a book). How late Misha is! (Sits down.) I only hope he doesn’t injure his health... These outings give nothing but bad health... And I do so want to sleep... Where was I? (Reads.) “It is time, at last, once more to proclaim those eternal principles of freedom, which had been the guiding stars of our fathers and which we had betrayed to our own misfortune.” What does it mean? (Thinking.) I don’t understand... Why don’t they write so everyone can understand? Let’s see further... M’m . . . I’ll skip the introduction... (Reads.) “Sacher- Mazoch” . . . What an absurd name! Mazoch . . . Most likely a foreigner... Further . . . Misha insists on my reading it, so I’d better read it... ( Yawns and reads.) “On a cheerful winter evening ...” I think I’d better skip this. ... A description . . . (Turns the leaves and reads.) “It was hard to decide who played and on what instrument... The powerful sonorous sounds of the organ issuing from an iron masculine hand suddenly changed to sounds of the gentle flute as it were from

a woman’s lips and, at last, died away. . . .” Tss . . . Someone’s coming... (Pause.) Sounds like Misha... (Extinguishes the candle.) At last! (Rises and shouts!) Ai! One-two! One-two! Left- right! Left-right! Left, left!

(Enter Platonov.)