Complete Works of Anton Chekhov

SCENE X .

ANNA PETROVNA,

VENGEROVITCH ii, and later

OSSIP.

ANNA PETROVNA. A surprise. ... I too completely forgot her existence... (Pause.) It’s hard... Anyhow, it’s not the first time he deceived this poor little girl! Eh-h ... to sin! God alone knows about it! Not the first time! . . . knavery! Now wait till he gets her to bed! A whole hour will pass, if not longer. . . .

VENGEROVITCH II (approaching her). Anna Petrovna... (Falls on his knees bef ore her.) Anna Petrovna! (Seizes her hand.) Anna!

ANNA PETROVNA. Who’s this? Who are you? (Bends down to see.) Who are you? You, Isaac Abramitch? You? What’s the matter with you?

VENGEROVITCH II. Anna! (Kisses her hand.)

ANNA PETROVNA. GO away! It isn’t right! You’re a man!

VENGEROVITCH II. Anna!

ANNA PETROVNA. You’ve held my hand long enough! Get out! (She pushes his shoulder.)

VENGEROVITCH II (jailing to the ground). Oh, how stupid! How stupid!

OSSIP (appearing). Comedians! Is it you, Your Ex

cellency? (Bows to her.) How did you come to fall into our sacred places?

ANNA PETROVNA. IS it you, Ossip? Have you been watching? Spying? (Takes hold, of his chin.) Have you seen everything?

OSSIP. Everything.

ANNA PETROVNA. Why are you so pale? Eh? (Laughs.) Are you in love with me, Ossip?

OSSIP. AS you please...

ANNA PETROVNA. In love with me?

OSSIP. I don’t understand you... (Crying.) I respected you as a saint. ... If you had ordered me to go through fire, I should have gone through fire. . . .

ANNA PETROVNA. Why, then, didn’t you go to Kiev?

OSSIP. What’s Kiev to me? I respected you as a saint... There were no people for me holier than you. . . .

ANNA PETROVNA. Enough, fool... Bring me some more of your little hares... I’ll accept them... Well, good-bye... Come tomorrow to me, and I’ll give you some money: it’ll pay for a rail journey to Kiev... Good-bye... Don’t you dare to touch Platonov! Do you hear?

OSSIP. From now on I don’t take any orders from you. . . .

ANNA PETROVNA. Tell me, please! Are you going to order me to a convent? His business! . . . Well, well! . . . He’s crying. Are you only a little boy?

Enough! . . . When he comes to me, please shoot! . . .

OSSIP. At him?

ANNA PETROVNA. No, into the air... Good-bye, Ossip! Shoot as loudly as you can! Will you shoot?

OSSIP. I’ll shoot.

ANNA PETROVNA. That’s a smart boy...

OSSIP. Only he’ll not come to you... He’s now with his wife.

ANNA PETROVNA. GO on arguing... Good-bye, murderer! (Runs away.)