Delphi Complete Works of Anton Chekhov

SCENE V .

PLATONOV and ANNA PETROVNA.

ANNA PETROVNA (enters).

PLATONOV (slowly closes the cupboard).

ANNA PETROVNA. I salute you!

PLATONOV. It won’t shut... (Pause.)

ANNA PETROVNA. DO you hear? I greet you!

PLATONOV. Oh, it’s you, Anna Petrovna! Pardon me, I didn’t see you... This cupboard won’t shut.

. . . Strange... (Lets the key fall, and picks it up.)

ANNA PETROVNA. Come here! Leave the cupboard in peace!

PLATONOV (approaching her). How do you do?

ANNA PETROVNA. Why don’t you look at me?

PLATONOV. I’m ashamed. (Kisses her hand.)

ANNA PETROVNA. What are you ashamed of?

PLATONOV. Everything. . . .

ANNA PETROVNA. H’m . . . Have you seduced someone?

PLATONOV. Yes, something of the sort...

ANNA PETROVNA. SO that’s it, Platonov! But whom?

PLATONOV. I won’t tell you.

ANNA PETROVNA. Let’s sit down. . . .(They sit down on the divan.) We’ll find out, young man, we’ll find out... But why should you be ashamed before me? Why, I’ve known your sinful soul ages ago...

PLATONOV. Don’t ask me, Anna Petrovna! I’m in no mood today to undergo a personal cross-examination. Say what you like, only don’t ask questions of me!

ANNA PETROVNA. Good. Have you received my letter?

PLATONOV. Yes.

ANNA PETROVNA. Why didn’t you show up?

PLATONOV. I couldn’t.

ANNA PETROVNA. Why couldn’t you?

PLATONOV. I couldn’t.

ANNA PETROVNA. Are you sulky?

PLATONOV. No. Why should I sulk? Don’t question me . . . for God’s sake!

ANNA PETROVNA. Allow me to answer, Mikhail Vas- silyitch! Sit quietly there! Why haven’t you appeared at our house these past three weeks?

PLATONOV. I’ve been ill.

ANNA PETROVNA. You’re lying!

PLATONOV. Yes, I am. Don’t question me, Anna Petrovna!

ANNA PETROVNA. You reek of wine! Platonov, what does it all mean? What’s the matter with you? What do you look like? Your eyes are red, your face ugly... You are filthy, there’s filth in the room... Just have a look round you! What disorder! What’s the matter with you? Do you drink?

PLATONOV. Terribly!

ANNA PETROVNA. H’m . . . It’s last year’s story all over again... Last year you had been carrying on, and until the Autumn you were walking about like a wet hen... So it is now. ... A Don Juan and a pitiful coward in the same person. Don’t you dare drink any more!

PLATONOV. I won’t.

ANNA PETROVNA. On your word of honour? Anyhow, that’s unnecessary! (Rises.) Where do you keep the wine?

PLATONOV (pointing to the cupboard).

ANNA PETROVNA. Aren’t you ashamed, Misha, to show so little spirit? Where’s your character? (Opens the cupboard.) And just look at the cupboard . . . what a mess! Won’t Alexandra Ivanovna give it to you when she returns! Do you want her to return?

PLATONOV. I want only one thing: don’t give me any questions, and don’t look so straight into my face!

ANNA PETROVNA. Which bottle has the wine?

PLATONOV. All.

ANNA PETROVNA. All five? Oh, you drunkard! Why, you have a whole drinking establishment here! It’s time Alexandra Ivanovna returned! You must make some sort of an explanation to her. ... I am not the most terrible of rivals... I’m willing to share. . . I’m not one to separate you... (Drinks from a bottle.) The wine is good... Let’s have a drink together! Would you like to? Let’s drink together now, and we won’t drink again!

PLATONOV (goes to the cupboard).

ANNA PETROVNA. Hold your glass! (Pours the wine.) You’re a bad man. But the wine is good! You have taste... (Gives him the bottle.) Hold it! Bring it here! (They go to the window.) Say good-bye to your lovely wine! (hooks out of the window.) It’s a shame to waste it... Shall we have another drink, eh? Shall we?

PLATONOV. AS you like.

ANNA PETROVNA (pouring the wine). Drink! . . . Quickly!

PLATONOV (drinks). To your happiness! May God grant you happiness!

ANNA PETROVNA (pours herself out a glass and drinks). Have you missed me? Let’s sit down. Put the bottle down for the moment... (They sit down.) Have you missed me?

PLATONOV. Every minute.

ANNA PETROVNA. Why, then, didn’t you show up?

PLATONOV. Don’t ask me! I’ll tell you nothing, not because I’m not candid with you, but because I’m sorry for your ears! I’m going to ruin, complete ruin, my dear! I am suffering from a gnawing conscience, ennui, spleen ... in a word, agony! You’ve come, and I already feel better.

ANNA PETROVNA. You’ve grown thin, you’re looking badly. ... I can’t stand these romantic heroes!

What are you making of yourself, Platonov? Are you playing the role of a hero from a romance? Spleen, ennui, a conflict of the passions, love with prefaces... Fie! Live like a human being! Live, stupid man, as human beings live! Are you an archangel of some sort that you can’t live, breathe or sit like ordinary mortals?

PLATONOV. That’s lightly said... What’s one to do?

ANNA PETROVNA. How can a human being, a man, live and not know what he should do? It’s strange! What’s he to do? I’ll answer this question for you the best I know how, though such a question isn’t worth an answer!

PLATONOV. YOU can’t answer anything...

ANNA PETROVNA. In the first place, live in a human way; that is, don’t drink and lie about, but wash yourself oftener and come to see me. In the second place, be content with what you have... (Rises.) Come along to my house!

PLATONOV. How can I? (Rises.) Come to you? No, no . . .

ANNA PETROVNA. Come, I say! You’ll see some people, you’ll talk, listen, wrangle a bit. . . .

PLATONOV. No, no . . . Don’t ask me.

ANNA PETROVNA. Why not?

PLATONOV. I can’t. That’s all there’s to it!

ANNA PETROVNA. Of course, you can! Put your hat on! Come along!

PLATONOV. I can’t, Anna Petrovna! Not for anything! I won’t take a step from here!

ANNA PETROVNA. YOU can! (Putting his hat on his head.) Don’t act the fool, Platonov! You’re surely joking! (Takes his arm.) Well? One, two! . . . Come, Platonov! Forward! {Pause.) Come, Misha! Come!

PLATONOV. I can’t.

ANNA PETROVNA. You’re as stubborn as a bull! Come, march! One, two . . . Misha, sweetheart, darling. . . .

PLATONOV (tearing away). I won’t come, Anna Petrovna!

ANNA PETROVNA. Let’s take a walk round the school!

PLATONOV. Can’t you let me alone! I told you I wouldn’t come. I prefer to sit in my own house, and so please allow me to follow my inclinations! (Pause.) I won’t come!

ANNA PETROVNA. H’m . . . I’ll tell you what, Platonov . . . I’ll lend you a little money. Why don’t you go and take a little holiday of a month or two? . . .

PLATONOV. Where?

ANNA PETROVNA. In Moscow, in Petersburg... Yes? Please do it, Mikhail! It’ll do you good, you need an airing! Take a journey, look at new faces, visit the theatres, freshen yourself up a bit... I’ll let you have money, letters. ... If you like, I’ll go along with you! Would you like it? We’ll have a good time... We’ll return here renewed, brighter than we are. . . .

PLATONOV. A fine idea, but, unfortunately, unrealizable... Tomorrow I shall leave this place, Anna Petrovna, but not with you!

ANNA PETROVNA. AS you please... Where are you going?

PLATONOV. I shall leave this place forever.

ANNA PETROVNA. Nonsense! (Drinks from the bottle.) Silly!

PLATONOV. Not at all nonsense, my dear! I shall leave this place, and I shall leave it forever!

ANNA PETROVNA. Why, you strange man?

PLATONOV. Don’t ask! Upon my word, Pm leaving forever. Say good-bye to me! But don’t question me! You’ll learn nothing from me now...

ANNA PETROVNA. Nonsense!

PLATONOV. It’s the last time we’re seeing each other... I shall disappear forever... (Takes her by the sleeve and afterwards by her shoulders.) Forget the fool, the donkey, the wretch, the insolent fellow Platonov... The earth shall swallow him up... We’ll meet, perhaps, after many, many years, when we shall be able to laugh about it all . . . or, like old folk, cry about it . . . but now, to the devil with him! (Kisses her hand.)

ANNA PETROVNA. Come, drink! (Pours him out some mine.) A drunken man’s no sinner in chattering nonsense!

PLATONOV. I shan’t be drunk. ... I shall remember you, my good fairy! I shall never forget you! Laugh, you intelligent, radiant woman! Tomorrow I shall run from here. ... I shall run from myself, whither I don’t know. ... I shall run towards a new life! I know what this new life is!

ANNA PETROVNA. All this is splendid, but what precisely has happened to you?

PLATONOV. What? I . . . You’ll find out later! My friend, when you are shocked by my action, don’t curse me! Please remember Pm already punished enough as it is. To part with you forever is a heavy punishment... Why do you smile? Believe me! Upon my word, I speak the truth. ... I feel so bitter at heart, and I feel so wretched and mean, that I should be glad if I could strangle myself!

ANNA PETROVNA (through tears). I can’t think that you are capable of anything so appalling... You will write me, at least?

PLATONOV. I shan’t dare even to write you. And you will not want to receive any letters from me! It’s absolutely forever... Good-bye!

ANNA PETROVNA. H’m . . . You’ll perish without me, Platonov! (Rubs her forehead.) I’m a trifle tipsy... Let’s leave together!

PLATONOV. No . . . Tomorrow you’ll learn everything and . . . (Turns away towards the window.)

ANNA PETROVNA. Do you need any money?

PLATONOV. No.

ANNA PETROVNA. Ah . . . can’t I help you?

PLATONOV. I don’t know... Send me today your photograph. (Turns his face to her.) Leave me, Anna Petrovna, or the devil knows what I won’t do! I’ll break out weeping, or I’ll do harm to myself and . . . Go away! . . . Don’t I speak plainly? What are you waiting for? I must leave, do you understand that? Why do you look at me like that?

ANNA PETROVNA. Good-bye... (Gives him her hand.) We’ll meet again...

PLATONOV. NO... (Kisses her hand.) It’s not necessary... Now go, my dear... (Kisses her hand.) Good-bye... Leave me... (Covers his face with her hand.)

ANNA PETROVNA. My dearest . . . poor boy! Well? Let go my hand... Good-bye! Shall we have a last drink for parting’s sake? (Pours out some wine.) Drink! ... A happy journey, and then more happiness!

PLATONOV (drinks).

ANNA PETROVNA. You’d better remain here, Platonov! (Pours out and drinks.) You might live quite decently... What crime could you be guilty of? Is such a thing possible in this village? (Pause.) Shall we have another to our grief?

PLATONOV. Yes.

ANNA PETROVNA (pouring out). Drink, my soul... Ah, the deuce take it!

PLATONOV (drinking). Be happy! Go on living here... That’s possible even without me...

ANNA PETROVNA. NO half way with me... (Pours more wine.) If you drink you die, if you don’t drink you also die... Then it’s better to drink and to die... (Drinks.) I’m a drunkard, Platonov... [While my general was alive, I drank heavily... I drank and drank and drank... And I’ll go on drinking! ] Eh? Shall I pour out another? No, I had better not... We’ll become tongue-tied, then how shall we speak? (Sits down.) There’s nothing worse in the world than to be a developed woman... There’s nothing for her to do... What am I worth, for what do I live? (Pause.) Willy-nilly, I am immoral... I’m an immoral woman, Platonov... (Laughs.) Eh? And I love you, perhaps, because I am immoral... (Rubs her forehead.) I shall perish... Such as I always perish... If I were only a professor or a director of some sort... If I were a diplomatist, I’d turn things topsyturvy in this world. ... A developed woman and . . . without anything to do. That means, I’m superfluous... Horses, cows and dogs are wanted, but I’m not wanted, I’m superfluous... Eh? Why don’t you say something?

PLATONOV. We’re both badly off . . .

ANNA PETROVNA. If I only had children... Do you love children? (Rises.) Remain here, my dear! Will you remain? You might have a decent life here.

. It’s cheery and friendly... You’re leaving, but what of me? I’d like to rest a little . . . Misha! I must have some rest! I want to be a wife, a mother... (Pause.) Don’t remain silent! Speak! You will remain, won’t you? For you do love me, you strange fellow? You do love me?

PLATONOV. I’ll kill myself, if I remain.

ANNA PETROVNA. YOU do love me?

PLATONOV. Who doesn’t love you?

ANNA PETROVNA. YOU love me, and I love you, what more can you want? It must be, you’re going out of your mind... What more can you want? Why didn’t you come to me that night? (Pause.) You’ll stay?

PLATONOV. Go, for God’s sake! Don’t torment me!

ANNA PETROVNA (giving him her hand). Well . . . in that case ... I wish you the best of luck...

PLATONOV. Please go, or I’ll tell you everything, and if I tell you, I’ll surely kill myself!

ANNA PETROVNA. Here’s my hand... Don’t you see it? I’ll run in this evening for a minute...

PLATONOV. It’s not necessary! I’ll come to you to say good-bye... No, I shan’t come to you! You’ll not see me again, and I’ll not see you again! You’ll not want to see me when you find out! You’ll turn away from me forever! My new life . . . (Embraces and kisses her.) For the last time... (Pushes her out-of-doors.) Good-bye! Go, and be happy! (Shuts and bolts the door.)

ANNA PETROVNA (behind the door). I swear by God, we’ll meet again!

PLATONOV. No! Good-bye! (Stops his ears with his fingers.) I hear nothing! Be silent, and go away! I’ve stopped my ears!

ANNA PETROVNA. I’m going! I’ll send Sergey to you, and I give you my word you’re not going away, and if you are, I’m going away with you! Good-bye! (Pause.)