Delphi Complete Works of Anton Chekhov

SCENE III.

VOINITZEV and ANNA PETROVNA.

ANNA PETROVNA (comes into the room and looks out of the window).

VOINITZEV (gesturing with a hand). Enough! (Pause.) What’s going on there?

ANNA PETROVNA. The peasants have killed Ossip. VOINITZEV. At last!

ANNA PETROVNA. Yes... Near the well... Do you see? There he is!

VOINITZEV (joining her at the window). Well? He got what he deserved. (Pause.)

ANNA PETROVNA. Have you heard the latest, sonny?

Platonov, they say, has disappeared and . . . Have you read the letter?

VOINITZEV. Yes, Pve read it.

ANNA PETROVNA. What do you think of this business of the estate? All gone . . . The Lord hath given, the Lord hath taken away... There’s a fine commercial conjuring trick for you! And all because we believed Glagolyev... He promised to buy the estate, but didn’t show up at the sale... The servants say he left for Paris... He’s become rather sharp, the wretch has, in his old age! If it weren’t for him, you and I could have managed it by paying our interest, and gone on living here... (She sighs.) One shouldn’t believe one’s enemies ih this world, and it’s the same with friends! VOINITZEV. No, one shouldn’t believe one’s friends!

ANNA PETROVNA. Well, my feudal lord? What do you intend doing now? Where will you go? The Lord gave to your ancestors, but from you he has taken away... You have nothing left... VOINITZEV. It’s all the same to me.

ANNA PETROVNA. No, it’s not the same. What are you going to eat? Let’s sit down... (They sit down.) How grave you are... What’s one to do? It’s a pity to part from this little nest of ours, but what’s one to do, my darling boy? What’s done, can’t be undone... What’s to be, must be. Be sensible, Sergey. First of all, you must remain cold-blooded. VOINITZEV. Don’t pay any attention to me, maman. What’s there to say about me? Your own nerves are on edge at this moment... Console yourself first, then come and console me.

ANNA PETROVNA. Well . . . women don’t count... Women always take a secondary place... The first thing is to be cold-blooded! You have lost what you had, but what’s yet before you is the important thing. And you have all life before you, a good, working, manly life! Why should you grieve? You can hold down a job in a high school... You’re a clever fellow. You know all about philology, you are well-intentioned, you don’t meddle in matters which don’t concern you, you have convictions, tranquillity, and you have a wife. ... If you only take care, you will go far! You’re so clever! Only don’t quarrel with your wife... You’re hardly over your honeymoon, and you’re already wrangling with her... Why don’t you be frank with me? You appear to be suffering, yet you are silent... What’s passing between you? VOINITZEV. It’s not passing, but it has already passed.

ANNA PETROVNA. What could it be? Or is it a secret? VOINITZEV (sighing). A terrible misfortune has crashed over our home, dear mother! Why haven’t I told you about this before? I don’t know. I kept on hoping, and I feel ashamed to talk about it... I learned the truth only yesterday... The loss of the estate I can bear!

ANNA PETROVNA (laughing). How you frighten me! Is she angry with you?

VOINITZEV. YOU may laugh! Wait, and you’ll laugh in another fashion! (Pause.) She has betrayed me... I have the honour of introducing to you a husband with horns on!

ANNA PETROVNA. What nonsense, Sergey! What stupid fancies! To talk about such monstrous things without reflecting! You astonish me! You pile on things so thick that one’s ears can’t stand it! A husband with horns... Do you realize the gravity of the charge?

VOINITZEV. Of course, I know, mother. Not alone in a theoretical sense, but even in a practical!

ANNA PETROVNA. Don’t shame your wife... ‘ Ah . . .

VOINITZEV. I swear to you by God! (Pause.)

ANNA PETROVNA. It’s strange... You speak impossible things. It’s impossible! Here in Voinitzevka! VOINITZEV. Yes, here, in our accursed Voinitzevka!

ANNA PETROVNA. H’m . . . Who in this accursed Voinitzevka could have conceived the presposterous idea of placing horns on your aristocratic head? There’s absolutely no one. The younger Glagolyev, perhaps? Glagolyev has stopped coming here... There’s no one here fit for Sofya... It’s stupid jealousy on your part, my dear! VOINITZEV. Platonov!

ANNA PETROVNA. What about Platonov? VOINITZEV. It is he.

ANNA PETROVNA (springing to her feet). It is possible to speak nonsense, but such nonsense as this... Listen to me... You’ve piled it on rather thick! You ought to know where to stop! This is unforgivably stupid!

VOINITZEV. GO and ask her, go and ask him, if you don’t believe me! I didn’t want to believe it myself, and I don’t want to now, but she’s leaving me today, going away! You must believe! And he’s going with her! Can’t you see that I’m walking about and looking on the world like a corpse! I’m lost, I tell you!

ANNA PETROVNA. It can’t be, Sergey! It is the fruit of your boyish fancy! Believe me, there’s nothing to it! VOINITZEV. Believe me, she’s going away today! Believe me, too, that during these past two days she has not ceased affirming that she was his mistress! She herself! It sounds incredible, but one must believe against one’s wishes, against every desire to believe differently!

ANNA PETROVNA. Now I remember, I remember... And I understand it all now. ... So that’s how it is! H’m . . . Wait, wait a moment, I’ll recall everything in its proper order... (Pause. Enter Bugrov.)