BELIAYEV. Vera Alexandrovna, only consider. . . . VERA [glancing at him]. He does not love me! [Hides her face again.]
BELIAYEV [sits down beside her and takes her hands]. Vera Alexandrovna, give me your hand. . . . Listen, there must not be misunderstandings between us. I love you as a sister; I love you because no one could help loving you. Forgive me if I ... I've never in my life been in such a position.... I can't bear to wound you. ... [She hides her face again.] I'm not going to pretend with you, I know that you like me, that you've grown fond of me. . . . But think, what can come of it? I'm only twenty, I haven't a farthing. Please don't be angry with me. I really don't know what to say.
VERA [taking her hands from her face and looking at him]. And as though I expected anything, my God! But why so cruelly, so heartlessly. . . . [She breaks off.]
BELIAYEV. Vera Alexandrovna, I didn't mean to hurt you.
VERA. I'm not blaming you, Alexey Nikolaitch. How are you to blame? It's all my fault. . . . And how I am punished! I don't blame her either, I know she's a kind-hearted woman but she couldn't help herself. .. . She didn't know what she was doing.
BELIAYEV [in amazement]. Didn't know what she was doing?
VERA [turning to him]. Natalya Petrovna loves you, Beliayev.
BELIAYEV. What?
VERA. She's in love with you.
BELIAYEV. What are you saying?
VERA. I know what I'm saying. To-day has made me years older. . . . I'm not a child now, believe me. She was actually jealous ... of me! [With a bitter smile..] What do you think of that?
BELIAYEV. But it's impossible!
VERA. Impossible. . . . Then why has she suddenly taken it into her head to marry me to that gentleman, what's his name, Bolshintsov? Why did she send the doctor to me, why did she try to persuade me to it herself? Oh! I know what I am saying! If you could have seen, Beliayev, how her whole face changed when I told her. . . . Oh! you can't imagine how cunningly, how treacherously she trapped me into admitting it. Yes, she's in love with you; it's only too evident. . . .
BELIAYEV. Vera Alexandrovna, you're mistaken, I assure you.
VERA. No, I'm not mistaken. I tell you I'm not mistaken. If she doesn't love you, why has she tortured me like this? What have I done to her? [Bitterly.] Jealousy is an excuse for anything. But what's the good of talking! And now why is she sending you away? She imagines that you . . . that we . . . Oh! she need not worry herself! You can stay! [Hides her face in her hands.]
BELIAYEV. She hasn't sent me away so far, Vera Alexandrovna. . . . As I've told you already, nothing is decided yet. . . .
VERA [suddenly lifting her head and looking at him], Really?
BELIAYEV. Yes ... but why do you look at me like that?
VERA [as though to herself]. Ah! I see. . . . Yes, yes. . . . She is still hoping. . . . [The door into the corridor is quickly opened and NATALYA PETROVNA appears in the doorway. She stops short on seeing VERA and BELIAYEV.]
BELIAYEV. What did you say?
VERA. Yes, now it's all clear to me.... She has thought better of it. She sees I'm no danger to her, and indeed what am I? A silly girl, while she! . . .
BELIAYEV. Vera Alexandrovna, how can you imagine.. .
VERA. But who knows? Perhaps she's right . . . perhaps you love her. . . .
BELIAYEV. I?
VERA [standing up]. Yes, you. Why are you blushing?
BELIAYEV. Me blushing? . . .
VERA. You like her, you may come to love her? . . . You don't answer my question.
BELIAYEV. But, good Lord, what do you want me to say? Vera Alexandrovna, you're so excited. . . . Do be calm for goodness sake. . . .
VERA [turning away from him]. Oh! you treat me as a child. . . . You don't deign to give me a serious answer. . . . You simply want to get rid of me. You try to comfort me! [Turns to go out but but stops short at sight of NATALYA PETROVNA.] Natalya Petrovna! . . . [BELIAYEV looks round instantly.]
NATALYA PETROVNA [taking a few steps forward]. Yes, I'm here. [She speaks with some effort.] I came for you, Verotchka.
VERA [coldly and deliberately]. What made you come here? So you've been looking for me?
NATALYA PETROVNA. Yes, I've been looking for you. You're indiscreet, Verotchka. . . . I've spoken of it more than once. . . . And you, Alexey Nikolaitch, you've forgotten your promise . . . you've deceived me.
VERA. Oh! stop that, Natalya Petrovna, leave off, do! [NATALYA PETROVNA looks at her in amazement.] Give up speaking to me as though I were a child. . . . [Dropping her voice.] From to-day I'm a woman. . . . I'm as much a woman as you are.
NATALYA PETROVNA [embarrassed]. Vera. . . .
VERA [almost in a whisper]. He hasn't deceived you. . . . Our meeting here is not his doing. He doesn't care for me, you know that, you've no need to be jealous.
NATALYA PETROVNA [with rising amazement]. Vera!
VERA. It's the truth ... don't go on pretending. These pretences are no use now. ... I see through them now, I can assure you. To you I'm not the ward you are watching over [Ironically] like an elder sister.... [Moves closer to her] I'm your rival.
NATALYA PETROVNA. Vera, you forget yourself. . . .
VERA. Perhaps . . . but who has driven me to it? I don't understand what has given me courage to speak to you like this. . . . Perhaps it's because I have nothing to hope for, because it has pleased you to trample upon me.. . . And you have succeeded . . . completely. But let me tell you, I don't mean to be as underhand with you as you have been with me. . . . I'll let you know I've told him everything. [Indicating BELIAYEV.]
NATALYA PETROVNA. What could you tell him?
VERA. What? [With irony.'] Why, everything I have noticed. You hoped to worm everything out of me without betraying yourself. You made a mistake, Natalya Petrovna, you overrated your self-control.
NATALYA PETROVNA. Vera, think what you're saying...
VERA [in a whisper and coming still closer to her]. Tell me that I'm wrong. . . . Tell me that you're not in love with him. . . . He has told me that he doesn't love me! [NATALYA PETROVNA, overwhelmed with confusion, is silent. VERA remains for some time motionless, then suddenly presses her hand to her forehead.] Natalya Petrovna . . . forgive me ... I ... don't know . . . what's come over me . . . forgive me, don't be hard on me. . . . [Bursts into tears and goes out rapidly by door into corridor. A silenced]
BELIAYEV [going up to NATALYA PETROVNA]. I can assure you, Natalya Petrovna. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA [looking fixedly at the floor, holds out her hand in his direction]. Stop, Alexey Nikolaitch. The truth is ... Vera is right. . . . It's time I ... time I laid aside deceit. I have wronged her, and you--you have a right to despise me. [BELIAYEV makes an involuntary gesture.] I am degraded in my own eyes. The only way left me to regain your respect is openness, complete openness, whatever the consequences. Besides, I am seeing you for the last time, for the last time I am speaking with you. I love you. [She does not look at him.]