NATALYA PETROVNA. I don't see anything wonderful in that. . . . Surely it's possible to love two people at once?
RAKITIN. Ah! you think so....
NATALYA PETROVNA [slowly], I think so. ... I don't know, though . . . perhaps it only shows one doesn't love either.
SHPIGELSKY [taking snuff and looking now at NATALYA PETROVNA, now at RAKITIN]. So that's how it is.
NATALYA PETROVNA [eagerly to SHPIGELSKY] Your story is very good, but you haven't made me laugh.
SHPIGELSKY. Oh, my dear lady, who'll make you laugh just now? That's not what you want at the moment.
NATALYA PETROVNA. What is it I want then?
SHPIGELSKY [with an affectedly meek air]. The Lord only knows!
NATALYA PETROVNA. Oh, how tiresome you are, as bad as Rakitin.
SHPIGELSKY. You do me too much honour upon my word.. ..
[NATALYA PETROVNA makes an impatient gesture]
ANNA SEMYONOVNA [getting up]. Well, well, at last. . . . [Sighs.] My legs are quite stiff from sitting so long. [LIZAVETA BOGDANOVNA and SCHAAF stand up also] O-ooh!
NATALYA PETROVNA [stands up and goes to them]. Why do you sit still so long? [RAKITIN and SHPIGELSKY stand up.]
ANNA SEMYONOVNA. You owe me seventy kopecks, my good sir. [SCHAAF bows frigidly] You can't punish us all the time. [To NATALYA PETROVNA.] You look pale, Natasha? Are you quite well? Shpigelsky, is she quite well?
SHPIGELSKY [who has been whispering something to RAKITIN]. Oh, perfectly!
ANNA SEMYONOVNA. That's right. . . . I'll go and have a little rest before dinner. . . . I'm dreadfully tired! Liza, come along. . . . Oh, my legs, my legs. . . .
[Goes into the outer room with LIZAVETA BOGDANOVNA. NATALYA PETROVNA walks with her to the door. SHPIGELSKY, RAKITIN and SCHAAF are left in the front of the stage]
SHPIGELSKY [offering SCHAAF his snuff-box]. Well, Adam Ivanitch, wie befinden Sie sich?
SCHAAF [taking a pinch with dignity]. Quite vell. And you?
SHPIGELSKY: Thank you kindly, pretty middling. [Aside to RAKITIN.] So you don't know what's the matter with Natalya Petrovna to-day?
RAKITIN. I don't, really.
SHPIGELSKY. Well, if you don't. .. [Turns round and goes to meet NATALYA PETROVNA who is coming back from the door.] I have a little matter to talk to you about, Natalya Petrovna.
NATALYA PETROVNA [going to the window]. Really! What is it?
SHPIGELSKY. I must speak to you alone. . . . NATALYA PETROVNA. Oh dear!... You alarm me.... [RAKITIN meanwhile has taken SCHAAF'S arm and walks to and fro with him, murmuring something to him in German. SCHAAF laughs and says in an undertone, 'Ja, ja, ja! ja wohl, ja wohl, sehr gut!']
SHPIGELSKY [dropping his voice]. This business, strictly speaking, does not concern you only. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA [looking out into the garden]. What do you mean?
SHPIGELSKY. Well, it's like this. A good friend of mine has asked me to find out . . . that is ... your intentions in regard to your ward . . . Vera Alexandrovna. NATALYA PETROVNA. My intentions? SHPIGELSKY. That is ... to speak plainly . . my friend. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA. You don't mean to say he wants to marry her?
SHPIGELSKY. Just so. NATALYA PETROVNA. Are you joking? SHPIGELSKY. Certainly not.
NATALYA PETROVNA [laughing]. Good gracious! She's a child; what a strange commission!
SHPIGELSKY. Strange, Natalya Petrovna? How so? My friend . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA. You're a great schemer, Shpigel-sky. And who is your friend?
SHPIGELSKY [smiling]. One minute. You haven't said anything definite yet in reply. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA. Nonsense, Doctor. Vera is a child. You know that yourself, Monsieur le diplomate. [Turning round.] Why, here she is. [VERA and KOLYA run in from the outer room.]
KOLYA [runs up to RAKITIN]. Rakitin, some glue, tell them to give us some glue. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA [to VERA]. Where have you been? [Strokes her cheek.] How flushed you are!
VERA. In the garden. . . . [SHPIGELSKY bows to her]. Good afternoon, Ignaty Ilyitch.
RAKITIN [to KOLYA]. What do you want with glue?
KOLYA. We must have it. ... Alexey Nikolaitch is making us a kite. . . . Ask for it. ... .
RAKITIN [is about to ring]. Very well. In a minute.
SCHAAF. Erlauben Sie. . . . Master Kolya has not learned his lesson to-day. . . . [Takes KOLYA'S hand.] Kommen Sie.
KOLYA [gloomily]. Morgen, Herr Schaaf, morgen. . . .
SCHAAF [sharply]. Morgen, morgen, nur nicht heute, sagen alle faule Leute.... Kommen Sie. [KOLYA resists.]