OLGA. Our garden is like a public passage; they walk and ride through. Nanny, give those people something.
ANFISA [gives money to the musicians]. Go away, and God bless you, my dear souls! [The musicians bow and go away.] Poor things. They must be hungry. Why else would they do it? [To IRINA] Good morning, Irisha! [Kisses her.] Well, my little girl, I'm having a time of it! Living in the high-school, in a government apartment, with dear Olyushka -- that's what the Lord has granted to me in my old age! I've never lived so well in my life, sinful woman that I am. . . . It's a big flat, and I have a room to myself and my own bed. All at the government expense. I wake up in the night and, O Lord, Mother of God, there's no one in the world happier than me!
VERSHININ [looks at his watch]. We're just going, Olga Sergeyevna. It's time to be off [a pause]. I wish you every, every. . . .Where is Marya Sergeyevna?
IRINA. She is somewhere in the garden. . . . I'll go and look for her.
VERSHININ. If you'll be so kind. I am in a hurry.
ANFISA. I'll go and look for her too. [Shouts] Mashenka, aa-oo! [Goes with IRINA into the farther part of the garden.] Aa-oo! Aa-oo!
VERSHININ. Everything comes to an end. Here we are parting [looks at his watch]. The town has given us something like a lunch; we've been drinking champagne, the mayor made a speech. I ate and listened, but my heart was here, with you all. . . [looks round the garden]. I've grown used to you. . . .
OLGA. Shall we ever see each other again?
VERSHININ. Most likely not [a pause]. My wife and two little girls will stay here for another two months; please, if anything happens, if they need anything . . .
OLGA. Yes, yes, of course. Set your mind at rest [a pause]. By tomorrow there won't be a soldier in the town -- it'll all turn into a memory, and of course for us it'll be like beginning a new life . . . [a pause]. Nothing turns out as we would have it. I didn't want to be a headmistress, and yet I am. It seems we are not to live in Moscow. . . .
VERSHININ. Well . . . . Thank you for everything. . . . Forgive me if anything was amiss. . . . I've talked a great deaclass="underline" forgive me for that too -- don't think too badly of me.
OLGA [wipes her eyes]. Why doesn't Masha come?
VERSHININ. What else am I to say to you at parting? What am I to philosophise about? . . . [Laughs] Life is hard. It seems to many of us dull and hopeless; but yet we must admit that it goes on getting clearer and easier, and it looks as though the time were not far off when it'll be full of happiness [looks at his watch]. It's time for me to go! In old days men were absorbed in wars, filling all their existence with marches, raids, victories, but now all that is a thing of the past, leaving behind it a great void which there is so far nothing to filclass="underline" humanity is searching for it passionately, and of course will find it. Ah, if only it could be quickly! [a pause] If, don't you know, hard work were united with education and education with hard work. . . [Looks at his watch] But, really, it's time for me to go. . . .
OLGA. Here she comes.
[MASHA comes in.]
VERSHININ. I have come to say good-bye. . . .
[OLGA moves a little away to leave them free to say good-bye.]
MASHA [looking into his face]. Good-bye . . . [a prolonged kiss].
OLGA. Don't, don't. . . .
[MASHA sobs violently.]
VERSHININ. Write to me. . . . Don't forget me! Let me go! . . . Time is up! . . . Olga Sergeyevna, take her, I must . . . go . . . I'm late . . . [Much moved, kisses OLGA'S hands; then again embraces MASHA and quickly goes off.]
OLGA. Come, Masha! Stop it, darling.
[Enter KULYGIN.]
KULYGIN [embarrassed]. Never mind, let her cry -- let her. . . . My good Masha, my dear Masha! . . . You are my wife, and I'm happy, anyway. . . . I don't complain; I don't say a word of blame. . . . Here Olya is my witness. . . . We'll begin the old life again, and I won't say one word, not a hint. . . .
MASHA [restraining her sobs]. By the sea-strand an oak-tree green. . . . Upon that oak a chain of gold. . . . Upon that oak a chain of gold. . . . I am going mad. . . . By the sea-strand . . . an oak-tree green. . . .
OLGA. There, there, Masha. . . . Calm yourself. . . . Give her some water.
MASHA. I'm not crying now. . . .
KULYGIN. She's not crying now . . . she's being good. . . .
[The faint sound of a far-away shot.]
MASHA. By the sea-strand an oak-tree green, upon that oak a chain of gold. . . . The cat is green . . . the oak is green. . . . I am mixing it up . . . [drinks water]. My life's a failure, . . . I want nothing now. . . . I'll calm down in a minute. . . . It doesn't matter. . . . What does "strand" mean? Why do these words haunt me? My thoughts are in a tangle. [Enter IRINA.]
OLGA. Calm yourself, Masha. Come, that's a good girl. Let's go indoors.
MASHA [angrily]. I'm not going in. [Sobs, but at once checks herself] I don't go into that house now and I won't.
IRINA. Let's sit together, even if we don't say anything. I'm going away tomorrow, you know . . . [a pause].
KULYGIN. I took a false beard and moustache from a boy in the third form yesterday, just look . . . [puts on the beard and moustache]. I look like the German teacher . . . [laughs]. Don't I? Funny creatures, those boys.
MASHA. You really do look like the German teacher.
OLGA [laughs]. Yes.
[MASHA weeps.]
IRINA. There, Masha!
KULYGIN. Awfully like. . . .
[Enter NATASHA.]
NATASHA [to the maid]. What? Mr. Protopopov will sit with Sofochka, and let Andrey Sergeyitch push Bobik's carriage. What a lot there is to do with children . . . [To IRINA] Irina, you're going away tomorrow, what a pity. Why not stay just another week? [Seeing KULYGIN utters a shriek; the latter laughs and takes off the beard and moustache.] Well, what in the. . . you gave me such a fright! [To IRINA] I'm used to you and do you suppose that it will be easy for me to part with you? I'll put Andrey with his violin into your room -- let him saw away there! -- and we will put Sofochka in his room. Adorable, delightful baby! Isn't she a good little girl! Today she looked at me with such eyes and said "Mamma"!
KULYGIN. A fine child, that's true.
NATASHA. So tomorrow I'll be all alone here [sighs]. First of all I'll have this avenue of fir trees cut down, and then that maple. . . . It looks so ugly in the evening. . . . [To IRINA] My dear, that sash does not suit you at all. . . . It's in bad taste. You need to wear something brighter. And then I'll have flowers, flowers planted everywhere, and there'll be such a scent. . . . [Severely] Why is there a fork lying about on that seat? [Going into the house, to the maid] Why is there a fork lying about on this seat. I ask you? [Shouts] Hold your tongue!