ASTROV (puts the jar in the medicine chest and straps it tightly shut). Now a man can be on his way.
YELENA ANDREEVNA (enters). Ivan Petrovich, you’re here? We’re leaving right away. Go to Aleksandr, he has something to say to you.
SONYA. Go, Uncle Vanya. (Takes Voinitsky by the arm.) Let’s go. Papa and you ought to be reconciled. That’s absolutely necessary.
SONYA and VOINITSKY leave.
YELENA ANDREEVNA. I’m leaving. (Gives Astrov her hand.) Good-bye.
ASTROV. So soon?
YELENA ANDREEVNA. The horses have already been brought round.
ASTROV. Good-bye.
YELENA ANDREEVNA. You promised me today that you would leave here.
ASTROV. I remember. I’m just leaving.
Pause.
Was the lady frightened? (Takes her by the hand.) Is this really so terrifying?
YELENA ANDREEVNA. Yes.
ASTROV. Otherwise the lady would have stayed! Ah? Tomorrow in the forest preserve . . .
YELENA ANDREEVNA. No . . . it’s been settled . . . And that’s why I can look at you so fearlessly, because our departure is definite . . . All I ask of you is: have a higher opinion of me. I would like you to respect me.
ASTROV. Ay! (Gesture of impatience.) Do stay, please. Admit it, you’ve got nothing to do in this world, no purpose in life, nothing to engage your attention, and, sooner or later, make no mistake, you’ll give in to your feelings — it’s inevitable. So it’s far better not to let it happen in Kharkov or somewhere like Kursk but here, in the lap of nature . . . Poetically speaking, at least, autumn is a beautiful season . . . There are forest preserves, half-dilapidated manor houses out of a Turgenev novel . . .38
YELENA ANDREEVNA. What a funny man you are . . . I’m angry with you, but still . . . I’ll remember you with pleasure. You’re an interesting, original person. Never again will we meet, and so—why hide it? I was attracted to you a little . . . Well, let’s shake hands and part as friends. Keep a kind thought for me.
ASTROV (has shaken her hand). Yes, go away . . . (Pensively.) You seem to be a decent, sincere person, but there also seems to be something odd about your basic nature. You and your husband show up, and everyone around here who used to work or putter or create things was compelled to lay aside his work and all summer long concentrate on nothing but your husband’s gout and you. The two of you infected all the rest of us with your idleness. I was attracted, did nothing for a whole month, while people were falling ill, peasants grazed their cattle in my forest and stands of young trees . . . And so, wherever you and your husband set foot, destruction follows in your wake . . . I’m joking, of course, but all the same . . . it’s odd, and I’m convinced that if you were to stay, the havoc wreaked would be stupendous. I would perish, and you would . . . wouldn’t get off scot-free. Well, go away. Finita la commedia!39
YELENA ANDREEVNA (takes a pencil from the table and quickly conceals it). I’ll take this pencil to remember you by.
ASTROV. It’s kind of strange . . . We were getting to know one another and all of a sudden for no good reason . . . we’ll never meet again. It’s the way of the world . . . While nobody’s here, before Uncle Vanya comes in with a bouquet, let me . . . kiss you . . . As a farewell . . . All right? (Kisses her on the cheek.) There now . . . Well done.
YELENA ANDREEVNA. I wish you the best of everything. (Looking around.) Whatever the cost, for once in my life! (Embraces him impulsively, and both immediately and rapidly move away from one another.) It’s time to go.40
ASTROV. Go quickly. Now that the horses have been brought round, you’ll be off.
YELENA ANDREEVNA. Here they come, I think.
Both listen hard.
ASTROV. Finita!
Enter SEREBRYAKOV, VOINITSKY, MARIYA VASILYEVNA with a book, TELEGIN, and SONYA.
SEREBRYAKOV (to Voinitsky). Let the dead past bury its dead.41 After what has occurred in these last few hours, I have experienced so much and done so much thinking that I believe I could write a whole treatise on the art of living for the edification of posterity. I gladly accept your apologies and in turn ask you to forgive me. Good-bye! (He and Vanya exchange kisses three times.)
VOINITSKY. You will punctually receive the same amount as before. Everything will be as it was before.
YELENA ANDREEVNA embraces SONYA.
SEREBRYAKOV (kisses Mariya Vasilyevna’s hand). Maman . . .
MARIYA VASILYEVNA (kissing him). Alexandre, have another picture taken and send me your photograph. You know how dear you are to me.
TELEGIN. Good-bye, Your Excellency! Don’t forget us!
SEREBRYAKOV(after kissing his daughter). Good-bye . . . Good-bye, all! (Giving his hand to Astrov.) Thank you for your pleasant company . . . I respect your way of thinking, your enthusiasms, effusions, but allow an old man to add to his valediction this one observation: one must take action, my friends! One must take action! (Bows all round.) My very best wishes! (Exits, followed by MARIYA VASILYEVNA and SONYA.)
VOINITSKY (soundly kisses Yelena Andreevna’s hand). Good-bye . . . Forgive me . . . We’ll never meet again.
YELENA ANDREEVNA (moved). Good-bye, my pet. (Kisses him on the head and exits.)
ASTROV (to Telegin). Waffles, tell them to bring round my horses too while they’re at it.
TELEGIN. Right you are, dear friend. (Exits.)
Only ASTROV and VOINITSKY are left.
ASTROV (takes the paints from the table and stuffs them into his suitcase). Why don’t you go and see them off?
VOINITSKY. Let them go, but I . . . I cannot. I feel depressed. Have to hurry and get involved in something . . . To work, to work! (Burrows into the papers on the table.)
Pause. The sound of harness bells.
ASTROV. They’re gone. The Professor’s relieved, I’ll bet. You couldn’t lure him back here again for all the tea in China.
MARINA (enters). They’re gone. (Sits in the easy chair and knits a stocking.)
SONYA (enters). They’re gone. (Wipes her eyes.) Pray God it’s for the best. (To Uncle.) Well, Uncle Vanya, let’s do something.
VOINITSKY. To work, to work . . .
SONYA. It’s been ever so long since we sat together at this table. (Lights a lamp on the table.) There doesn’t seem to be any ink . . . (Takes the inkwell to the cupboard and fills it.) But I feel down now that they’re gone.
MARIYA VASILYEVNA (enters slowly). They’re gone! (Sits and gets absorbed in reading.)