MASHA. I’m not going.
KULYGIN (mortified). Masha dear, whyever not?
MASHA. We’ll discuss it later . . . (Angrily.) Very well, I’ll go, but do leave me alone, for pity’s sake . . . ((Walks away.)
KULYGIN. And then we’ll spend the evening at the headmaster’s. Despite his failing health that man strives above all to be sociable. An outstanding, brilliant personality. A magnificent man. Yesterday after our meeting he says to me, “I’m tired, Fyodor Ilyich! I’m tired!” (Looks at the clock on the wall, then at his watch.) Your clock is seven minutes fast. Yes, says he, I’m tired!
Offstage someone is playing the violin.
OLGA. Ladies and gentlemen, please come to the table! There’s a meat pie!
KULYGIN. Ah, my dear Olga, my dear! Yesterday I worked from morn to eleven at night, I was exhausted and today I feel happy. (Goes to the table in the reception room.) My dear . . .
CHEBUTYKIN (puts the newspaper in his pocket, combs out his beard). A meat pie? Splendid!
MASHA (sternly, to Chebutykin). Just watch your step, don’t have anything to drink today. You hear? Drinking’s bad for you.
CHEBUTYKIN. Bah! That’s over and done with. Two years since I last was drunk. (Impatiently.) Anyways, lady, it don’t make no never mind!
MASHA. All the same don’t you dare drink. Don’t you dare. (Angrily, but so her husband can’t hear.) Damn it to hell, another boring evening at the headmaster’s!
TUSENBACH. If I were in your shoes, I wouldn’t go . . . Plain and simple.
CHEBUTYKIN. Don’t go, my lovely!
MASHA. ‘S all very well to say: don’t go . . . This damned life is unbearable . . . (Goes into the reception room.)
CHEBUTYKIN (following her). Now, now!
SOLYONY (crossing into the reception room). Cheep, cheep, cheep . . .
TUSENBACH. That’s enough, Solyony. Cut it out!
SOLYONY. Cheep, cheep, cheep . . .
KULYGIN (merrily). Your health, Colonel! I’m an educator, and here in this house one of the family, Masha’s hubby . . . She’s a kindhearted creature, really kind . . .
VERSHININ. I’ll have some of that dark vodka22 there . . . (Drinks.) Your health! (To Olga.) I feel so good being here with you! . . .
In the drawing-room IRINA and TUSENBACH remain.
IRINA. Masha’s in a funny mood today. She married at eighteen, when he seemed to her to be the cleverest of men. And now he doesn’t. He’s the kindest, but not the cleverest.
OLGA (impatiently). Andrey, are you coming?
ANDREY (offstage). Right away. (Enters and goes to the table.)
TUSENBACH. What are you thinking about?
IRINA. This. I don’t like that Solyony of yours, I’m afraid of him. Everything he says is stupid . . .
TUSENBACH. He’s a strange fellow. I feel sorry for him, and I get annoyed by him, but mostly sorry. I think he’s shy . . . When we’re alone together, he’s often clever and pleasant enough, but in company he’s rude, a bully. Don’t go, let them sit at the table a little. Let me be near you for a while. What are you thinking about? (Pause.) You’re twenty, I’m not yet thirty. How many years there are ahead of us, a long, long series of days, filled with my love for you . . .
IRINA. Nikolay Lvovich, don’t talk to me about love . . .
TUSENBACH (not listening). I thirst so passionately for life, struggle, hard work, and this thirst of my heart has blended with my love of you, Irina, and it all seems to fit, because you’re beautiful and life looks just as beautiful to me! What are you thinking about?
IRINA. You say: life is beautiful. Yes, but what if it only seems that way! For us three sisters, life hasn’t been beautiful, it’s choked us, like weeds . . . There are tears running down my face. That’s not what we need . . . (Quickly wipes her face, smiles.) What we need is work, work. That’s why things look so gloomy to us, why we take such a dim view of life, because we don’t know what hard work is. We’re the children of people who despised hard work . . .
NATALIYA IVANOVNA enters, wearing a pink dress with a green belt.
NATASHA.23 They’ve already sat down to lunch . . . I’m late . . . (Catches a glimpse of herself in a mirror, sets herself to rights.) My hairdo looks all right . . . (On seeing Irina.) Dear Irina Sergeevna, congratulations! (Kisses her energetically and at length.) You’ve got a lot of guests, honestly, I’m embarrassed . . . Good afternoon, Baron!
OLGA (entering the drawing-room). Why, here’s Nataliya Ivanovna too. Good afternoon, my dear!
They exchange kisses.
NATASHA. With the party girl. You’ve got such a lot of company, I’m awfully nervous . . .
OLGA. Don’t be silly, it’s all family. (In an undertone, shocked.) You’re wearing a green belt! My dear, that’s a mistake!
NATASHA. Is it bad luck?
OLGA. No, it simply doesn’t go . . . It’s all wrong somehow . . .
NATASHA (on the verge of tears). Really? But actually it’s not green, it’s more a sort of beige.
Follows OLGA into the reception room. In the reception room everyone is seated at the table; not a soul is left in the drawing-room.
KULYGIN. I wish you, Irina, a proper fiancé. It’s high time you got married.
CHEBUTYKIN. Nataliya Ivanovna, I wish you a tiny little fiancé.
KULYGIN. Nataliya Ivanovna already has a tiny little fiancé.
MASHA (raps a fork on a plate). I’ll have a glass of wine! What the hell, life’s for living, so let’s live dangerously!
KULYGIN. Your conduct gets C minus.
VERSHININ. My, this is a tasty cordial. What’s it flavored with?
SOLYONY. Cockroaches.
IRINA (on the verge of tears). Ick! Ick! That’s disgusting! . . .
OLGA. For supper we’re having roast turkey and apple pie.24 Thank God, I’m home all day today, home this evening . . . Gentlemen, do come again this evening.
VERSHININ. May I come in the evening too?
IRINA. Please do.
NATASHA. It’s do as you please around here.
CHEBUTYKIN. “For love alone did Nature put us on this earth.” (Laughs.)
ANDREY (angrily). Will you stop it, gentlemen! Don’t you get sick of it?
FEDOTIK and RODÉ enter with a large basket of flowers.
FEDOTIK. They’re already eating lunch.
RODÉ (loudly, rolling his rs). They’re already eating? Yes, they are already eating . . .