ANYA. Mama, they’ve already sent Firs to the hospital. Yasha sent him this morning.
LYUBOV ANDREEVNA. My second anxiety is Varya. She’s used to rising early and working, and now, without work, she’s like a fish out of water. She’s lost weight, she’s got pale, she cries, poor soul . . .
Pause.
You know this perfectly well, Yermolay Alekseich; I had dreamt . . . of marrying her to you, yes, and it certainly looked as if you were going to get married. (Whispers to Anya, who nods to Charlotta, and both leave.) She loves you, you’re fond of her, I don’t know, I just don’t know why you seem to sidestep one another. I don’t understand!
LOPAKHIN. I don’t understand either, I admit. It’s all strange somehow . . . If there’s still time, then I’m ready right now . . . Let’s get it over with right away—and that’ll be that, but if it wasn’t for you, I have the feeling I wouldn’t be proposing.
LYUBOV ANDREEVNA. That’s wonderful. One little minute is all it takes. I’ll call her right now . . .
LOPAKHIN. And there’s champagne for the occasion. (Looks in the glasses.) Empty, somebody drank it already.
YASHA coughs.
I should say, lapped it up . . .
LYUBOV ANDREEVNA (lively). Fine! We’ll go outside . . . Yasha, allez!69 I’ll call her . . . (in the doorway.) Varya, drop everything, come here. Come on! (Exits with YASHA.)
LOPAKHIN (glancing at his watch.) Yes . . .
Pause.
Behind the door a stifled laugh, whispering, finally VARYA enters.
VARYA (inspects the luggage for a long time). That’s funny, I just can’t find it. . .
LOPAKHIN. What are you looking for?
VARYA. I packed it myself and can’t remember.
Pause.
LOPAKHIN. Where are you off to now, Varvara Mikhailovna?
VARYA. Me? To the Ragulins’ . . . I’ve agreed to take charge of their household . . . as a housekeeper, sort of.
LOPAKHIN. That’s in Yashnevo? About fifty miles from here.
Pause.
So ends life in this house . . .
VARYA (examining the luggage). Where in the world is it . . . Or maybe I packed it in the trunk . . . Yes, life in this house is over . . . there won’t be any more . . .
LOPAKHIN. And I’ll be riding to Kharkov soon . . . by the same train. Lots of business. But I’m leaving Yepikhodov on the grounds . . . I hired him.
VARYA. Is that so!
LOPAKHIN. Last year by this time it was already snowing, if you remember, but now it’s mild, sunny. Except that it’s cold . . . About three degrees of frost.
VARYA. I haven’t noticed.
Pause.
And besides our thermometer is broken . . .
Pause.
Voice from outside through the door: “Yermolay Alekseich!”
LOPAKHIN (as if expecting this call for a long time). Right away! (Rushes out.)
VARYA, sitting on the floor, laying her head on a pile of dresses, quietly sobs. The door opens, LYUBOV ANDREEVNA enters cautiously.
LYUBOV ANDREEVNA. Well?
Pause.
We’ve got to go.
VARYA (has stopped crying, wipes her eyes). Yes, it’s time, Mama dear. I’ll get to the Ragulins’ today, provided I don’t miss the train . . .
LYUBOV ANDREEVNA (in the doorway). Anya, put your things on!
Enter ANYA, then GAEV, CHARLOTTA IVANOVNA. GAEV has on a heavy overcoat with a hood. The servants and coachmen gather. YEPIKHODOV fusses around the luggage.
Now we can be on our way.
ANYA (joyously). On our way!
GAEV. My friends, my dearly beloved friends! Abandoning this house forever, can I be silent, can I refrain from expressing at parting those feelings which now fill my whole being . . .
ANYA (entreating). Uncle! . . .
VARYA. Uncle dear, you mustn’t!
GAEV (downcast). Bank the yellow to the center . . . I’ll keep still . . .
Enter TROFIMOV, then LOPAKHIN.
TROFIMOV. Well, ladies and gentlemen, time to go!
LOPAKHIN. Yepikhodov, my overcoat!
LYUBOV ANDREEVNA. I’ll sit just one little minute.70 It’s as if I never saw before what the walls in this house are like, what the ceilings are like, and now I gaze at them greedily, with such tender love . . .
GAEV. I remember when I was six, on Trinity Sunday71 I sat in this window and watched my father driving to church . . .
LYUBOV ANDREEVNA. Is all the luggage loaded?
LOPAKHIN. Everything, I think. (Putting on his overcoat, to Yepikhodov.) You there, Yepikhodov, see that everything’s in order.
YEPIKHODOV (in a hoarse voice). Don’t worry, Yermolay Alekseich!
LOPAKHIN. What’s the matter with you?
YEPIKHODOV. I just drank some water, swallowed something.
YASHA (contemptuously). How uncouth . . .
LYUBOV ANDREEVNA. We’re going—and there won’t be a soul left here.
LOPAKHIN. Not until spring.
VARYA (pulls a parasol out of a bundle, looking as if she were about to hit someone).
LOPAKHIN pretends to be scared.
What are you, what are you doing . . . it never entered my mind . . .
TROFIMOV. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s get into the carriages . . . It’s high time! The train’ll be here any minute!
VARYA. Petya, here they are, your galoshes, next to the suitcase. (Tearfully.) And yours are so muddy, so old . . .
TROFIMOV (putting on his galoshes). Let’s go, ladies and gentlemen!
GAEV (overcome with emotion, afraid he’ll cry). The train . . . the station . . . Follow-shot to the center, white doublette to the corner . . .
LYUBOV ANDREEVNA. Let’s go!
LOPAKHIN. Everybody here? Nobody there? (Locking the side door at the left.) Things stored here, have to lock up. Let’s go! . . .
ANYA. Good-bye, house! Good-bye, old life!
TROFIMOV. Hello, new life! (Exits with ANYA.)
VARYA casts a glance around the room and exits unhurriedly. YASHA and CHARLOTTA with her lapdog go out.
LOPAKHIN. Which means, till spring. Come along, ladies and gentlemen . . . Till we meet again! . . . (Exits.)
LYUBOV ANDREEVNA and GAEV are left alone. As if they had been waiting for this, they throw their arms around one another’s neck and sob with restraint, quietly, afraid of being heard.
GAEV (in despair). Sister dear, sister dear . . .