VERA. Natalya Petrovna, don't torture me any more, don't ask me questions. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA [with a sigh]. Vera, I see you can't forgive me.
VERA. You're so kind and soft to-day because you feel you are loved.
NATALYA PETROVNA [embarrassed], Vera?
VERA [turning to her]. Well, isn't it the truth?
NATALYA PETROVNA [sadly], I assure you we are both equally unhappy.
VERA. He loves you!
NATALYA PETROVNA. Vera, why do we torture each other? It's time for both of us to think what we're doing. Remember the position I'm in, the position we are both in. Remember that our secret, though my fault, of course, is known to two men here already. . . . [Breaks off.] Vera, instead of tormenting each other with suspicions and reproaches, hadn't we better consider together how to get out of this dreadful position . . . how to save ourselves! Do you imagine I can stand these shocks and agitations? Have you forgotten who I am? But you're not listening.
VERA [looking dreamily at the floor]. He loves you. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA. Vera, he's going away.
VERA [turning away]. Oh, leave me alone. . . . [NATALYA PETROVNA looks at her irresolutely. At that instant, ISLAYEV'S voice calls from the study: 'Natasha, Natasha, where are you?']
NATALYA PETROVNA [gets up quickly and goes to study-door]. I'm here . . . what is it?
ISLAYEV [from the study]. Come here, I've something to tell you. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA. In a minute. [She turns to VERA and holds out her hand. VERA does not stir. NATALYA PETROVNA sighs and goes out into the study.]
VERA [alone; after a silence]. He loves her! . . . And I must stay in her house. . . . Oh! it's too much. . [She hides her face in her hands and sits motionless. SHPIGELSKY puts his head in at the door leading to the outer room. He looks round cautiously and goes on tip-toe up to VERA, who does not notice him.']
SHPIGELSKY [standing before her, his arms crossed and a malicious grin on his face]. Vera Alexandrovna! . . . Vera Alexandrovna!
VERA [raising her head]. Who is it? You, Doctor. . . . SHPIGELSKY. What is it, my young lady, not well, or what? VERA. Oh, nothing.
SHPIGELSKY. Let me feel your pulse. [Feels her pulse.] H'm! Why is it so quick? Ah, young lady, young lady. You won't listen to me. . . . And yet it's your welfare I wish for.
VERA [looking at him resolutely]. Ignaty Ilyitch . . . SHPIGELSKY [alertly], I'm all ears, Vera Alexandrovna. . . . What a look, upon my word. . . . I'm all ears.
VERA. That gentleman . . . Bolshintsov, your friend, is he really a good man?
SHPIGELSKY. My friend Bolshintsov? The most excellent, the best of men ... a pattern and paragon of all the virtues.
VERA. He's not ill-natured?
SHPIGELSKY. Most kind-hearted, upon my soul. He's not a man, he's made of dough, really. You've only to take him and mould him. You wouldn't find another such good-natured fellow if you searched with a candle by daylight. He's a dove, not a man.
VERA. You answer for him?
SHPIGELSKY [lays one hand on his heart and raises the other upwards]. As I would for myself!
VERA. Then, you can tell him . . . that I am willing to marry him.
SHPIGELSKY [with joyful amazement]. You don't say so! VERA. But as soon as possible--do you hear? ... As soon as possible. . . .
SHPIGELSKY. To-morrow, if you like. ... I should rather think so! Bravo, Vera Alexandrovna! You're a young lady of spirit! I'll gallop over to him at once. Won't he be overjoyed. . . . Well, this is an unexpected turn of affairs! Why, he worships the ground you tread on, Vera Alexandrovna. . . .
VERA [with impatience]. I didn't ask you that, Ignaty Ilyitch.
SHPIGELSKY. As you please, Vera Alexandrovna, as you please. Only you'll be happy with him, you'll be grateful to me, you'll see. . . . [VERA makes a gesture of impatience.] There, I'll hold my tongue. ... So then I can tell him? . . .
VERA. You can, you can.
SHPIGELSKY. Very good. So I'll set off at once. Good-bye. [Listens.]. And here's somebody coming, by the way. [Goes towards study and in the doorway makes a grimace expressing surprise to himself.] Good-bye for the present. [Goes out]
VERA [looking after him]. Anything in the world is better than staying here. [Stands up.] Yes, I have made up my mind. I won't stop in this house ... not for anything. I can't endure her soft looks, her smiles, I can't bear the sight of her, basking and purring in her happiness. . . . She's happy, however she pretends to be sad and sorrowful. . . . Her caresses are unbearable. . . .
[BELIAYEV appears in the door of the outer room. He looks round and goes up to VERA.]
BELIAYEV [in a low voice]. Vera Alexandrovna, you're alone?
VERA [looks round, starts, and after a moment, brings out], Yes.
BELIAYEV. I'm glad to find you alone. ... I should not have come in here otherwise. Vera Alexandrovna, I've come to say good-bye to you. VERA. Good-bye?
BELIAYEV. Yes, I'm going away. VERA. You are going away? You too? BELIAYEV. Yes ... I too. [With intense suppressed feeling.] You see, Vera Alexandrovna, I can't stay here. I've done so much harm here already. Apart from my having--I don't know how--disturbed your peace of mind and Natalya Petrovna's, I've broken up old friendships. Thanks to me, Mr. Rakitin is leaving this house, you have quarrelled with your benefactress. . . . It's time to put a stop to it all. After I am gone, I hope everything will settle down and be right again. . . . Turning rich women's heads and breaking young girls' hearts is not in my line. . . . You will forget about me, and, in time perhaps, will wonder how all this could have happened. ... I wonder even now. . . . I don't want to deceive you, Vera Alexandrovna; I'm frightened, I'm terrified of staying here. ... I can't answer for anything. . . . And you know I'm not used to all this. I feel awkward. ... I feel as though everybody's looking at me. . . . And in fact it would be impossible for me .. . now . . . with you both. . . .
VERA. Oh, don't trouble yourself on my account! I'm not staying here long.
BELIAYEV. What do you mean?
VERA. That's my secret. But I shan't be in your way, I assure you.
BELIAYEV. Well, but, you see, I must go. Think; I seem to have brought a plague into this house, everyone's running away. . . . Isn't it better for me to disappear before more harm's done? I have just had a great talk with Mr. Rakitin. . . . You can't imagine how bitterly he spoke. . . . And he might well jeer at my new coat. . . . He's right. Yes, I must go. Would you believe it, Vera Alexandrovna, I'm longing for the minute when I shall be racing along the high road in a cart. I'm stifling here, I want to get into the open air. I can't tell you how grieved and at the same time light-hearted I feel, like a man setting off on a long journey overseas; he's sad and sick at parting from his friends, yet the sound of the sea is so joyful, the wind is so fresh in his face, that it sets his blood dancing, though his heart may ache. . . . Yes, I'm certainly going. I'll go back to Moscow, to my old companions, I'll set to work. . . .
VERA. You love her, it seems, Alexey Nikolaitch; you love her, yet you are going away.
BELIAYEV. Hush, Vera Alexandrovna, why do you say that? Don't you see that it's all over? It flared up and has gone out like a spark. Let us part friends. It's time. I've come to my senses. Keep well, be happy, we shall see each other again some day. ... I shall never forget you, Vera Alexandrovna. . . . I'm very fond of you, believe me. . . . [Presses her hand and adds hurriedly.] Give this note to Natalya Petrovna for me. . . .
VERA [glancing at him embarrassed]. A note?
