BELIAYEV. Yes ... I can't say good-bye to her.
VERA. But are you going at once?
BELIAYEV. This minute. ... I have not said anything to anybody . . . except Mihail Alexandritch. He approves. I'm going to walk from here to Petrovskoe. There I shall wait for Mihail Alexandritch and we shall drive on to the town together. I'll write from there. My things will be sent on after me. You see it's all settled. But you can read the note. There's only a couple of words in it.
VERA [taking the note from him]. And you are really going?
BELIAYEV. Yes, yes. . . . Give her that note and say . . . No, there's no need to say anything. . . . What's the use? [Listening.] Here they come. Good-bye. [Rushes to the door, stops an instant in the doorway, then runs away. VERA is left with the note in her hand. NATALYA PETROVNA comes in.]
NATALYA PETROVNA [going up to VERA]. Verotchka. . . . [Glances at her and breaks off.] What's the matter?
[VERA holds out the note without a word.] A note? From whom?
VERA [in a toneless voice]. Read it.
NATALYA PETROVNA. You frighten me. [Reads the note in silence and suddenly presses both hands to her face and sinks into an armchair. A long silence]
VERA [approaching her]. Natalya Petrovna.
NATALYA PETROVNA [not taking her hands from her face]. He is gone! . . . He wouldn't even say good-bye to me. . . . Oh, to you he said good-bye, anyway!
VERA [sadly]. He doesn't love me. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA [taking her hands from her face and standing up]. But he has no right to go off like this. . . . I will ... He can't do this. . . . Who told him he might break away so stupidly. . . . It's simply contempt. ... I . . . how does he know I should never have the courage. . . . [Sinks into the armchair.] My God! my God!
VERA. Natalya Petrovna, you told me yourself just now that he must go. . . . Remember.
NATALYA PETROVNA. You are glad now. . . . He is gone. . . . Now we are equal. [Her voice breaks]
VERA. Natalya Petrovna, you said to me just now; these were your very words; instead of tormenting each other hadn't we better think together how to get out of this position, how to save ourselves. . . . We are saved now.
NATALYA PETROVNA [turning away from her almost with hatred]. Ah! ...
VERA. I understand, Natalya Petrovna; don't worry yourself. ... I shan't burden you with my company long. We can't live together.
NATALYA PETROVNA [tries to hold out her hand to VERA but lets it fall on her lap]. Why do you say that, Verotchka? . . . Do you too want to leave me? Yes, you are right, we are saved now. All is over . . . everything is settled again. . . .
VERA [coldly]. Don't disturb yourself, Natalya Petrovna. [She looks at NATALYA PETROVNA without speaking. ISLAYEV comes out of the study]
ISLAYEV [after looking for a moment at NATALYA PETROVNA, aside to VERA]. Does she know that he is going?
VERA [puzzled]. Yes . . . she knows.
ISLAYEV [to himself]. But why has he been in such a hurry? . . . [Aloud.] Natasha. . . . [He takes her hand. She raises her head] It's I, Natasha. [She tries to smile] You're not well, my darling? I should advise you to lie down, really. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA. I'm quite well, Arkady; it's nothing.
ISLAYEV But you're pale . . . Come, do as I say. . . Rest a little.
NATALYA PETROVNA. Oh! very well. . . . [She tries to get up, and cannot]
ISLAYEV [helping her]. There you see. . . . [She leans on his arm] Shall I help you along?
NATALYA PETROVNA. Oh, I'm not so weak as all that! Come, Vera. [Goes towards the study. RAKITIN comes in from the outer room. NATALYA PETROVNA stops]
RAKITIN. I have come, Natalya Petrovna, to ...
ISLAYEV [interrupting him]. Ah, Michel, come here! [Draws him aside--in an undertone with vexation.] What made you tell her at once like this? Didn't I beg you not to! Why be in such a hurry?... I found her here in such a state.
RAKITIN [perplexed], I don't understand.
ISLAYEV. You've told Natasha you are going. . . .
RAKITIN. So you suppose that is what has upset her?
ISLAYEV. Sh! she is looking at us. [Aloud.] You're not going to lie down, Natasha?
NATALYA PETROVNA. Yes. . . . I'm going. . . .
RAKITIN. Good-bye, Natalya Petrovna! [NATALYA PETROVNA takes hold of the door-handle and makes no reply]
ISLAYEV [laying his hand on RAKITIN'S shoulder]. Natasha, do you know this is one of the best of men. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA [with sudden vehemence]. Yes, I know he's a splendid man . . . you're all splendid men . . . all of you, all ... and yet. . . . [She hides her face in her hands, pushes the door open with her knee and goes out hurriedly. VERA goes out after her. ISLAYEV in silence sits down to the table and leans on his elbows.]
RAKITIN [looks at him for some time and with a bitter smile shrugs his shoulder.] Nice position mine! Glorious, it certainly is! Really it's positively refreshing. And what a farewell after four years of love! Excellent, serve the talker right. And thank God, it's all for the best. It was high time to end these sickly, morbid relations. [Aloud to ISLAYEV.] Well, Arkady, good-bye.
ISLAYEV [raises his head. There are tears in his eyes]. Good-bye, my dear, dear boy. It's . . . not quite easy to bear. I didn't expect it. It's like a storm on a clear day. Well, grind the corn and there'll be flour. But anyway, thank you, thank you. You're a true friend.
RAKITIN [aside through his teeth]. This is too much. [Abruptly.] Good-bye. [Is about to go into outer room. SHPIGELSKY runs in, meeting him.]
SHPIGELSKY. What is it? They tell me Natalya Petrovna is ill. . . .
ISLAYEV [getting up]. Who told you so?
SHPIGELSKY. The girl. . . her maid. . . .
ISLAYEV. No, it's nothing, Doctor. I think, better not disturb Natasha just now. . . .
SHPIGELSKY. Ah! well, that's all right. [To RAKITIN.] I hear you're going to town?
RAKITIN. Yes, on business.
SHPIGELSKY. Ah! on business!. . . [At that instant ANNA SEMYONOVNA, LIZAVETA BOGDANOVNA, KOLYA and SCHAAF burst in from the outer room, all at once.]
ANNA SEMYONOVNA. What is it? What's the matter? What's wrong with Natasha?
KOLYA. What's the matter with Mamma? What is it?
ISLAYEV. Nothing's the matter with her. ... I saw her a minute ago. What's the matter with all of you?
ANNA SEMYONOVNA. Really, Arkasha, we were told Natasha's been taken ill. . . .
ISLAYEV. Well, you shouldn't have believed it.
ANNA SEMYONOVNA. But why are you so cross, Arkasha? Our sympathy's only natural.
