SHPIGELSKY [assuming a serious air], I'm convinced of it. You don't believe it. ... Well, you'll see. As you know, the great thing in marriage is solid character. And Bolshintsov is solidity itself. [Looking round.] And here I do believe is Natalya Petrovna herself coming in. ... My dear good friend, my benefactor! The two chestnuts as trace-horses, and the bay in the shafts! You will do your best?
RAKITIN [smiling]. Oh, very well, very well. . . .
SHPIGELSKY. Mind now, I rely on you. . . . [Escapes into the outer room.]
RAKITIN [looking after him]. What a sly rogue that doctor is! Vera . . . and Bolshintsov! But there you are! There are marriages worse than that. I'll do as he asks me, and then--it's not my business! [Turns round. NATALYA PETROVNA, coming out of the study and seeing him, stops.]
NATALYA PETROVNA [irresolutely]. It's . . . you.... I thought you were in the garden.
RAKITIN. You seem sorry I'm not. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA [interrupting]. Oh! nonsense. [Advancing to front of stage.] Are you alone here?
RAKITIN. Shpigelsky has just gone.
NATALYA PETROVNA [with a slight frown]. Oh, that local Talleyrand. . . . What has he been saying to you? Is he still hanging about?
RAKITIN. The local Talleyrand, as you call him, is evidently in disfavour to-day . . . but yesterday, I fancy . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA. He's funny; he's amusing, certainly, but... he meddles in what's not his business. . . . It's disagreeable. . . . Besides, for all his obsequiousness, he is very impudent and persistent. . . . He's a great cynic.
RAKITIN [going up to her]. You didn't speak of him like that yesterday. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA. Perhaps not. [Eagerly.] So what was he talking about?
RAKITIN. He talked to me . . . about Bolshintsov.
NATALYA PETROVNA. Oh? About that stupid creature?
RAKITIN. Of him, too, you spoke very differently yesterday.
NATALYA PETROVNA [with a constrained smile]. Yesterday is not to-day.
RAKITIN. True, for others . . . but it seems not for me.
NATALYA PETROVNA [dropping her eyes]. How's that?
RAKITIN. For me to-day is the same as yesterday.
NATALYA PETROVNA [holding out her hand to him]. I understand your reproach, but you are mistaken. Yesterday I wouldn't admit that I was behaving badly to you. . . . [RAKITIN attempts to stop her.] Don't contradict me. . . . I know and you know what I mean . . . but to-day I admit it. I have been thinking things over to-day. . . . But believe me, Michel, whatever silly thoughts take hold of me, whatever I say, whatever I do, there is no one I depend upon as I do on you. [Dropping her voice.] There is no one ... I love as I do you.... [A brief silence.] You don't believe me? RAKITIN. I believe you . . . but you seem depressed to-day, what's the matter?
NATALYA PETROVNA [goes on speaking without hearing him]. But I am convinced of one thing, Rakitin; one can never answer for oneself, one can never be sure of oneself. We often don't understand our past, how can we expect to answer for the future! There's no putting the future in fetters!
RAKITIN. That's true.
NATALYA PETROVNA [after a long silence]. Do you know, I want to tell you the truth. Perhaps I shall wound you a little, but I know you will be more hurt by my keeping things from you. I confess, Michel, this young student . . . this Beliayev, has made rather an impression on me. , . . RAKITIN [in a low voice]. I know that. NATALYA PETROVNA. Oh? You have noticed it? For some time?
RAKITIN. Only yesterday. NATALYA PETROVNA. Ah!
RAKITIN. The day before yesterday, you remember, I spoke of the change in you. ... I did not know then what to put it down to. But yesterday after our talk .. . and in the meadow , . . if you could have seen yourself! I didn't know you; you were like another woman. You laughed, you skipped and played about like a little girl; your eyes were shining, your cheeks were flushed, and with what confiding interest, with what joyful attention you gazed at him, how you smiled. [Glancing at her.] Why, even now your face glows at the memory of it! [Turns away.]
NATALYA PETROVNA. No, Rakitin, for God's sake, don't turn away from me. . . . Listen, why exaggerate? This man has infected me with his youth--that's all. I have never been young myself, Michel, from childhood up to now. You know what my life has been.... The novelty of it has gone to my head like wine, but I know it will pass as quickly as it has come. . . . It's not worth talking about... . [A pause.,] Only don't turn away from me, don't take your hand away. . . . Help me. . . .
RAKITIN [in a low voice]. Help you--a cruel saying! [Aloud.] You don't know what is happening to you, Natalya Petrovna. You are sure it's not worth talking about, and you ask for help. . . . Evidently you feel you are in need of it!
NATALYA PETROVNA. That is ... yes. ... I appeal to you as a friend.
RAKITIN [bitterly]. Quite so. ... I hope to justify your confidence . . . but let me have a moment to try and face it.
NATALYA PETROVNA. Face it? Why, are you dreading ... anything unpleasant? Is anything changed?
RAKITIN [bitterly]. Oh no! everything's the same.
NATALYA PETROVNA. What are you imagining, Michel? Surely you can't suppose. . . .
RAKITIN. I suppose nothing.
NATALYA PETROVNA. Surely you can't have such a contempt for me as ...
RAKITIN. For God's sake, stop. We'd better talk about Bolshintsov. The doctor's expecting an answer from you about Vera, you know.
NATALYA PETROVNA [sadly]. You're angry with me.
RAKITIN. Me? Oh no! But I'm sorry for you.
NATALYA PETROVNA. Really, it's positively annoying, Michel, aren't you ashamed? . . . [RAKITIN is silent. She shrugs her shoulders, and goes on in a tone of vexation.'] You say the doctor is expecting an answer? But who asked him to interfere? . . .
RAKITIN. He assured me that you yourself. . .
NATALYA PETROVNA [interrupting]. Perhaps, perhaps. . . . Though I believe I said nothing definite. ... Besides, I may have changed my mind. And, good gracious, what does it matter? Shpigelsky has a hand in all sorts of affairs; he can't expect to have everything his own way.
RAKITIN. He only wants to know what answer . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA. What answer. . . . [A pause.] Michel, don't! Give me your hand. . . . Why this indifferent expression, this cold politeness? . , . What have I done? Think a little, is it my fault? I came to you hoping for good advice, I didn't hesitate for one instant, I never thought of concealing things from you, and you . . . I see I was wrong to be open with you. ... It would never have entered your head. You suspected nothing, you deceived me. And now, goodness knows what you're imagining.
RAKITIN Imagining? Not at all.
NATALYA PETROVNA. Give me your hand. . . . [He does not move; she goes on, somewhat offended.] You turn away from me? So much the worse for you, then. But I don't blame you.... [Bitterly.] You are jealous!
RAKITIN. I have no right to be jealous, Natalya Petrovna. ... How could I be?
NATALYA PETROVNA [after a pause]. As you please. About Bolshintsov, I haven't yet spoken to Verotchka.
RAKITIN. I can send her to you at once.
NATALYA PETROVNA. Why at once? . . . But as you please.
RAKITIN [moving towards the study-door]. So you want me to fetch her?
