dissatisfaction is not due to any remissness in your work. On the contrary, I am pleased with your methods with Kolya.
BELIAYEV. Then what can it be?
NATALYA PETROVNA [glancing at him]. You need not be alarmed. . . . Your fault is not so serious. You are young, you have probably never before stayed with strangers, you could not foresee . . .
BELIAYEV. But, Natalya Petrovna. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA. You want to know what is wrong? I understand your impatience. So I must tell you that Verotchka . . . [Glancing at him] Verotchka has confessed everything.
BELIAYEV [in amazement], Vera Alexandrovna? What can Vera Alexandrovna have confessed? And what have I to do with it?
NATALYA PETROVNA. So you really don't know what she can have confessed? You can't guess?
BELIAYEV. I? No, I can't.
NATALYA PETROVNA. If so, I beg your pardon. If you really can't guess, I must apologize. I supposed ... I was mistaken. But allow me to say, I don't believe you. I understand what makes you say so. ... I respect your discretion.
BELIAYEV I haven't the least idea what you mean, Natalya Petrovna.
NATALYA PETROVNA. Really? Do you expect to persuade me that you haven't noticed that child's feeling for you?
BELIAYEV. Vera Alexandrovna's feeling for me? I really don't know what to say to that. . . . Good gracious! I believe I have always behaved with Vera Alexandrovna as
NATALYA PETROVNA. As with everybody else, haven't you? [After a brief silence.] However that may be, whether you are really unaware of it, or are pretending to be, the fact is the girl loves you. She admitted it to me herself. Well, now I am asking you, what do you mean to do?
BELIAYEV [with embarrassment]. What do I mean to do?
NATALYA PETROVNA [folding her arms]. Yes.
BELIAYEV. All this is so unexpected, Natalya Petrovna. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA [after a pause]. Alexey Nikolaitch, I see ... I have not put the matter properly. You don't understand me. You think I'm angry with you . . . but I'm . . . only ... a little upset. And that's very natural. Calm yourself. Let us sit down. [They sit down.] I will be frank with you, Alexey Nikolaitch, and you too be a little less reserved with me. You have really no need to be on your guard with me. Vera loves you. . . . Of course, that's not your fault, I am willing to assume that you are in no way responsible for it. ... But you see, Alexey Nikolaitch, she is an orphan, she is my ward. I am responsible for her, for her future, for her happiness. She is very young, and I feel sure that the feeling you have inspired in her may soon pass off. ... At her age, love does not last long. But you understand, it was my duty to warn you. It's always dangerous to play with fire . . . and I do not doubt that, knowing her feeling for you, you will adopt a different behaviour with her, will avoid seeing her alone, walking in the garden. . . . Won't you? I can rely on you. With another man I should be afraid to speak so plainly.
BELIAYEV. Natalya Petrovna, I assure you I appreciate. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA. I tell you that I do not distrust. . . . Besides, all this will remain a secret between us.
BELIAYEV. I must own, Natalya Petrovna, all you have told me seems to me so strange . . . of course, I can't venture to disbelieve you, but. . .
NATALYA PETROVNA. Listen, Alexey Nikolaitch. All I said to you just now ... I said it on the supposition that on your side there is nothing . .. [Breaks off] because if that's not so ... of course I don't know you well, but I do know you well enough to see no reason to make serious objections. You have no fortune . . . but you are young, you have your future before you, and when two people love each other . . . I tell you again, I thought it my duty to warn you, as a man of honour, of the consequences of your friendship with Vera, but if you . . .
BELIAYEV [in perplexity], I really don't know what you mean, Natalya Petrovna.
NATALYA PETROVNA [hurriedly]. Oh! believe me, I'm not trying to wring out a confession, there's no need. ... I shall see from your manner how it is. ... [Glancing at him.] But I ought to tell you that Vera fancied that you were not quite indifferent to her.
BELIAYEV [after a brief silence, stands up]. Natalya Petrovna, I see that I can't go on living in your house.
NATALYA PETROVNA [firing up]. You might have waited for me to decide that. . . . [Stands up.]
BELIAYEV. You have been frank with me. Let me be frank with you. I don't love Vera Alexandrovna, at least, I don't love her in the way you suppose.
NATALYA PETROVNA. But I didn't. . . [Stops short].
BELIAYEV. And if Vera Alexandrovna cares for me, if she fancied, as you say, that I care for her, I don't want to deceive her; I will tell her the whole truth myself. But after such plain speaking, you must see, Natalya Petrovna, that it would be difficult for me to stay here, my position would be too awkward. I can't tell you how sorry I shall be to leave . . . but there's nothing else for me to do. I shall always think of you with gratitude. . . . May I go now? ... I shall come to say good-bye properly later on.
NATALYA PETROVNA [with affected indifference]. As you please . . . but I own I did not expect this. That was not my object in wishing to speak to you. ... I only wanted to warn you . . . Vera is still a child ... I have perhaps taken it all too seriously. I don't see the necessity of your leaving us. However, as you please.
BELIAYEV. Natalya Petrovna . . . it's really impossible for me to go on staying here.
NATALYA PETROVNA. I see you are very ready to leave us!
BELIAYEV. No, Natalya Petrovna, I'm not.
NATALYA PETROVNA. I'm not in the habit of keeping people against their will, but I must own I don't like it at all.
BELIAYEV [after some indecision]. Natalya Petrovna, I shouldn't like to cause you the slightest annoyance. . . . I'll stay.
NATALYA PETROVNA [suspiciously]. Ah! [after a pause.] I didn't expect you would change your mind so quickly.'. . . I am grateful, but . . . Let me think it over. Perhaps you are right, perhaps you ought to go. I'll think it over. I'll let you know. . . . May I leave you in uncertainty till this evening?
BELIAYEV. I am willing to wait as long as you like. [Bows and is about to go.]
NATALYA PETROVNA. You promise me.... BEHAYEV [stopping]. What?
NATALYA PETROVNA. I believe you meant to speak to Vera. . . . I'm not sure that it's the right thing. But I'll let you know what I decide. I begin to think that you really ought to go away. Good-bye for now. [BELIAYEV bows again and goes off into the outer room. NATALYA PETROVNA looks after him.] My mind's at rest! He does not love her. . . . [Walks up and down the room.] And so instead of sending him away, I've myself prevented his going. . . . He'll stay. . . . But what shall I say to Rakitin? What have I done? [A pause.] And what right had I to publish abroad the poor girl's love? I trapped her into confessing it ... a half-confession, and then I go ... so ruthlessly, so brutally. . . . [Hides her face in her hands.] Perhaps he was beginning to care for her. . . . What right had I to trample on that flower in the bud? . . . But have I trampled on it? He may have deceived me. ... I tried to deceive him! Oh! no! He's too good for that. ... He's not like me! And why was I in such haste? Blurting it all out at once? [Sighing.] I needn't have done it! If I could have foreseen. . . . How sly I was, how I lied to him! And he! How boldly and independently he spoke! ... I felt humbled by him. ... He is a man! I didn't know him before. . . . He must go away. If he stays ... I feel that I shall end by losing all self-respect. . . . He must go, or I am lost! I will write to him before he has had time to see Vera .... He must go! [Goes quickly into the study.]
ACT IV
