NATALYA PETROVNA [after a pause, as though to herself]. What have I done?
BELIAYEV. Natalya Petrovna, for God's sake, I assure you . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA [in a changed voice]. Alexey Nikolaitch. If I did not know you are an honest man, and incapable of deceit, God knows what I should think. I might regret having spoken. But I trust you. I don't want to hide my feelings from you; I am grateful for what you have just said. Now I know why we have not been friends. ... So it was nothing in me myself that repelled you. . . . Only my position. . . . [Breaks off.] It's all for the best, of course . . . but now it will be easier for me to part from you. . . . Good-bye. [Is about to go out.]
BELIAYEV [after a pause]. Natalya Petrovna, I know that it's impossible for me to stay here . . . but I can't tell you what's going on in me. You love me. . . . I'm positively terrified to utter those words . . . it's all so new to me ... it seems as though I'm seeing you for the first time, hearing you for the first time, but I feel one thing, I must go. ... I feel I can't answer for anything. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA [in a faint voice]. Yes, Beliayev, you must go.... Now after what you have said, you can go. . . . And can it be really, in spite of all I have done. . . . Oh, believe me, if I had had the remotest suspicion of all you have just told me, that confession would have died in me, Beliayev. ... I only meant to put an end to all misunderstandings, I meant to expiate, to punish myself, I meant to cut the last thread. If I could have imagined. . . . [Hides her face.]
BELIAYEV. I do believe you, Natalya Petrovna, I do. And I, too ... a quarter of an hour ago . . . could I have imagined. . . . It's only to-day, during our interview before dinner that I felt for the first time something extraordinary, incredible, as though a hand had squeezed my heart, and such a burning ache. ... It is true that before then I had, more or less, avoided you and even not liked you particularly, but when you told me to-day that Vera Alexandrovna fancied . . . [Breaks off.]
NATALYA PETROVNA [with an involuntary smile of happiness on her lips]. Hush, hush, Beliayev; we mustn't think of that. We must not forget that we are speaking to each other for the last time . . . that you are going to-morrow. . . .
BELIAYEV. Oh yes! I'll go to-morrow! Now I can go. ... All this will pass. . . . You see I don't want to exaggerate. . . . I'm going ... to take what God gives! I shall take with me a memory, I shall never forget that you cared for me. . . . But how was it I didn't know you till now? Here you are looking at me now. . . . Can I have ever tried to avoid your eyes? . . . Can I ever have felt shy with you?
NATALYA PETROVNA [with a smile]. You said just now that you're afraid of me.
BELIAYEV. Did I? [A pause.] Really.... I wonder at myself. ... Is it I, I talking so boldly to you? I don't know myself.
NATALYA PETROVNA. And you're not deceiving yourself?
BELIAYEV. How?
NATALYA PETROVNA. In thinking that you . . . [Shuddering.] Oh? good God, what am I doing? . . . Beliayev. . . . Help me. . . . No woman has ever been in such a position. It's more than I can bear indeed. . . . Perhaps it's for the best, everything is ended at once; but anyway, we have come to know each other. . . . Give me your hand and good-bye for ever.
BELIAYEV [takes her hand], Natalya Petrovna ... I don't know what to say at parting . . . my heart is so full. God give you. . . . [Breaks off and presses her hand to his lips.] Good-bye. [Is about to go out by door into garden.]
NATALYA PETROVNA [looking after him]. Beliayev.. ..
BELIAYEV [turning]. Natalya Petrovna. . . .
NATALYA PETROVNA [pausingfor some time, then in a weak voice]. Stay. . . .
BELIAYEV. What?
NATALYA PETROVNA. Stay, and may God be our judge! [She hides her head in her hands.]
BELIAYEV [goes swiftly to her and holds out his hands to her]. Natalya Petrovna. . . . [At that instant the garden door opens and RAKITIN appears in the doorway. He gazes at them for some time, then goes suddenly up to them.]
RAKITIN [in a loud voice']. They are looking for you everywhere, Natalya Petrovna. . . . [NATALYA PETROVNA and BELIAYEV look round.]
NATALYA PETROVNA [taking her hands from her face and seeming to come to herself]. Ah, it's you. . . . Who is looking for me? [BELIAYEV in confusion bows to NATALYA PETROVNA and is going out.] Are you going, Alexey Nikolaitch? . . . Don't forget, you know what. . . . [He bows to her a second time and goes out into the garden.]
RAKITIN. Arkady is looking for you. ... I must say I didn't expect to find you here . . . but as I passed by ...
NATALYA PETROVNA [with a smile']. You heard our voices. ... I met Alexey Nikolaitch here and have had a complete explanation with him. . . . To-day seems a day of explanations; but now we can go into the house. . . . [Goes towards door into corridor.,]
RAKITIN [with some emotion]. May I ask . . . what decision?
NATALYA PETROVNA [affecting surprise]. Decision? . . . I don't understand you.
RAKITIN [after a long pause, sadly]. If that's so, I understand.
NATALYA PETROVNA. Well, there it is.... Mysterious hints again! Oh, well, I have spoken to him and now everything is set right. ... It was all nonsense, exaggeration. . . . All you and I talked about was childish. It must be forgotten now.
RAKITIN. I am not asking you for explanations, Natalya Petrovna.
NATALYA PETROVNA [with forced ease]. What on earth was it I wanted to say to you. ... I don't remember. Never mind. Let us go. It's all at an end . . . it's over.
RAKITIN [looking at her intently]. Yes, it's all at an end. How vexed you must be with yourself now ... for your openness this morning. [She turns away.]
NATALYA PETROVNA. Rakitin. . . . [He glances at her again; she obviously does not know what to say.] You've not spoken to Arkady yet?
RAKITIN. No ... I haven't thought of anything yet.... You see I must make up some story. . , .
NATALYA PETROVNA. How insufferable it is! What do they want of me? I'm followed about at every step I take. Rakitin, I'm really conscience-stricken you should have . . .
RAKITIN. Oh, Natalya Petrovna, pray don't distress yourself. . . . Why, it's all in the natural order of things. But how obviously this is Mr. Beliayev's first experience! Why was he so embarrassed, why did he take to flight? . . . But with time ... [In an undertone] you will both learn to keep up appearances. . . . [Aloud.] Let us go.
[NATALYA PETROVNA is about to go up to him but stops short. At that instant ISLAYEV'S voice is heard in the garden: 'He went in here, you say?' and then ISLAYEV and SHPIGELSKY come in.]
ISLAYEV. To be sure . . . here he is. Well, well, well! And Natalya Petrovna too! [Going up to her.] How's this? The continuation of this morning's talk? It's evidently an important matter.
RAKITIN. I met Natalya Petrovna here as I walked.
ISLAYEV. Met her? [Looking round.] A queer place for a walk!
NATALYA PETROVNA. Well, you've walked in, too. . .
ISLAYEV. I came in because . . . [Breaks off.]
NATALYA PETROVNA. You were looking for me?
ISLAYEV [after a pause]. Yes--I was looking for you. Won't you come into the house? Tea's ready. It will soon be dark.
NATALYA PETROVNA [taking his arm]. Come along.
ISLAYEV [looking round]. This place might be turned into two good rooms for the
