Three Sisters

wait. That’s Skvortsov shouting; one of the seconds. He’s in a boat. Pause. Andrey In my opinion it’s simply immoral to fight in a duel, or to be present, even in the quality of a doctor. Chebutikin It only seems so.⁠ ⁠… We don’t exist, there’s nothing on earth, we don’t really live, it only seems that we live. Does it matter, anyway! Masha You talk and talk the whole day long. Going. You live in a climate like this, where it might snow any moment, and there you talk.⁠ ⁠… Stops. I won’t go into the house, I can’t go there.⁠ ⁠… Tell me when Vershinin comes.⁠ ⁠… Goes along the avenue. The migrant birds are already on the wing.⁠ ⁠… Looks up. Swans or geese.⁠ ⁠… My dear, happy things.⁠ ⁠… Exit. Andrey Our house will be empty. The officers will go away, you are going, my sister is getting married, and I alone will remain in the house. Chebutikin And your wife? Ferapont enters with some documents. Andrey A wife’s a wife. She’s honest, well-bred, yes; and kind, but with all that there is still something about her that degenerates her into a petty, blind, even in some respects misshapen animal. In any case, she isn’t a man. I tell you as a friend, as the only man to whom I can lay bare my soul. I love Natasha, it’s true, but sometimes she seems extraordinarily vulgar, and then I lose myself and can’t understand why I love her so much, or, at any rate, used to love her.⁠ ⁠… Chebutikin Rises. I’m going away tomorrow, old chap, and perhaps we’ll never meet again, so here’s my advice. Put on your cap, take a stick in your hand, go⁠ ⁠… go on and on, without looking round. And the farther you go, the better. Soleni goes across the back of the stage with two officers; he catches sight of Chebutikin, and turns to him, the officers go on. Soleni Doctor, it’s time. It’s half-past twelve already. Shakes hands with Andrey. Chebutikin Half a minute. I’m tired of the lot of you. To Andrey. If anybody asks for me, say I’ll be back soon.⁠ ⁠… Sighs. Oh, oh, oh! Soleni “He didn’t have the time to sigh. The bear sat on him heavily.” Goes up to him. What are you groaning about, old man? Chebutikin Stop it! Soleni How’s your health? Chebutikin Angry. Mind your own business. Soleni

The old man is unnecessarily excited. I won’t go far, I’ll only just bring him down like a snipe. Takes out his scent-bottle and scents his hands. I’ve poured out a whole bottle of scent today and they still smell⁠ ⁠… of a dead body. Pause. Yes.⁠ ⁠… You remember the poem

“But he, the rebel seeks the storm,
As if the storm will bring him rest⁠ ⁠…”?

Chebutikin

Yes.

“He didn’t have the time to sigh,
The bear sat on him heavily.”

Exit with Soleni.

Shouts are heard. Andrey and Ferapont come in. Ferapont Documents to sign.⁠ ⁠… Andrey Irritated. Go away! Leave me! Please! Goes away with the perambulator. Ferapont That’s what documents are for, to be signed. Retires to back of stage. Enter Irina, with Tuzenbach in a straw hat; Kuligin walks across the stage, shouting “Co-ee, Masha, co-ee!” Tuzenbach He seems to be the only man in the town who is glad that the soldiers are going. Irina One can understand that. Pause. The town will be empty. Tuzenbach My dear, I shall return soon. Irina Where are you going? Tuzenbach I must go into the town and then⁠ ⁠… see the others off. Irina It’s not true⁠ ⁠… Nicolai, why are you so absentminded today? Pause. What took place by the theatre yesterday? Tuzenbach Making a movement of impatience. In an hour’s time I shall return and be with you again. Kisses her hands. My darling⁠ ⁠… Looking her closely in the face. it’s five years now since I fell in love with you, and still I can’t get used to it, and you seem to me to grow more and more beautiful. What lovely, wonderful hair! What eyes! I’m going to take you away tomorrow. We shall work, we shall be rich, my dreams will come true. You will be happy. There’s only one thing, one thing only: you don’t love me! Irina It isn’t in my power! I shall be your wife, I shall be true to you, and obedient to you, but I can’t love you. What can I do! Cries. I have never been in love in my life. Oh, I used to think so much of love, I have been thinking about it for so long by day and by night, but my soul is like an expensive piano which is locked and the key lost. Pause. You seem so unhappy. Tuzenbach I didn’t sleep at night. There is nothing in my life so awful as to be able to frighten me, only that lost key torments my soul and does not let me sleep. Say something to me Pause. say something to me.⁠ ⁠… Irina What can I say, what? Tuzenbach Anything. Irina Don’t! don’t! Pause. Tuzenbach It is curious how silly trivial little things, sometimes for no apparent reason, become significant. At first you laugh at these things, you think they are of no importance, you go on and you feel that you haven’t got the strength to stop yourself. Oh don’t let’s talk about it! I am happy. It is as if for the first time in my life I see these firs, maples, beeches, and they all look at me inquisitively and wait. What beautiful trees and how beautiful, when one comes to think of it, life must be near them! A shout of Co-ee! in the distance. It’s time I went.⁠ ⁠… There’s a tree which has dried up but it still sways in the breeze with the others. And so it seems to me that if I die, I shall still take part in life in one