The Cherry Orchard

It’s time. To Anya. My darling, we shall soon see each other again. I am going to Paris. I can live there on the money your Yaroslavl auntie sent us to buy the estate with⁠—hurrah for auntie!⁠—but that money won’t last long. Anya You’ll come back soon, mamma, won’t you? I’ll be working up for my examination in the high school, and when I have passed that, I shall set to work and be a help to you. We will read all sorts of things together, mamma, won’t we? Kisses her mother’s hands. We will read in the autumn evenings. We’ll read lots of books, and a new wonderful world will open out before us dreamily. Mamma, come soon. Lyubov I shall come, my precious treasure embraces her. Enter Lopahin. Charlotta softly hums a song. Gaev Charlotta’s happy; she’s singing! Charlotta Picks up a bundle like a swaddled baby. Bye, bye, my baby. A baby is heard crying: “Ooah! ooah!” Hush, hush, my pretty boy! Ooah! ooah! Poor little thing! Throws the bundle back. You must please find me a situation. I can’t go on like this. Lopahin We’ll find you one, Charlotta Ivanovna. Don’t you worry yourself. Gaev Everyone’s leaving us. Varya’s going away. We have become of no use all at once. Charlotta There’s nowhere for me to be in the town. I must go away. Hums. What care I⁠ ⁠… Enter Pishtchik. Lopahin The freak of nature! Pishtchik Gasping. Oh!⁠ ⁠… let me get my breath.⁠ ⁠… I’m worn out⁠ ⁠… my most honoured⁠ ⁠… Give me some water. Gaev Want some money, I suppose? Your humble servant! I’ll go out of the way of temptation goes out. Pishtchik It’s a long while since I have been to see you⁠ ⁠… dearest lady. To Lopahin. You are here⁠ ⁠… glad to see you⁠ ⁠… a man of immense intellect⁠ ⁠… take⁠ ⁠… here gives Lopahin money 400 roubles. That leaves me owing 840. Lopahin Shrugging his shoulders in amazement. It’s like a dream. Where did you get it? Pishtchik Wait a bit⁠ ⁠… I’m hot⁠ ⁠… a most extraordinary occurrence! Some Englishmen came along and found in my land some sort of white clay. To Lyubov Andreyevna. And 400 for you⁠ ⁠… most lovely⁠ ⁠… wonderful gives money. The rest later sips water. A young man in the train was telling me just now that a great philosopher advises jumping off a housetop. “Jump!” says he; “the whole gist of the problem lies in that.” Wonderingly. Fancy that, now! Water, please! Lopahin What Englishmen? Pishtchik I have made over to them the rights to dig the clay for twenty-four years⁠ ⁠… and now, excuse me⁠ ⁠… I can’t stay⁠ ⁠… I must be trotting on. I’m going to Znoikovo⁠ ⁠… to Kardamanovo.⁠ ⁠… I’m in debt all round sips.⁠ ⁠… To your very good health!⁠ ⁠… I’ll come in on Thursday. Lyubov We are just off to the town, and tomorrow I start for abroad. Pishtchik What! In agitation. Why to the town? Oh, I see the furniture⁠ ⁠… the boxes. No matter⁠ ⁠… through his tears⁠ ⁠… no matter⁠ ⁠… men of enormous intellect⁠ ⁠… these Englishmen.⁠ ⁠… Never mind⁠ ⁠… be happy. God will succour you⁠ ⁠… no matter⁠ ⁠… everything in this world must have an end kisses Lyubov Andreyevna’s hand. If the rumour reaches you that my end has come, think of this⁠ ⁠… old horse, and say: “There once was such a man in the world⁠ ⁠… Semyonov-Pishtchik⁠ ⁠… the kingdom of heaven be his!”⁠ ⁠… most extraordinary weather⁠ ⁠… yes. Goes out in violent agitation, but at once returns and says in the doorway. Dashenka wishes to be remembered to you goes out. Lyubov Now we can start. I leave with two cares in my heart. The first is leaving Firs ill. Looking at her watch. We have still five minutes. Anya Mamma, Firs has been taken to the hospital. Yasha sent him off this morning. Lyubov My other anxiety is Varya. She is used to getting up early and working; and now, without work, she’s like a fish out of water. She is thin and pale, and she’s crying, poor dear! A pause. You are well aware, Yermolay Alexeyevitch, I dreamed of marrying her to you, and everything seemed to show that you would get married whispers to Anya and motions to Charlotta and both go out. She loves you⁠—she suits you. And I don’t know⁠—I don’t know why it is you seem, as it were, to avoid each other. I can’t understand it! Lopahin I don’t understand it myself, I confess. It’s queer somehow, altogether. If there’s still time, I’m ready now at once. Let’s settle it straight off, and go ahead; but without you, I feel I shan’t make her an offer. Lyubov That’s excellent. Why, a single moment’s all that’s necessary. I’ll call her at once. Lopahin And there’s champagne all ready too looking into the glasses. Empty! Someone’s emptied them already. Yasha coughs. I call that greedy. Lyubov Eagerly. Capital! We will go out. Yasha, allez! I’ll call her in. At the door. Varya, leave all that; come here. Come along! Goes out with Yasha. Lopahin Looking at his watch. Yes. A pause. Behind the door, smothered laughter and whispering, and, at last, enter Varya. Varya Looking a long while over the things. It is strange, I can’t find it anywhere. Lopahin What are you looking for? Varya I packed it myself, and I can’t remember a pause. Lopahin Where are you going now, Varvara Mihailova? Varya I? To the Ragulins. I have arranged to go to them to look after the house⁠—as a housekeeper. Lopahin That’s in Yashnovo? It’ll be seventy miles away a pause. So this is the end of life in this house! Varya Looking among the things. Where is it? Perhaps I put it in the trunk. Yes, life in this house is over⁠—there will be no more of it. Lopahin And I’m just off to Harkov⁠—by this next train. I’ve a lot of business there. I’m leaving