The Cherry Orchard

have taken all the pills. Lopahin What a glutton! All laugh. Firs His honour stayed with us in Easter week, ate a gallon and a half of cucumbers⁠ ⁠… mutters. Lyubov What is he saying? Varya He has taken to muttering like that for the last three years. We are used to it. Yasha His declining years! Charlotta Ivanovna, a very thin, lanky figure in a white dress with a lorgnette in her belt, walks across the stage. Lopahin I beg your pardon, Charlotta Ivanovna, I have not had time to greet you tries to kiss her hand. Charlotta Pulling away her hand. If I let you kiss my hand, you’ll be wanting to kiss my elbow, and then my shoulder. Lopahin I’ve no luck today! All laugh. Charlotta Ivanovna, show us some tricks! Lyubov Charlotta, do show us some tricks! Charlotta I don’t want to. I’m sleepy goes out. Lopahin In three weeks’ time we shall meet again kisses Lyubov Andreyevna’s hand. Goodbye till then⁠—I must go. To Gaev. Goodbye. Kisses Pishtchik. Goodbye. Gives his hand to Varya, then to Firs and Yasha. I don’t want to go. To Lyubov Andreyevna. If you think over my plan for the villas and make up your mind, then let me know; I will lend you 50,000 roubles. Think of it seriously. Varya Angrily. Well, do go, for goodness sake. Lopahin I’m going, I’m going goes out. Gaev Lowborn knave! I beg pardon, though⁠ ⁠… Varya is going to marry him, he’s Varya’s fiancé. Varya Don’t talk nonsense, uncle. Lyubov Well, Varya, I shall be delighted. He’s a good man. Pishtchik He is, one must acknowledge, a most worthy man. And my Dashenka⁠ ⁠… says too that⁠ ⁠… she says⁠ ⁠… various things snores, but at once wakes up. But all the same, honoured lady, could you oblige me⁠ ⁠… with a loan of 240 roubles⁠ ⁠… to pay the interest on my mortgage tomorrow? Varya Dismayed. No, no. Lyubov I really haven’t any money. Pishtchik It will turn up laughs. I never lose hope. I thought everything was over, I was a ruined man, and lo and behold⁠—the railway passed through my land and⁠ ⁠… they paid me for it. And something else will turn up again, if not today, then tomorrow⁠ ⁠… Dashenka’ll win two hundred thousand⁠ ⁠… she’s got a lottery ticket. Lyubov Well, we’ve finished our coffee, we can go to bed. Firs Brushes Gaev, reprovingly. You have got on the wrong trousers again! What am I to do with you? Varya Softly. Anya’s asleep. Softly opens the window. Now the sun’s risen, it’s not a bit cold. Look, mamma, what exquisite trees! My goodness! And the air! The starlings are singing! Gaev Opens another window. The orchard is all white. You’ve not forgotten it, Lyuba? That long avenue that runs straight, straight as an arrow, how it shines on a moonlight night. You remember? You’ve not forgotten? Lyubov Looking out of the window into the garden. Oh, my childhood, my innocence! It was in this nursery I used to sleep, from here I looked out into the orchard, happiness waked with me every morning and in those days the orchard was just the same, nothing has changed laughs with delight. All, all white! Oh, my orchard! After the dark gloomy autumn, and the cold winter; you are young again, and full of happiness, the heavenly angels have never left you.⁠ ⁠… If I could cast off the burden that weighs on my heart, if I could forget the past! Gaev H’m! and the orchard will be sold to pay our debts; it seems strange.⁠ ⁠… Lyubov See, our mother walking⁠ ⁠… all in white, down the avenue! Laughs with delight. It is she! Gaev Where? Varya Oh, don’t, mamma! Lyubov There is no one. It was my fancy. On the right there, by the path to the arbour, there is a white tree bending like a woman.⁠ ⁠… Enter Trofimov wearing a shabby student’s uniform and spectacles. Lyubov What a ravishing orchard! White masses of blossom, blue sky.⁠ ⁠… Trofimov Lyubov Andreyevna! She looks round at him. I will just pay my respects to you and then leave you at once kisses her hand warmly. I was told to wait until morning, but I hadn’t the patience to wait any longer.⁠ ⁠… Lyubov Andreyevna looks at him in perplexity. Varya Through her tears. This is Petya Trofimov. Trofimov Petya Trofimov, who was your Grisha’s tutor.⁠ ⁠… Can I have changed so much? Lyubov Andreyevna embraces him and weeps quietly. Gaev In confusion. There, there, Lyuba. Varya Crying. I told you, Petya, to wait till tomorrow. Lyubov My Grisha⁠ ⁠… my boy⁠ ⁠… Grisha⁠ ⁠… my son! Varya We can’t help it, mamma, it is God’s will. Trofimov Softly through his tears. There⁠ ⁠… there. Lyubov Weeping quietly. My boy was lost⁠ ⁠… drowned. Why? Oh, why, dear Petya? More quietly. Anya is asleep in there, and I’m talking loudly⁠ ⁠… making this noise.⁠ ⁠… But, Petya? Why have you grown so ugly? Why do you look so old? Trofimov A peasant-woman in the train called me a mangy-looking gentleman. Lyubov You were quite a boy then, a pretty little student, and now your hair’s thin⁠—and spectacles. Are you really a student still? Goes towards the door. Trofimov I seem likely to be a perpetual student. Lyubov Kisses her brother, then Varya. Well, go to bed.⁠ ⁠… You are older too, Leonid. Pishtchik Follows her. I suppose it’s time we were asleep.⁠ ⁠… Ugh! my gout. I’m staying the night; Lyubov Andreyevna, my dear soul, if you could⁠ ⁠… tomorrow morning⁠ ⁠… 240 roubles. Gaev That’s always his story. Pishtchik 240 roubles⁠ ⁠… to pay the interest on my mortgage. Lyubov My dear man, I have no money. Pishtchik I’ll pay it back, my dear⁠ ⁠… a trifling sum. Lyubov Oh, well, Leonid will give it you.⁠ ⁠… You give him the money, Leonid. Gaev Me give it him! Let him wait till he gets it! Lyubov It can’t be helped, give it him. He needs it. He’ll pay it back. Lyubov Andreyevna, Trofimov, Pishtchik and Firs go out.