Selected plays

order of the Stanislav of the second degree: A civil service decoration

Maiden's Prayer: A parlour piano favourite written by Baranowski

with a repeater: his pocket watch strikes the hours

put an extinguisher over it: an extinguisher was a bell-shaped device that was used to put out candles

having to challenge him: to a duel

And the farther you go, the better: In the first version of the play Chekhov added: [a pause]. But do as you like! It doesn't matter. . .

And, restless, seeks the stormy ocean...: Solyony misquotes slightly from Lermontov's 'The Sail'

ANDREY and FERAPONT come in]: Note that there is no previous stage direction for Andrey to exit

kvass: a homemade beer

baby Sophie: Lit., Sofochka

Il ne faut pas faire du bruit...: Stop making noise, Sophie is asleep already. You are a bear (once again Natasha uses awkward French)

* * *

The Cherry Orchard, Anton Chekhov, 1904

Translated by Julius West, 1916

CHARACTERS

LUBOV ANDREYEVNA RANEVSKY (Mme. RANEVSKY), a landowner

ANYA, her daughter, aged seventeen

VARYA (BARBARA), her adopted daughter, aged twenty-seven

LEONID ANDREYEVITCH GAEV, Mme. Ranevsky's brother

ERMOLAI ALEXEYEVITCH LOPAKHIN, a merchant

PETER SERGEYEVITCH TROFIMOV, a student

BORIS BORISOVITCH SIMEONOV-PISCHIN, a landowner

CHARLOTTA IVANOVNA, a governess

SIMEON PANTELEYEVITCH EPIKHODOV, a clerk

DUNYASHA (AVDOTYA FEDOROVNA), a maidservant

FIERS, an old footman, aged eighty-seven

YASHA, a young footman

A TRAMP

A STATION-MASTER

POST-OFFICE CLERK

GUESTS

A SERVANT

The action takes place on Mme. RANEVSKY'S estate

ACT ONE

A room which is still called the nursery. One of the doors leads into ANYA'S room. It is close on sunrise. It is May. The cherry-trees are in flower but it is chilly in the garden. There is an early frost. The windows of the room are shut. DUNYASHA comes in with a candle, and LOPAKHIN with a book in his hand.

LOPAKHIN. The train's arrived, thank God. What's the time?

DUNYASHA. It will soon be two. [Blows out candle] It is light already.

LOPAKHIN. How much was the train late? Two hours at least. [Yawns and stretches himself] I have made a rotten mess of it! I came here on purpose to meet them at the station, and then overslept myself . . . in my chair. It's a pity. I wish you'd wakened me.