PLATONOV. I heard that you are extracting ether from bedbugs . . . You want to make a contribution to science . . . An excellent idea!
GREKOVA. You’re always joking . . .
TRILETSKY. Yes, he’s always joking . . . So, you came after all, Mariya Yefi-movna . . . How is your maman?
PLATONOV. What a pink little rosebud you are! How overheated you are!
GREKOVA (gets up). Why do you keep saying these things to me?
PLATONOV. I’m just making conversation . . . I haven’t had a talk with you for a long time. Why get angry? When are you going to stop getting angry with me?
GREKOVA. I’ve noticed that you don’t feel at ease, whenever you see me . . . I don’t know how I’m interfering with you, but . . . I shall try to make life easy for you and avoid you as much as possible . . . If Nikolay Ivanych hadn’t given me his word of honor that you wouldn’t be here, I wouldn’t have come . . . (To Triletsky.) Shame on you for lying!
PLATONOV. Shame on you for lying, Nikolay! (To Grekova.) You’re getting ready to cry . . . Go ahead and cry! Tears are occasionally a relief . . .
GREKOVA quickly goes to the door, where she runs into ANNA PETROVNA.
SCENE XI
The same and ANNA PETROVNA.
TRILETSKY (to Platonov). It’s stupid . . . stupid! Do you understand? Stupid! Do it again and . . . we’re enemies!
PLATONOV. What’s it got to do with you?
TRILETSKY. Stupid! You don’t know what you’re doing!
GLAGOLYEV SR. It’s cruel, Mikhail Vasilich!
ANNA PETROVNA. Mariya Yefimovna! I’m delighted! (Shakes Grekova’s hand.) Delighted . . . You so rarely come to call on me . . . You’ve come, and I love you for that . . . Let’s sit down . . .
They sit down.
Delighted . . . Thanks to Nikolay Ivanovich . . . He worked hard to pry you loose from your little village . . .
TRILETSKY (to Platonov). And what if, let’s say, I love her?
PLATONOV. Love her . . . Be my guest!
TRILETSKY. You don’t know what you’re saying!
ANNA PETROVNA. How are you, my dear?
GREKOVA. Well, thank you.
ANNA PETROVNA. You’re exhausted . . . (Looks her in the face.) It must be hard to drive fourteen miles when you’re not used to it . . .
GREKOVA. No . . . (Put a handkerchief to her eyes and weeps.)
ANNA PETROVNA. What’s wrong, Mariya Yefimovna?
Pause.
GREKOVA. No . . .
TRILETSKY paces up and down the stage.
GLAGOLYEV SR. (to Platonov). You have to apologize, Mikhail Vasilich!
PLATONOV. For what?
GLAGOLYEV SR. You have to ask?! You were cruel . . .
SASHA (walks over to Platonov). Apologize, or else I’m going! . . . Apologize!
ANNA PETROVNA. I would usually burst into tears after a trip . . . One’s nerves are so on edge! . . .
GLAGOLYEV SR. Finally . . . I insist on it! It’s bad manners! I didn’t expect it of you!
SASHA. Apologize, I’m telling you! You shameless creature!
ANNA PETROVNA. I understand. (Looks at Platonov.) He’s already had time to . . . Forgive me, Mariya Yefimovna. I forgot to have a word with this . . . this . . . It’s my fault.
PLATONOV (walks over to Grekova). Mariya Yefimovna!
GREKOVA (raises her head). What can I do for you?
PLATONOV. I apologize . . . I publicly beg your pardon . . . I am consumed with shame in fifty different bones! . . . Give me your hand . . . I swear on my honor that I mean it . . . (Takes her hand.) Let’s make peace . . . No more sniveling . . . Friends? (Kisses her hand.)
GREKOVA. Friends. (Covers her face with her handkerchief and runs off.)
TRILETSKY goes after her.
SCENE XII
The same, less GREKOVA and TRILETSKY.
ANNA PETROVNA. I never thought that you would go that far . . . You!
GLAGOLYEV SR. Take it easy, Mikhail Vasilyevich, for heaven’s sake take it easy!
PLATONOV. That’s enough . . . (Sits on the sofa.) Forget about her . . . I did something stupid in talking to her, but stupidity doesn’t deserve all this discussion . . .
ANNA PETROVNA. Why did Triletsky have to run after her? Few women enjoy being seen in tears.
GLAGOLYEV SR. I respect this sensitivity in women . . . You really didn’t say . . . anything in particular to her, I think, but . . . A mere hint, one little word . . .
ANNA PETROVNA. It’s wrong, Mikhail Vasilich, wrong.
PLATONOV. I apologized, Anna Petrovna.
Enter VOINITSEV, SOFYA YEGOROVNA, and VENGEROVICH JR.
SCENE XIII
The same, VOINITSEV, SOFYA YEGOROVNA, VENGEROVICH JR., and then TRILETSKY.
VOINITSEV (runs in). She’s coming, she’s coming! (Sings.) She’s coming!
VENGEROVICH JR. stops in the doorway, and crosses his arms over his chest.
ANNA PETROVNA. At last Sophie’s had enough of this unbearable heat! Please come in!
PLATONOV (aside). Sonya! Good God Almighty, how she’s changed!
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. I was so busy chatting with Monsieur Vengerovich that I completely forgot about the heat . . . (Sits on the sofa, a good yard’s distance from Platonov.) I’m thrilled by our garden, Sergey.
GLAGOLYEV SR. (sits beside Sofya Yegorovna.) Sergey Pavlovich!
VOINITSEV. What can I do for you?
GLAGOLYEV SR. Sofya Yegorovna, my dearest friend, gave me her word that you’ll all come and visit me on Thursday.
PLATONOV (aside). She looked at me!
VOINITSEV. We shall keep that word. The whole gang will come over to your place . . .
TRILETSKY (enters). Oh women, women! as Shakespeare said,24 but he got it wrong. He should have said: Ouch, you women, women!
ANNA PETROVNA. Where’s Mariya Yefimovna?
TRILETSKY. I took her into the garden. Let her walk off her aggravation!
GLAGOLYEV SR. You’ve never once been to my place, Sofya Yegorovna! I hope you’ll like it there . . . The garden is better than yours, the river is deep, the horsies are good ones . . .
Pause.
ANNA PETROVNA. Silence . . . A fool has been born.
Laughter.
SOFYA YEGOROVNA (quietly to Glagolyev, nodding at Platonov). Who is that man? The one who’s sitting beside me!
GLAGOLYEV SR. (laughs). That’s our schoolmaster . . . I don’t know his last name . . .