PLATONOV. That’s enough!
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. Why are you killing me? It’s barely three weeks since that night, and I’m already thin as a rake! Where is the happiness you promised me? When is this treatment going to end? Think about it, you clever, noble, honorable man! Think about it, Platonov, before it’s too late! Think about it right now . . . Sit down on this chair, clear your mind and think about one thing only: what are you doing to me?
PLATONOV. I’m not able to think.
Pause.
You think about it yourself! (Walks over to her.) You think about it! I deprived you of your family, your happy ending, your future . . . What for? To what end? I robbed you, like your worst enemy! What can I give you? How can I repay you for your sacrifices? This illicit affair spells your unhappiness, your downfall, your ruin! (Sits down.)
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. I’ve become intimate with him, and he dares call our relationship an illicit affair!
PLATONOV. Oh dear . . . Now is not the time to nitpick every word! You’ve got your view of that relationship, I’ve got mine . . . I ruined you, that’s all there is to it! And not just you . . . Wait till you hear the tune your husband sings when he finds out!
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. You’re afraid that he’ll make life unpleasant for you?
PLATONOV. That’s not what I’m afraid of . . . I’m afraid that we might be the death of him . . .
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. Then why, you craven coward, did you come to me, if you knew that we might be the death of him?
PLATONOV. Please, don’t be so . . . over-emotional! You don’t impress me with those chest tones . . . And why did you . . . Anyway . . . (waves his hand in dismissal) talking to you always ends up in a flood of tears . . .
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. Yes, yes . . . I never used to weep until I became intimate with you! Be afraid, tremble! He knows already!
PLATONOV. What?
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. He knows already!
PLATONOV (sits up). He does?!
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. He . . . This morning I talked things over with him . . .
PLATONOV. Jokes . . .
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. You’ve turned pale? You should be hated, not loved! I’ve gone crazy . . . I don’t know why . . . why do I love you? He knows already! (Plucks him by the sleeve.) So tremble, tremble! He knows everything! I swear to you on my honor that he knows everything! Tremble!
PLATONOV. That’s impossible . . . It can’t be possible!
Pause.
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. He knows everything . . . Didn’t it have to be done sooner or later?
PLATONOV. Why are you trembling? How did you explain it to him? What did you say?
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. I explained to him that I had already . . . that I cannot . . .
PLATONOV. What’d he do?
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. He was like you . . . He panicked! And how insufferable your face looks at this moment!
PLATONOV. What did he say?
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. At first he thought I was joking, but when I had convinced him of the contrary, he turned pale, began to stagger, began to cry, began to grovel on his knees . . . He wore the exact same disgusting expression that you have now!
PLATONOV. What have you done, you foul creature?! (Clutches his head.) You’ve killed him! And you can, and you dare say this so coolly and calmly? You’ve killed him! Did you . . . mention my name?
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. Yes . . . How else?
PLATONOV. What’d he do?
SOFYA YEGOROVNA (leaps up). You should be ashamed, at long last, Platonov! You don’t know what you’re saying! The way you see it, I suppose, there was no cause to tell him anything?
PLATONOV. There wasn’t! (Lies on the sofa face down.)
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. You’re a man of honor, what are you saying?
PLATONOV. It would have been more honorable not to say anything than to kill him! We’ve killed him! He started crying, groveled on his knees . . . Ah! (Leaps up.) Unhappy man! If it hadn’t been for you, he would never have found out about our relationship so long as he lived!
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. I was obliged to have it out with him! I’m an honest woman!
PLATONOV. You know what you did by having it out? You’ve separated from your husband forever!
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. Yes, forever . . . How else? Platonov, you’re starting to talk like a . . . louse!
PLATONOV. Forever . . . What will become of you when we break up? And we’re going to break up any minute now! You’ll be the first to see your mistake! You’ll be the first to open your eyes and walk out on me! (Waves his hand in dismissal.) Anyhow . . . do whatever you want, Sofya! You’re more honest and more intelligent than I am, take charge of this whole tiresome mess! You deal with it! Resurrect me if you can, put me back on my feet! Only hurry up, for God’s sake, or else I’ll go out of my mind!
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. Tomorrow we’ll go away from here.
PLATONOV. Yes, yes, we’ll go away . . . Only hurry up!
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. I have to get you away from here . . . I wrote to my mother about you. We’ll stay with her . . .
PLATONOV. Wherever you like! . . . You deal with it any way you can!
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. Michel! This really is a new life . . . Understand this! . . . Listen to me, Michel! Let everything be the way I see it! I have a clearer head than you do! Believe me, my dear! I will put you back on your feet! I’ll take you where there is more light, where there’s none of this muck, this dust, indolence, this filthy nightshirt . . . I’ll make a man of you . . . I shall make you happy! Do understand . . . I’ll make a worker of you! We shall be real people, Michel! We shall eat the bread we earn, we shall run with sweat, we shall develop callouses . . . (Puts her head on his chest.) I shall work . . .
PLATONOV. Where will you work? There are women a lot different from you, a lot stronger, and even so they roll around like bales of hay, with nothing to do! You don’t know how to work, besides what’ll you work at? In our present situation, Sonya, it would be more use to analyze things clearly, and not console oneself with illusions . . . However, you know best!
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. You’ll see! There are women who are a lot different from me, but I am stronger than they are . . . Believe me, Michel! I shall light your way! You resurrected me, and all my life I shall be grateful . . . Shall we leave tomorrow? Really? I’ll go and start packing for the trip right now . . . You pack too . . . And come to the cabin at ten o’clock and bring your things . . . Will you come?
PLATONOV. I will.
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. Give me your word of honor that you will come!
PLATONOV. Ah-ah-ah . . . I just said so!
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. Give me your word of honor!