VOINITSEV. Yes, here, in your damned Voinitsevka!
ANNA PETROVNA. Hm . . . And who here, in our damned Voinitsevka, would come up with the impossible idea of planting horns on your aristocratic head? Absolutely nobody! Young Glagolyev, perhaps? Not likely. Glagolyev has stopped coming here . . . There’s no one suitable for your Sophie here. Your jealousy is ridiculous, my dear!
VOINITSEV. Platonov!
ANNA PETROVNA. What about Platonov?
VOINITSEV. He’s the one.
ANNA PETROVNA (jumps up). You can talk nonsense, but the sort of nonsense you’re talking now, listen here . . . What drivel!! You should know when to stop! It’s inexcusably ridiculous!
VOINITSEV. Ask her, go and ask him yourself, if you don’t believe me! I didn’t want to believe it and I still don’t want to believe it, but she is leaving today, deserting me! I have to believe it! And he’s going with her! Can’t you see me going around, gaping at all the world like a drowned kitten! I’m ruined!
ANNA PETROVNA. It can’t be that, Sergey! It’s a figment of your puerile imagination! Believe me! There’s nothing to it!
VOINITSEV. Believe me, she is leaving today! Believe that over the last two days she has said over and over again that she is his mistress! She said it herself! What has happened may be impossible to believe, but against your will and for all your skill you have to believe it!
ANNA PETROVNA. I remember, I remember . . . Now I understand what’s going on . . . Get me a chair, Sergey! No, never mind . . . So that’s what’s going on! Hm . . . Hold on, hold on, let me remember it in order . . .
Pause.
Enter BUGROV.
SCENE IV
ANNA PETROVNA, VOINITSEV, and BUGROV.
BUGROV (enters). Good morning, sir and ma’am! A happy Sunday, sir and ma’am! Live and be well, sir and ma’am!
ANNA PETROVNA. Yes-yes-yes . . . It’s horrible . . .
BUGROV. There’s a touch of rain, but it’s hot . . . (Mops his brow.) Fff . . . Steam rises off you, walking or riding . . . Are you all right, sir and ma’am?
Pause.
I dropped by here in person seeing as how yesterday the auction took place, as you know . . . And besides this, you know, it’s a little bit (laughs) of a ticklish situation and offensive to you, of course, so I . . . don’t want you to hold it against me, if you don’t mind! I’m not the one who bought the estate! Abram Abramych bought it, only in my name . . .
VOINITSEV (rings forcefully). To hell with the lot of ‘em . . .
BUGROV. Quite so, sir . . . You mustn’t think it, sir . . . Wasn’t me, sir . . . Consequently, only in my name, accordingly! (Sits down.)
YAKOV enters.
VOINITSEV (to Yakov). How many times have I asked you lowlifes, bastards (coughs), good-for-nothings, not to let anybody in without announcing them! A good hiding’s in store for all of you, you swine! (Tosses the bell under the table.) Get out of here! Bastards . . . (Paces up and down the stage.)
YAKOV shrugs and exits.
BUGROV (coughs). In my name only, sir . . . Abram Abramych asked me to convey that you can live here to your heart’s content, even till Christmas . . . There’ll be a few little alterations, but they won’t inconvenience you, sir . . . And if it happens they do, you can move into the servants’ quarters . . . Plenty of rooms, and it’s warm, sir . . . He also asked me to inquire, sir, if you wouldn’t like to sell me, that is in my name, the mines? The mines belong to you, ma’am, Anna Petrovna . . . Wouldn’t you like to sell them to us at this time? We’ll pay a good price . . .
ANNA PETROVNA. No . . . I won’t sell a single mine to any of you devils! What are you offering? A penny? You know what you can do with that penny!
BUGROV. Abram Abramych also asked me to convey that in case if it ain’t to your liking, Anna Petrovna, to sell him your mines minus what’s owed by Sergey Pavlich and the late general Pavel Ivanych, then he will call in the I.O.U.s . . . And so will I, ma’am . . . Hee-hee, ma’am . . . Friendship is one thing, you know, but money’s something else . . . Business is business! It’s a hell of a deal. I, that is . . . bought your I.O.U.s from Petrin. .
VOINITSEV. I won’t allow anyone to speculate on my stepmother’s property! It’s her property, not mine! . . .
BUGROV. The lady, perhaps, will feel sorry for you . . .
VOINITSEV. I haven’t got the time to discuss it with you! Good grief . . . (Waves his hand in dismissal.) Do whatever you want!
ANNA PETROVNA. Leave us alone, Timofey Gordeich! Excuse us . . . Please go away!
BUGROV. Of course, ma’am . . . (Gets up.) Please don’t trouble yourselves . . . You can live here at least till Christmas. Tomorrow or day after I’ll drop by, ma’am. Keep well, ma’am! (Exits.)
ANNA PETROVNA. Tomorrow we leave this place! Yes, now I remember . . . Platonov . . . So that’s it, that’s what he is running away from!
VOINITSEV. Let them do whatever they want! Let them take it all! I no longer have a wife, I don’t need anything else! No wife, maman!
ANNA PETROVNA. Yes, you no longer have a wife . . . But what did he see in that wishy-washy Sofya? What did he see in that slip of a girl? What could he see in her? How indiscriminate these stupid men are! They’re capable of being attracted by any sl . . . And where were you while this was going on, Mr. Loving Husband? Where were your eyes? Crybaby! Whimpering while somebody made off with his wife right under his nose! And you call this a man! You’re a baby! They marry you off, baby boys, fools, only to be laughingstocks, what jackasses! You’re both of you totally useless, you and your Platonov! What a wretched mess!
VOINITSEV. Nothing will help now, and neither will scolding. She’s not mine any more, and he’s not yours. What more is there to say? Leave me alone, maman! You can’t bear my stupid face!
ANNA PETROVNA. But what’s to be done? We have to do something! We have to save them!
VOINITSEV. Save whom? The only person who needs saving is me . . . They’re happy for the time being . . . (Sighs.)
ANNA PETROVNA. There you go being reasonable! They’re the ones, not you, who have to be saved! Platonov doesn’t love her! Don’t you know that? He seduced her, the way you once seduced that stupid German girl! He doesn’t love her! I assure you! What did she say to you? Why don’t you talk?
VOINITSEV. She said that she is his mistress.
ANNA PETROVNA. She’s his fool, and not his mistress! Shut up! Maybe this can still be fixed . . . Platonov is capable of turning a mere kiss or a squeeze of the hand into a big deal . . . Things haven’t got to the main event with them yet! I’m sure of it . . .
VOINITSEV. They have!
ANNA PETROVNA. You don’t understand a thing.
Enter GREKOVA.
SCENE V
VOINITSEV, ANNA PETROVNA, and GREKOVA.
GREKOVA (enters). So there you are! Good morning! (Offers her hand to Anna Petrovna.) Good morning, Sergey Pavlovich! Forgive me, please, I believe I’m disturbing you . . . An inopportune guest is worse than . . . worse than . . . How does the saying go? Worse than a wild Indian, that’s it . . . I’ll only stay one little minute . . . You just can’t imagine! (Laughs.) I’ve something to show you right away, Anna Petrovna . . . Forgive me, Sergey Pavlovich, we’ll have to keep it a secret . . . (Leads Anna Petrovna aside.) Forgive me . . . (Hands her a note.) I received this yesterday . . . Read it!