PLATONOV. Merci, clever little girl . . . A cigarette, water, and a bed! Is it raining out?
GREKOVA. It is.
PLATONOV. We’ll have to drive through the rain . . . We won’t go to court. Peace! (Looks at her.) Am I delirious?
GREKOVA. Just a bit. Let’s go! My carriage is covered.
PLATONOV. A pretty little thing . . . What are you blushing for? I won’t touch. I’ll kiss your cold little hand . . . (Kisses her hand and draws her to him.)
GREKOVA (sits on his lap). No . . . It isn’t proper . . . (Gets up.) Let’s go . . . Your face looks so strange . . . Let go of my hand!
PLATONOV. I’m sick. (Gets up.) Let’s go . . . On the cheek . . . (Kisses her on the cheek.) Without any ulterior motives. I can’t . . . Anyway, what nonsense. Let’s go, Marya Yefimovna! And, for pity’s sake, as fast as you can! I wanted to shoot myself with that . . . that revolver over there . . . On the cheek . . . (Kisses her on the cheek.) I’m delirious, but I see your face . . . I love all people! All of ‘em! I even love you . . . . People were for me the most precious thing of all . . . I didn’t mean to offend anybody, but I offended them all . . . All of ‘em . . . (Kisses her hand.)
GREKOVA. I understood it all . . . I understand your situation . . . Sophie . . . right?
PLATONOV. Sophie, Zizi, Mimi, Masha . . . Lots of you . . . I love ‘em all . . . When I was at the university, I used to go to Theatre Square91 and sweettalk the fallen women . . . Most people go to the theater, and I go to the square . . . I bought out Raisa . . . I collected three hundred smackers from the students and bought out another girl . . . Shall I show you her letters?
GREKOVA. What’s come over you?
PLATONOV. You think I’ve lost my mind? No, it’s just how it is . . . Delirious raving . . . Ask Triletsky . . . (Takes her by the shoulder.) And everybody loves me . . . Everybody! You insult ‘em, every now and then, but they . . . love you . . . Grekova, for instance, I insulted her, shoved her up against a table, and she . . . loves me. You, though, are that Grekova . . . Sorry . . .
GREKOVA. Where does it hurt?
PLATONOV. Platonov hurts. Do you really love me? Love me? Frankly . . . I don’t want anything . . . Now just you tell me, do you love me?
GREKOVA. Yes . . . (Lays her head on his chest. .) Yes . . .
PLATONOV (kisses her on the head). Everybody loves me . . . When I get better, I’ll seduce you . . . First the sweet talk, and then I’ll seduce you . . .
GREKOVA. It doesn’t matter . . . I don’t want anything else . . . You’re the only . . . man for me. I don’t want to know any others! Do what you want with me . . . You . . . you’re the only man for me! (Weeps.)
PLATONOV. I understand why Oedipus the King gouged out his eyes.92 I’m so vile and I recognize how vile I am so profoundly! Get away from me! It’s not worth it . . . I’m sick. (Extricates himself.) I’ll leave right now . . . Forgive me, Mariya Yefimovna! I’m losing my mind! Where’s Triletsky?
Enter SOFYA YEGOROVNA.
SCENE XII
The same and SOFYA YEGOROVNA.
SOFYA YEGOROVNA walks over to the desk and rummages through it.
GREKOVA (grabs Platonov by the hand). Ssh . . .
Pause.
SOFYA YEGOROVNA picks up a revolver, fires at Platonov, and misses.
(Stands between Platonov and Sofya Yegorovna.) What are you doing? (Shouts.) Get in here! Get in here quickly!
SOFYA YEGOROVNA. Let me at him . . . (Runs around Grekova and shoots Platonov in the chest, point-blank.)
PLATONOV. Hold on, hold on . . . What’s going on? (Falls.)
ANNA PETROVNA, IVAN IVANOVICH, TRILETSKY, and VOINITSEV run in.
SCENE XIII
The same, ANNA PETROVNA, IVAN IVANOVICH, TRILETSKY, VOINITSEV, then the servants and MARKO.
ANNA PETROVNA (pulls the revolver away from Sofya Yegorovna and tosses it on the sofa). Platonov! (Bends over Platonov.)
VOINITSEV covers his face and turns to the door.
TRILETSKY (bends over Platonov and hurriedly unbuttons his frockcoat. Pause.) Mikhail Vasilich! Can you hear me?
Pause.
ANNA PETROVNA. For heaven’s sake, Platonov! Michel . . . Michel! Hurry, Triletsky . . .
TRILETSKY (shouts). Water!
GREKOVA (hands him the carafe). Save him! You must save him! (Paces up and down the stage.)
TRILETSKY drinks the water and tosses the carafe aside.
IVAN IVANOVICH (clutches his head). Now didn’t I say that I’d drop dead? Well I’m dropping dead! Watch me drop dead! (Falls to his knees.) Almighty God! I’m dropping dead . . . Watch me drop dead . . .
YAKOV, VASILY, KATYA, and the COOK run in.
MARKO (enters). From the Justice of the Peace, sir . . .
Pause.
ANNA PETROVNA. Platonov!
PLATONOV raises himself and runs his eyes over them all.
Platonov . . . It’s nothing . . . Have some water!
PLATONOV (points to Marko). Give him a three-spot! (Falls and dies.)
ANNA PETROVNA. Brace up, Sergey! All this shall pass. Nikolay Ivanovich . . . All this shall pass . . . Brace up . . .
KATYA (bows at the feet of Anna Petrovna). It’s all my fault! I brought the note! The money tempted me, madam! Forgive me, a miserable creature!
ANNA PETROVNA. Be strong . . . Why lose our heads? He’s only a bit . . . He’ll get over it . . .
TRILETSKY (shouts). He’s dead!
ANNA PETROVNA. No, no . . .
GREKOVA sits at the desk, stares at the slip of paper and weeps bitterly.
IVAN IVANOVICH. May he rest in peace . . . Dropped dead . . . Dropped dead . . .
TRILETSKY. Life’s a kopek! Good-bye, Mishka! You’ve lost your kopek! What are you staring at? He shot himself! The party’s over! (Weeps.) Who am I going to drink with at your wake now? Oh, the fools! They couldn’t protect Platonov! (Rises.) Father, go tell Sasha that she can die now! (Swaying, he walks over to Voinitsev.) What about you? Hey! (Embraces Voinitsev.) Platoshka’s dead! (Sobs.)
VOINITSEV. What’s to be done, Nikolay?
TRILETSKY. Bury the dead and repair the living!
ANNA PETROVNA (slowly rises and goes to Sofya Yegorovna). Calm down, Sophie! (Sobs.) What have you done? But . . . but . . . calm down! (To Tril-etsky.) Don’t say anything to Aleksandra Ivanovna, Nikolay Ivanych! I’ll tell her myself! (Goes to Platonov and falls to her knees before him.) Platonov! My life! I don’t believe it! I don’t believe it! Are you really dead? (Takes him by the hand.) My life!