ivanoff-第4节
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exactly！ Only his eyes are larger than yours； and when he was
excited they used to shine like coalsgo on； go on！
LVOFF。 ＇Gets up and waves his hand＇ There is nothing more to say。
Go into the house。
ANNA。 You say that Nicholas is not what he should be； that his
faults are so and so。 How can you possibly understand him？ How
can you learn to know any one in six months？ He is a wonderful
man； Doctor； and I am sorry you could not have known him as he
was two or three years ago。 He is depressed and silent now； and
broods all day without doing anything； but he was splendid then。
I fell in love with him at first sight。 ＇Laughing＇ I gave one
look and was caught like a mouse in a trap！ So when he asked me
to go with him I cut every tie that bound me to my old life as
one snips the withered leaves from a plant。 But things are
different now。 Now he goes to the Lebedieff's to amuse himself
with other women； and I sit here in the garden and listen to the
owls。 ＇The WATCHMAN'S rattle is heard＇ Tell me； Doctor； have you
any brothers and sisters？
LVOFF。 No。
ANNA sobs。
LVOFF。 What is it？ What is the matter？
ANNA。 I can't stand it； Doctor； I must go。
LVOFF。 Where？
ANNA。 To him。 I am going。 Have the horses harnessed。 ＇She runs
into the house。＇
LVOFF。 No； I certainly cannot go on treating any one under these
conditions。 I not only have to do it for nothing； but I am forced
to endure this agony of mind besides。 No； no； I can't stand it。 I
have had enough of it。 ＇He goes into the house。＇
The curtain falls。
ACT II
The drawing…room of LEBEDIEFF誗 house。 In the centre is a door
leading into a garden。 Doors open out of the room to the right
and left。 The room is furnished with valuable old furniture；
which is carefully protected by linen covers。 The walls are hung
with pictures。 The room is lighted by candelabra。 ZINAIDA is
sitting on a sofa； the elderly guests are sitting in arm…chairs
on either hand。 The young guests are sitting about the room on
small chairs。 KOSICH； AVDOTIA NAZAROVNA； GEORGE； and others are
playing cards in the background。 GABRIEL is standing near the
door on the right。 The maid is passing sweetmeats about on a
tray。 During the entire act guests come and go from the garden；
through the room； out of the door on the left； and back again。
Enter MARTHA through the door on the right。 She goes toward
ZINAIDA。
ZINAIDA。 ＇Gaily＇ My dearest Martha！
MARTHA。 How do you do； Zinaida？ Let me congratulate you on your
daughter's birthday。
ZINAIDA。 Thank you； my dear； I am delighted to see you。 How are
you？
MARTHA。 Very well indeed； thank you。 ＇She sits down on the sofa＇
Good evening； young people！
The younger guests get up and bow。
FIRST GUEST。 ＇Laughing＇ Young people indeed！ Do you call yourself
an old person？
MARTHA。 ＇Sighing＇ How can I make any pretense to youth now？
FIRST GUEST。 What nonsense！ The fact that you are a widow means
nothing。 You could beat any pretty girl you chose at a canter。
GABRIEL brings MARTHA some tea。
ZINAIDA。 Why do you bring the tea in like that？ Go and fetch some
jam to eat with it！
MARTHA。 No thank you； none for me； don't trouble yourself。 ＇A
pause。＇
FIRST GUEST。 ＇To MARTHA＇ Did you come through Mushkine on your
way here？
MARTHA。 No； I came by way of Spassk。 The road is better that way。
FIRST GUEST。 Yes； so it is。
KOSICH。 Two in spades。
GEORGE。 Pass。
AVDOTIA。 Pass。
SECOND GUEST。 Pass。
MARTHA。 The price of lottery tickets has gone up again； my dear。
I have never known such a state of affairs。 The first issue is
already worth two hundred and seventy and the second nearly two
hundred and fifty。 This has never happened before。
ZINAIDA。 How fortunate for those who have a great many tickets！
MARTHA。 Don't say that； dear； even when the price of tickets is
high it does not pay to put one's capital into them。
ZINAIDA。 Quite true； and yet； my dear； one never can tell what
may happen。 Providence is sometimes kind。
THIRD GUEST。 My impression is； ladies； that at present capital is
exceedingly unproductive。 Shares pay very small dividends； and
speculating is exceedingly dangerous。 As I understand it； the
capitalist now finds himself in a more critical position than the
man who…
MARTHA。 Quite right。
FIRST GUEST yawns。
MARTHA。 How dare you yawn in the presence of ladies？
FIRST GUEST。 I beg your pardon！ It was quite an accident。
ZINAIDA gets up and goes out through the door on the right。
GEORGE。 Two in hearts。
SECOND GUEST。 Pass。
KOSICH。 Pass。
MARTHA。 ＇Aside＇ Heavens！ This is deadly！ I shall die of ennui。
Enter ZINAIDA and LEBEDIEFF through the door on the right。
ZINAIDA。 Why do you go off by yourself like a prima donna？ Come
and sit with our guests！
＇She sits down in her former place。＇
LEBEDIEFF。 ＇Yawning＇ Oh； dear； our sins are heavy！ ＇He catches
sight of MARTHA＇ Why； there is my little sugar…plum！ How is your
most esteemed highness？
MARTHA。 Very well； thank you。
LEBEDIEFF。 Splendid； splendid！ ＇He sits down in an armchair＇
Quite rightOh； Gabriel！
GABRIEL brings him a glass of vodka and a tumbler of water。 He
empties the glass of vodka and sips the water。
FIRST GUEST。 Good health to you！
LEBEDIEFF。 Good health is too much to ask。 I am content to keep
death from the door。 ＇To his wife＇ Where is the heroine of this
occasion； Zuzu？
KOSICH。 ＇In a plaintive voice＇ Look here； why haven't we taken
any tricks yet？ ＇He jumps up＇ Yes； why have we lost this game
entirely； confound it？
AVDOTIA。 ＇Jumps up angrily＇ Because； friend； you don't know how
to play it； and have no right to be sitting here at all。 What
right had you to lead from another suit？ Haven't you the ace
left？ ＇They both leave the table and run forward。＇
KOSICH。 ＇In a tearful voice＇ Ladies and gentlemen； let me
explain！ I had the ace； king； queen； and eight of diamonds； the
ace of spades and one； just one； little heart； do you understand？
Well； she； bad luck to her； she couldn't make a little slam。 I
said one in no…trumps… *
*The game played is vint； the national card…game of Russia and
the direct ancestor of auction bridge； with which it is almost
identical。 ＇translator's note＇
AVDOTIA。 ＇Interrupting him＇ No； I said one in no…trumps； you said
two in no…trumps…
KOSICH。 This is unbearable！ Allow meyou hadI hadyou had
＇To LEBEDIEFF＇ But you shall decide it； Paul： I had the ace；
king； queen； and eight of diamonds…
LEBEDIEFF。 ＇Puts his fingers into his ears＇ Stop； for heaven's
sake； stop！
AVDOTIA。 ＇Yelling＇ I said no…trumps； and not he！
KOSICH。 ＇Furiously＇ I'll be damned if I ever sit down to another
game of cards with that old cat！
He rushes into the garden。 The SECOND GUEST follows him。 GEORGE
is left alone at the table。
AVDOTIA。 Whew！ He makes my blood boil！ Old cat； indeed！ You're an
old cat yourself！
MARTHA。 How angry you are； aunty！
AVDOTIA。 ＇Sees MARTHA and claps her hands＇ Are you here； my
darling？ My beauty！ And was I blind as a bat； and didn't see you？
Darling child！ ＇She kisses her and sits down beside her＇ How
happy this makes me！ Let me feast my eyes on you； my milk…white
swan！ Oh； oh； you have bewitched me！
LEBEDIEFF。 Why don't you find her a husband instead of singing
her praises？
AVDOTIA。 He shall be found。 I shall not go to my grave before I
have found a husband for her； and one for Sasha too。 I shall not
go to my grave ＇She sighs＇ But where to find these husbands
nowadays？ There sit some possible bridegrooms now； huddled
together like a lot of half…drowned rats！
THIRD GUEST。 A most unfortunate comparison！ It is my belief；
ladies； that if the young men of our day prefer to remain single；
the fault lies not with them； but with the existing； social
conditions！
LEBEDIEFF。 Come； enough of that！ Don't give us any mo re
philosophy； I don't like it！
Enter SASHA。 She goes up to her father。
SASHA。 How can you endure the stuffy air of this room when the
weather is so beautiful？
ZINAIDA。 My dear Sasha； don't you see that Martha is here？
SASHA。 I beg your pardon。
＇She goes up to MARTHA and shakes hands。＇
MARTHA。 Yes； here I am； my dear little Sasha； and proud to
congratulate you。 ＇They kiss each other＇ Many happy returns of
the day； dear！
SASHA。 Thank you！ ＇She goes and sits down by her father。＇
LEBEDIEFF。 As you were saying； Avdotia Nazarovna； husbands are
hard to find。 I don't want to be rude； but I must say that the
young men of the present are a dull and poky lot； poor fellows！
They can't dance or talk or drink as they should do。
AVDOTIA。 Oh； as far as drinking goes； they are all experts。 Just
give themgive them…
LEBEDIEFF。 Simply to drink is no art。 A horse can drink。 No； it
must be done in the right way。 In my young days we used to sit
and cudgel our brains all day over our lessons； but as soon as
evening came we would fly off on some spree and keep it up till
dawn。 How we used to dance and flirt； and drink； too！ Or
sometimes we would sit and chatter and discuss everything under
the sun until we almost wagged our tongues off。 But now ＇He
waves his hand＇ Boys are a puzzle to me。 They are not willing
either to give a candle to God or a pitchfork to the de
