Dining Room
Night-Time
A watchman can be heard tapping in the background
An open window
Who's that?
It's me...
Alexandre
SEBRIAKOV
I dreamt that my left leg didn't belong to me
It's not gout
What time is it now?
[A pause]
Look out Batiushkov in the library
I believe
YELIENA
what?
SEREBRIAKOV
Look out
I seem to remember
But why is it so difficult for me to breathe?
YELIENA
You haven't slept
Tugenev got angina pectoris
Old age!
I've aged
Look at me...
You are the first
[Yeliena gets up]
I'm not a fool
I understand
Do you suppose I don't understand?
I'll soon set you all free
I'm worn out...
Everyone's worn out
Bored
Wasting their youth
...And I am the only one who's content and enjoying life
YELIENA
Oh, do be quiet!
SEREBRIAKOV
I've worn everybody out...
[Tearfully]
Tell me, what is it you want from me?
I implore you
It's a strange business
Ivan Petrovich
Or that idiot Maryia Vassilievna
Everyone listens
My voice disgusts them
I suppose I am
An egoist
A despot
But haven't I a right to be selfish?
Have I deserved it?
A little personal attention?
Your rights
[The window bangs]
It's going to rain
[A pause]
[In the garden the watchman taps and starts singing]
Devoting all my life to learning
To find myself
In this crypt
To meet people every day
Trivial conversation!
I want to live, I love success
I like being a well-known figure
Creating a stir
I feel an exile
Watching others succeed
They won't forgive me
YELIENA
Have patience!
[Enter Sonia]
What do I need Astrov for?
We can't send for gout
I won't speak to that crank
It's all the same to me...
What time is it now?
I'm suffocating
SONIA
[Hands the drops]
Please don't be peevish
Spare me, for goodness sake!
I must get up early
I've got to see to the haymaking
[Enter Vionitsky in a dressing-gown with a candle]
There's a storm getting up
[A flash of lightning]
There, do you see?
Helene and Sonia
I've come
Don't leave
Have some rest!
Go to bed
We'll talk
SONIA
My dear, don't leave me alone
VIONITSKY
This is becomming ridiculous
[Enter Marina with a candle]
The samovar hasn't been cleared away
I can't go to bed
Everyone's worn out
Only I am thoughly enjoying myself
MARINA
[Tenderly]
My dear?
I've got a grumbling pain in my legs
Pain!
[Tucks the rug in]
It's that old Vera Petrovna
Mother
So fond of you
[A pause]
The old are just the same as the little ones
[Kisses Serebriakov]
Come to bed my dear...
Come, darling
I'll give you some
And warm your feet
SEREBRIAKOV
[Moved]
Grumbling pain
[She and Sonia lead him off]
She used to cry over you...
Soniushka
You didn't understand
...Come along
YELIENA
I can hardly keep on my feet
No sleep
Pamphlets and the professor
Sonia is bad-tempered
Angry with me
She hasn't spoken
Things have gone
VIONITSKY
Let's leave philosophy out of it!
You are cultured
Surely you ought to realise that the world is being destroyed not by fire and pillage,
but by hatred, emnity and all this petty quarelling.....
Your job
Reconcile people to one another
Not to grumble
Dearest...
YELIENA
[Draws away]
The rain will be over
Everything in nature will be refreshed and sigh with relief
Refreshed by the storm
I have no past
My life, my love - Look at them
What am I to do with them?
A ray of sunlight falling into a well
And I am wasted too
When you talk to me of your love I feel
I don't know what to say
Good-night
If you only knew how I suffer
Another life is being wasted - Your life!
What are you waiting for?
Understand, do understand.....
YELIENA
[Looks intently]
You are drunk!
VIONITSKY
Maybe, maybe...
Where's the doctor?
He's staying the night
Anything may be!
The illusion of life...
Helene...
Never used to talk so much...
Do go to bed!
You bore me
[Impulsively kissing]
Dearest...
Wonderful woman!
YELIENA
[Goes out]
VIONITSKY
[Alone]
She's gone
[A pause]
Wht didn't I ask her to marry me?
So easily!
We two might have been awakened by this storm
Held her in my arms and whispered
"I'm here"
Oh, what a wonderful thought!
How enchanting!
It actually makes me laugh with happiness...
Why won't she understand me?
[A pause]
The professor
Gouty old invalid
I worked like an ox
Sonia and I squeezed
Like close-fisted peasants
I was proud of him and his learning
He was the breath of my life!
Work of a genius...
Good God?
He's retired
Now you can see what his life really amounts to
His writing
Completely unknown
A nonentity!
A soap bubble!
I've been cheated
Stupidly cheated...
[Enter Astrov; He wears a coat but is without waistcoat or tie. He is slightly drunk]
[He is followed by Telyeghin with a guitar]
Come on! Play!
[Telyeghin plays softly]
[To Vionitsky]
No ladies?
[Sings quietly]
"Dance my hut and dance my fire, the master's nowhere to retire..."
A nice spot of rain!
What time is it now?
A moment
An exceptionally attractive woman!
[Medicine bottles]
From Harkov, from Moscow, from Tula!
Plagued every town in Russia
His gout
Is he ill or shamming?
He is ill
[A pause]
Today?
Are you feeling sorry for the professor, or what?
In love
VIONITSKY
She's my friend
ASTROV
Already?
A woman can only become a man's friend in three stages:
First, she's an agreeable aquaintance, then a mistress, and only after that a friend
VIONITSKY
That's a crude sort of philosophy, Astrov
Well, yes...
I must confess
I'm drunk
Provocative and audacious
I draw up the most far-reaching plans for the future!
I believe
The good of mankind
Tremendous!
[To Telyeghin]
Waffles, go on playing!
My dear friend
Everyone in the house has gone to bed!
Play, I tell you!
[Telyeghin plays quietly]
A drink would be nice
Shall we go to my place?
All right for you?
"aw-right"
An awful rogue
[Sees Sonia]
Excuse me, I haven't got my tie on
[Telyeghin follows]
Uncle Vania
Got drunk
With the doctor?
A fine pair!
At your age!
VIONITSKY
Age has nothing to do
When people have no real life, they live on their illusions
All the hay has been cut
It rains every day
Everything is rotten
You are living on illusions!
I've had to work alone
I'm quite worn out...
Tears?
My dearest girl!
[Eagerly kisses]
Where is she now?
If only she knew!
Ah, if only she knew!
SONIA
I'll go...
One minute!
Coming!
[A monent later he comes out with his tie and waistcoat on]
What can I do for you?
Drink
Uncle drink
ASTROV
Very well
[A pause]
I shall go
The horses ready
The storm is passing
Don't ask
He has gout
SONIA
[Looks into the sideboard]
Would you like something?
ASTROV
Perhaps
I believe
He's had great success with women
Here, have some cheese
May I?
[Drinks a glass]
I should be suffocated in this atmosphere...
Completely absorbed in gout and books
Everything ought to be beautiful
Being
She's beautiful
Isn't that so?
[A pause]
Perhaps I'm being too severe
Old grumblers
I love life
My soul
God knows
You know
A small light gleaming in the distance
You don't notice
The darkness
The prickly branches lashing you in the face...
I work harder than anyone in the district
Fate batters me continuously
At times I suffer
I'm not expecting anything
Myself
Anyone?
No one
I feel
Too much alike
People
All of them
Good friends
Shallow in thought
In feeling
Unable to see
A higher mental calibre
Introspection
Cerebration
They whine
Full of hatreds and morbidly malicious
Pronounce their judgement
"Oh, he's a psychopath!"
"Just a phrase-monger"
They don't know
They say: "He's queer... Very queer"
I love forests - That's queer
There isn't any direct, objective, unprejudiced attitude to people or nature left....
No, there isn't!
[About to drink]
SONIA
[Prevents him]
I implore
Don't drink any more
Your voice is so soft
More than that, you are beautiful
Why do you want to be ordinary?
Drink and play cards?
I implore you!
You always say people don't create anything
Merely destroy
From above
Are you destroying yourself?
I beseech
I implore
ASTROV
[Holds out his hand]
I won't
Sonia
My word of honour
SONIA
[Presses his hand warmly]
Thank you!
My head's clear now
I'm quite sober
To the end of my days
Continue
My time's over
I've aged
I've grown
I believe
Really fond of being
Love
Beauty
I can't remain indifferent to that
Yeiena Andryeevna
She could turn my head
[Covers his eyes with his hand and shudders]
Time to forget
[A pause]
Suppose that she loved you
ASTROV
[Shrugging his shoulders]
Things on my mind
I'd better start
My dear
I'll go
If I may
SONIA
[Alone]
He didn't say
His soul and his heart are still hidden
[Laughs with happiness]
Poise and nobility of mind
Such a soft voice...
Out of place?
Vibrates and caresses
Feel it in the air
Now
I know I'm plain
I know!
People
Coming
Talking about me
"Kind and generous
But what a pity
So plain"
So plain...
[Enter Yeliena Andryeevna]
[Opens the windows]
Fresh air!
[A pause]
Where's the doctor?
[A pause]
Sophie!
We behave like enemies?
Come, do let us stop it...
[Embraces her]
That's fine!
[Both are moved]
Heaven
[The sideboard is open]
What's this?
Mihail Lvovich has been having supper
Let's drink to our friendship
SONIA
Yes, let's
The same glass
[Fills it]
Real friends?
[They drink and kiss]
[Cries]
No reason
[Cries]
I'm a queer creature
[A pause]
I was attracted by a learned man
It seemed real
I'm not to blame
Shrewd, suspicious eyes of yours
SONIA
Come, peace, peace!
You should believe
Or else you just can't live
[A pause]
Honestly
Are you happy?
One more question
Young?
[Laughs]
Do you like the doctor?
YELIENA
Yes, very much
I can still hear his voice and his footsteps
Dark window
Come to my room
Tell me something about him
SONIA
He knows how to do things
He treats the sick, and he plants forests too...
Don't you understand?
He's got talent!
Courage, freedom of mind, breadth of outlook...
He plants a tree and wonders what will come of it in a thousand years time,
and speculates on the future happiness of mankind
Such people are rare
We must love them...
He drinks
A little coarse
What does it matter?
Just think what kind of life this doctor leads!
Impassable mud
It's hard to keep pure
[Kisses her]
I wish you happiness with all my heart
You deserve it...
As for me
I'm just a tiresome person of no importance
In my home
Romantic
[Walks about]
Why do you laugh?
SONIA
I am so happy
So happy!
I should like to play
Now...
[Watchman taps in the garden]
Don't tap, the master's not well
Come boy!
Good dog!
Curtain
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