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SONYA AND ELENA ANDREYEVNA

ELENA ANDREYEVNA (opening the windows): The storm’s over! The air is so wonderfully fresh! (After a pause.) Where’s the Wood Demon?

SONYA: He’s gone.

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: Sophie!

SONYA: Well?

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: How long are you going to be cross with me? We’ve done no wrong to one another. Why be enemies? It’s time we stopped… .

SONYA: I myself had wished … (Embracing her.) Dear!

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: Splendid! … (Both are agitated.)

SONYA: Has papa gone to bed?

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: No, he’s sitting in the drawing-room.… You and I don’t speak to one another for a month on end — God knows why. It’s time at last to stop it… .

(.Looking at the table) What’s all this?

SONYA: The Wood Demon had something to eat.

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: And there’s wine, too… Let’s drink to our friendship.

SONYA: Let’s.

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: From the same glass… (Pouring out wine.) It’s much better like that. From now on we say “thou “to one another. Thou!

SONYA: Thou! (They drink and embrace.) I have long wished to make peace, but I felt shy… . (Crying.)

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: Why are you crying then?

SONYA: For no reason, just so.

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: You must not, you must not… .

(Crying.) You queer creature, I too have started crying!

(After a pause.) You are cross with me because you seem to think that I married your father from calculation. If you believe me, I swear that I married him for love. It was the scholar and famous man in him by whom I was infatuated. My love was not real love, it was artificial; but indeed it seemed to me that it was real. I am not to blame. And you, from the very day of our marriage, have punished me with your cunning, suspicious eyes… .

SONYA: Come, peace, peace! Let us forget. This is the second time to-day that I’ve heard that I have cunning, suspicious eyes.

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: One must not look at life so cunningly. It does not suit you at all. One must trust, otherwise life’s impossible.

SONYA: “A frighted crow fears the bush.” I have so often been disillusioned.

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: In whom? Your father is a good, honest man, a worker. To-day you reproved him for being happy. If he indeed was happy — absorbed in his work, he did not notice his happiness. I have done no deliberate wrong either to your father or to you. Uncle George is a very nice, honest, but unhappy, dissatisfied man… (After a pause.) Whom, then, do you not trust?

SONYA: Tell me truly, as a friend… Are you happy?

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: No.

SONYA: I knew it. One more question. Tell me frankly, would you like your husband to be young?

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: What a little girl you are! Certainly, I should! (Laughing.) Well, ask some more questions — do ask… .

SONYA: Do you like the Wood Demon?

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: Yes, very much.

SONYA (laughing): I have a silly expression on my face … have I? He’s gone, and I still seem to hear his voice, his steps, and as I look at the dark window I seem to see his face there… Let me tell you everything… But I can’t speak aloud, I’m ashamed. Come to my room, I’ll tell you there. Do I seem silly to you? Tell me… He’s a nice man?

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: Very, very nice… .

SONYA: His forests, peat — they seem strange to me… . Ican’t make it all out.

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: But forests are not the point! My darling, you see, it is talent that matters! You know what talent is? Courage, a free spirit, soaring to the heights … he plants a little tree or digs up a hundredweight of peat — and already he visualizes what’s to happen in a thousand years, he already dreams of the happiness of mankind. Such men as he are valuable, and should be loved. God bless you. You both are pure, courageous, honest. He’s rather untamed, but you are sensible, clear-headed… You will complete one another splendidly… (Getting up.) And I, I am tiresome, I am an episodic character. … In my music, in my husband’s house, and in all your lovemakings — in everything I have only been an episodic character. Indeed, Sonya, if you come to think of it, I am, probably, very, very unhappy!

(Pacing the room in agitation.) There’s no happiness for me in this world! No! … Why do you laugh?

SONYA (laughing and covering her face): I am so happy! So very happy!

ELENA ANDREYEVNA (wringing her hands): Indeed, how unhappy I am!

SONYA: I am happy … happy.

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: I want music. … I should like to play now… .

SONYA: Do play. (Embracing her.) I can’t sleep… Do play.

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: I will. Your father hasn’t gone to bed. When he’s not well, music irritates him. Go and ask him. If he does not object, I’ll play … go and ask him.

SONYA: I shall be back in a moment.

[Goes out. The night watchman knocks in the garden.

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: I haven’t played for a long time. I shall play, and cry like a fool… (Going to the window.) Is it you knocking there, Yefim?

THE WATCHMAN’S VOICE: Ye-s!

ELENA ANDREYEVNA: Stop knocking. The master is not well.

THE WATCHMAN’S VOICE: I’m going! (Whistling.) Nigger! Jack! (After a pause.) Nigger!

SONYA (returning): No!

CURTAIN