ng from you.

ASTROFF. You took a little bottle of morphine out of my medicine-case.
[A pause] Listen! If you are positively determined to make an end
to yourself, go into the woods and shoot yourself there. Give up the
morphine, or there will be a lot of talk and guesswork; people will
think I gave it to you. I don't fancy having to perform a post-mortem on
you. Do you think I should find it interesting?

SONIA comes in.

VOITSKI. Leave me alone.

ASTROFF. [To SONIA] Sonia, your uncle has stolen a bottle of morphine
out of my medicine-case and won't give it up. Tell him that his
behaviour is--well, unwise. I haven't time, I must be going.

SONIA. Uncle Vanya, did you take the morphine?

ASTROFF. Yes, he took it. [A pause] I am absolutely sure.

SONIA. Give it up! Why do you want to frighten us? [Tenderly] Give it
up, Uncle Vanya! My misfortune is perhaps even greater than yours, but I
am not plunged in despair. I endure my sorrow, and shall endure it until
my life comes to a natural end. You must endure yours, too. [A pause]
Give it up! Dear, darling Uncle Vanya. Give it up! [She weeps] You are
so good, I am sure you will have pity on us and give it up. You must
endure your sorrow, Uncle Vanya; you must endure it.

VOITSKI takes a bottle from the drawer of the table and hands it to
ASTROFF.

VOITSKI. There it is! [To SONIA] And now, we must get to work at once;
we must do something, or else I shall not be able to endure it.

SONIA. Yes, yes, to work! As soon as we have seen them off we shall
go to work. [She nervously straightens out the papers on the table]
Everything is in a muddle!

ASTROFF. [Putting the bottle in his case, which he straps together] Now
I can be off.

HELENA comes in.

HELENA. Are you here, Ivan? We are starting in a moment. Go to
Alexander, he wants to speak to you.

SONIA. Go, Uncle Vanya. [She takes VOITSKI 'S arm] Come, you and papa
must make peace; that is absolutely necessary.

SONIA and VOITSKI go out.

HELENA. I am going away. [She gives ASTROFF her hand] Good-bye.

ASTROFF. So soon?

HELENA. The carriage is waiting.

ASTROFF. Good-bye.

HELENA. You promised me you would go away yourself to-day.

ASTROFF. I have not forgotten. I am going at once. [A pause] Were you
frightened? Was it so terrible?

HELENA. Yes.

ASTROFF. Couldn't you stay? Couldn't you? To-morrow--in the forest--

HELENA. No. It is all settled, and that is why I can look you so bravely
in the