the same. Good day, gentlemen! [To
VERSHININ] My name is Kuligin, I am a master of the local High School.
[Note: He adds that he is a _Nadvorny Sovetnik_ (almost the same as
a German _Hofrat_), an undistinguished civilian title with no English
equivalent.] [To IRINA] In this book you will find a list of all those
who have taken the full course at our High School during these fifty
years. _Feci quod potui, faciant meliora potentes_. [Kisses MASHA.]

IRINA. But you gave me one of these at Easter.

KULIGIN. [Laughs] I couldn't have, surely! You'd better give it back
to me in that case, or else give it to the Colonel. Take it, Colonel.
You'll read it some day when you're bored.

VERSHININ. Thank you. [Prepares to go] I am extremely happy to have made
the acquaintance of...

OLGA. Must you go? No, not yet?

IRINA. You'll stop and have lunch with us. Please do.

OLGA. Yes, please!

VERSHININ. [Bows] I seem to have dropped in on your name-day. Forgive
me, I didn't know, and I didn't offer you my congratulations. [Goes with
OLGA into the dining-room.]

KULIGIN. To-day is Sunday, the day of rest, so let us rest and rejoice,
each in a manner compatible with his age and disposition. The carpets
will have to be taken up for the summer and put away till the winter...
Persian powder or naphthaline.... The Romans were healthy because they
knew both how to work and how to rest, they had _mens sana in corpore
sano_. Their life ran along certain recognized patterns. Our director
says: "The chief thing about each life is its pattern. Whoever loses
his pattern is lost himself"--and it's just the same in our daily life.
[Takes MASHA by the waist, laughing] Masha loves me. My wife loves me.
And you ought to put the window curtains away with the carpets.... I'm
feeling awfully pleased with life to-day. Masha, we've got to be at the
director's at four. They're getting up a walk for the pedagogues and
their families.

MASHA. I shan't go.

KULIGIN. [Hurt] My dear Masha, why not?

MASHA. I'll tell you later.... [Angrily] All right, I'll go, only please
stand back.... [Steps away.]

KULIGIN. And then we're to spend the evening at the director's. In spite
of his ill-health that man tries, above everything else, to be sociable.
A splendid, illuminating personality. A wonderful man. After yesterday's
committee he said to me: "I'm tired, Feodor Ilitch, I'm tired!" [Looks
at the clock, then at his watch] Your clock is seven minutes fast.