"Yes," he said, "I'm tired." [Violin played off.]

OLGA. Let's go and have lunch! There's to be a masterpiece of baking!

KULIGIN. Oh my dear Olga, my dear. Yesterday I was working till eleven
o'clock at night, and got awfully tired. To-day I'm quite happy. [Goes
into dining-room] My dear...

CHEBUTIKIN. [Puts his paper into his pocket, and combs his beard] A pie?
Splendid!

MASHA. [Severely to CHEBUTIKIN] Only mind; you're not to drink anything
to-day. Do you hear? It's bad for you.

CHEBUTIKIN. Oh, that's all right. I haven't been drunk for two years.
And it's all the same, anyway!

MASHA. You're not to dare to drink, all the same. [Angrily, but so that
her husband should not hear] Another dull evening at the Director's,
confound it!

TUZENBACH. I shouldn't go if I were you.... It's quite simple.

CHEBUTIKIN. Don't go.

MASHA. Yes, "don't go...." It's a cursed, unbearable life.... [Goes into
dining-room.]

CHEBUTIKIN. [Follows her] It's not so bad.

SOLENI. [Going into the dining-room] There, there, there....

TUZENBACH. Vassili Vassilevitch, that's enough. Be quiet!

SOLENI. There, there, there....

KULIGIN. [Gaily] Your health, Colonel! I'm a pedagogue and not quite at
home here. I'm Masha's husband.... She's a good sort, a very good sort.

VERSHININ. I'll have some of this black vodka.... [Drinks] Your health!
[To OLGA] I'm very comfortable here!

[Only IRINA and TUZENBACH are now left in the sitting-room.]

IRINA. Masha's out of sorts to-day. She married when she was eighteen,
when he seemed to her the wisest of men. And now it's different. He's
the kindest man, but not the wisest.

OLGA. [Impatiently] Andrey, when are you coming?

ANDREY. [Off] One minute. [Enters and goes to the table.]

TUZENBACH. What are you thinking about?

IRINA. I don't like this Soleni of yours and I'm afraid of him. He only
says silly things.

TUZENBACH. He's a queer man. I'm sorry for him, though he vexes me. I
think he's shy. When there are just the two of us he's quite all right
and very good company; when other people are about he's rough and
hectoring. Don't let's go in, let them have their meal without us. Let
me stay with you. What are you thinking of? [Pause] You're twenty. I'm
not yet thirty. How many years are there left to us, with their long,
long lines of days, filled with my love for you....

IRINA. Nicolai Lvovitch, don't speak to me of love.

TUZENBACH. [Does not hear] I've a great thirst f