only I was allowed to give my life for you!

MASHA. Nicolai Lvovitch, go away! What business...

TUZENBACH. I'm off. [Exit.]

MASHA. [Lies down] Are you asleep, Feodor?

KULIGIN. Eh?

MASHA. Shouldn't you go home.

KULIGIN. My dear Masha, my darling Masha....

IRINA. She's tired out. You might let her rest, Fedia.

KULIGIN. I'll go at once. My wife's a good, splendid... I love you, my
only one....

MASHA. [Angrily] Amo, amas, amat, amamus, amatis, amant.

KULIGIN. [Laughs] No, she really is wonderful. I've been your husband
seven years, and it seems as if I was only married yesterday. On
my word. No, you really are a wonderful woman. I'm satisfied, I'm
satisfied, I'm satisfied!

MASHA. I'm bored, I'm bored, I'm bored.... [Sits up] But I can't get it
out of my head.... It's simply disgraceful. It has been gnawing away at
me... I can't keep silent. I mean about Andrey.... He has mortgaged this
house with the bank, and his wife has got all the money; but the house
doesn't belong to him alone, but to the four of us! He ought to know
that, if he's an honourable man.

KULIGIN. What's the use, Masha? Andrey is in debt all round; well, let
him do as he pleases.

MASHA. It's disgraceful, anyway. [Lies down]

KULIGIN. You and I are not poor. I work, take my classes, give private
lessons... I am a plain, honest man... _Omnia mea mecum porto_, as they
say.

MASHA. I don't want anything, but the unfairness of it disgusts me.
[Pause] You go, Feodor.

KULIGIN. [Kisses her] You're tired, just rest for half an hour, and I'll
sit and wait for you. Sleep.... [Going] I'm satisfied, I'm satisfied,
I'm satisfied. [Exit.]

IRINA. Yes, really, our Andrey has grown smaller; how he's snuffed
out and aged with that woman! He used to want to be a professor, and
yesterday he was boasting that at last he had been made a member of the
district council. He is a member, and Protopopov is chairman.... The
whole town talks and laughs about it, and he alone knows and sees
nothing.... And now everybody's gone to look at the fire, but he sits
alone in his room and pays no attention, only just plays on his fiddle.
[Nervily] Oh, it's awful, awful, awful. [Weeps] I can't, I can't bear it
any longer!... I can't, I can't!... [OLGA comes in and clears up at her
little table. IRINA is sobbing loudly] Throw me out, throw me out, I
can't bear any more!

OLGA. [Alarmed] What is it, what is it? Dear!

IRINA. [Sobbing] Where? Where has everyth