me on the face
with his fist, and my nose bled.... We had gone into the yard together
for something or other, and he was a little drunk. Lubov Andreyevna, as
I remember her now, was still young, and very thin, and she took me to
the washstand here in this very room, the nursery. She said, "Don't
cry, little man, it'll be all right in time for your wedding." [Pause]
"Little man".... My father was a peasant, it's true, but here I am in a
white waistcoat and yellow shoes... a pearl out of an oyster. I'm rich
now, with lots of money, but just think about it and examine me, and
you'll find I'm still a peasant down to the marrow of my bones. [Turns
over the pages of his book] Here I've been reading this book, but I
understood nothing. I read and fell asleep. [Pause.]

DUNYASHA. The dogs didn't sleep all night; they know that they're
coming.

LOPAKHIN. What's up with you, Dunyasha...?

DUNYASHA. My hands are shaking. I shall faint.

LOPAKHIN. You're too sensitive, Dunyasha. You dress just like a lady,
and you do your hair like one too. You oughtn't. You should know your
place.

EPIKHODOV. [Enters with a bouquet. He wears a short jacket and
brilliantly polished boots which squeak audibly. He drops the bouquet as
he enters, then picks it up] The gardener sent these; says they're to go
into the dining-room. [Gives the bouquet to DUNYASHA.]

LOPAKHIN. And you'll bring me some kvass.

DUNYASHA. Very well. [Exit.]

EPIKHODOV. There's a frost this morning--three degrees, and the
cherry-trees are all in flower. I can't approve of our climate. [Sighs]
I can't. Our climate is indisposed to favour us even this once. And,
Ermolai Alexeyevitch, allow me to say to you, in addition, that I bought
myself some boots two days ago, and I beg to assure you that they squeak
in a perfectly unbearable manner. What shall I put on them?

LOPAKHIN. Go away. You bore me.

EPIKHODOV. Some misfortune happens to me every day. But I don't
complain; I'm used to it, and I can smile. [DUNYASHA comes in and
brings LOPAKHIN some kvass] I shall go. [Knocks over a chair] There....
[Triumphantly] There, you see, if I may use the word, what circumstances
I am in, so to speak. It is even simply marvellous. [Exit.]

DUNYASHA. I may confess to you, Ermolai Alexeyevitch, that Epikhodov has
proposed to me.

LOPAKHIN. Ah!

DUNYASHA. I don't know what to do about it. He's a nice young man, but
every now and again, when he begins talking, you can't understa