er to return, never to see this river again...I shut my
eyes and ran without thinking, but _he_ ran after me... without pity,
without respect. I bought a villa near Mentone because _he_ fell ill
there, and for three years I knew no rest either by day or night; the
sick man wore me out, and my soul dried up. And last year, when they
had sold the villa to pay my debts, I went away to Paris, and there
he robbed me of all I had and threw me over and went off with another
woman. I tried to poison myself.... It was so silly, so shameful....
And suddenly I longed to be back in Russia, my own land, with my little
girl.... [Wipes her tears] Lord, Lord be merciful to me, forgive me my
sins! Punish me no more! [Takes a telegram out of her pocket] I had
this to-day from Paris.... He begs my forgiveness, he implores me to
return.... [Tears it up] Don't I hear music? [Listens.]

GAEV. That is our celebrated Jewish band. You remember--four violins, a
flute, and a double-bass.

LUBOV So it still exists? It would be nice if they came along some
evening.

LOPAKHIN. [Listens] I can't hear.... [Sings quietly] "For money will the
Germans make a Frenchman of a Russian." [Laughs] I saw such an awfully
funny thing at the theatre last night.

LUBOV. I'm quite sure there wasn't anything at all funny. You oughtn't
to go and see plays, you ought to go and look at yourself. What a grey
life you lead, what a lot you talk unnecessarily.

LOPAKHIN. It's true. To speak the straight truth, we live a silly life.
[Pause] My father was a peasant, an idiot, he understood nothing, he
didn't teach me, he was always drunk, and always used a stick on me. In
point of fact, I'm a fool and an idiot too. I've never learned anything,
my handwriting is bad, I write so that I'm quite ashamed before people,
like a pig!

LUBOV. You ought to get married, my friend.

LOPAKHIN. Yes... that's true.

LUBOV. Why not to our Varya? She's a nice girl.

LOPAKHIN. Yes.

LUBOV. She's quite homely in her ways, works all day, and, what matters
most, she's in love with you. And you've liked her for a long time.

LOPAKHIN. Well? I don't mind... she's a nice girl. [Pause.]

GAEV. I'm offered a place in a bank. Six thousand roubles a year.... Did
you hear?

LUBOV. What's the matter with you! Stay where you are....

[Enter FIERS with an overcoat.]

FIERS. [To GAEV] Please, sir, put this on, it's damp.

GAEV. [Putting it on] You're a nuisance, old man.

FIERS It's all