The Cherry Orchard / Вишневый сад. Книга для чтения на английском языке

Trofimov. [SlapsPischinon the shoulder] Oh, you are a horse!

Charlotta. Attention please, here’s another trick. [Takes a shawl from a chair] Here’s a very nice plaid shawl, I’m going to sell it… [Shakes it] Won’t anybody buy it?

Pischin. [Astonished] Think of that now!

Charlotta.Ein, zwei, drei.

She quickly lifts up the shawl, which is hanging down.Anyais standing behind it; she bows and runs to her mother, hugs her and runs back to the drawing-room amid general applause.

Lubov. [Applauds] Bravo, bravo!

Charlotta. Once again! Ein, zwei, drei!

Lifts the shawl.Varyastands behind it and bows.

Pischin. [Astonished] Think of that, now.

Charlotta. The end!

Throws the shawl atPischin, curtseys and runs into the drawing-room.

Pischin. [Runs after her] Little wretch… What? Would you? [Exit.]

Lubov. Leonid hasn’t come yet. I don’t understand what he’s doing so long in town! Everything must be over by now.

The estate must be sold; or, if the sale never came off, then why does he stay so long?

Varya. [Tries to soothe her] Uncle has bought it. I’m certain of it.

Trofimov. [Sarcastically] Oh, yes!

Varya. Grandmother sent him her authority for him to buy it in her name and transfer the debt to her. She’s doing it for Anya. And I’m certain that God will help us and uncle will buy it.

Lubov. Grandmother sent fifteen thousand roubles from Yaroslav to buy the property in her name – she won’t trust us – and that wasn’t even enough to pay the interest.

[Covers her face with her hands] My fate will be settled today, my fate…

Trofimov. [TeasingVarya] Madame Lopakhin!

Varya. [Angry] Eternal student! He’s already been expelled twice from the university.

Lubov. Why are you getting angry, Varya? He’s teasing you about Lopakhin, well what of it? You can marry Lopakhin if you want to, he’s a good, interesting man… You needn’t if you don’t want to; nobody wants to force you against your will, my darling.

Varya. I do look at the matter seriously, little mother, to be quite frank. He’s a good man, and I like him.

Lubov. Then marry him. I don’t understand what you’re waiting for.

Varya. I can’t propose to him myself, little mother. People have been talking about him to me for two years now, but he either says nothing, or jokes about it.