The Three Sisters / Три сестры

[To Irina] From the District Council, from Mihail Ivanitch Protopopov … a cake.

I r i n a. Thank you. Please thank him. [Takes the cake.]

F e r a p o n t. What?

I r i n a. [Louder] Please thank him.

O l g a. Give him a pie, nurse. Ferapont, go, she’ll give you a pie.

F e r a p o n t. What?

A n f i s a. Come on, gran’fer, Ferapont Spiridonitch. Come on. [Exeunt.]

M a s h a. I don’t like this Mihail Potapitch or Ivanitch, Protopopov. We oughtn’t to invite him here.

I r i n a.

I never asked him.

M a s h a. That’s all right.

[Enter Chebutikin followed by a soldier with a silver samovar; there is a rumble of dissatisfied surprise.]

O l g a. [Covers her face with her hands] A samovar! That’s awful! [Exit into the dining-room, to the table.]

I r i n a. My dear Ivan Romanovitch, what are you doing!

T u z e n b a c h. [Laughs] I told you so!

M a s h a. Ivan Romanovitch, you are simply shameless!

C h e b u t i k i n. My dear good girl, you are the only thing, and the dearest thing I have in the world.

I’ll soon be sixty. I’m an old man, a lonely worthless old man. The only good thing in me is my love for you, and if it hadn’t been for that, I would have been dead long ago. … [To Irina] My dear little girl, I’ve known you since the day of your birth, I’ve carried you in my arms … I loved your dead mother. …

M a s h a. But your presents are so expensive!

C h e b u t i k i n. [Angrily, through his tears] Expensive presents.

… You really, are! … [To the orderly] Take the samovar in there. … [Teasing] Expensive presents!

[The orderly goes into the dining-room with the samovar.]

A n f i s a. [Enters and crosses stage] My dear, there’s a strange Colonel come! He’s taken off his coat already. Children, he’s coming here. Irina darling, you’ll be a nice and polite little girl, won’t you. … Should have lunched a long time ago. … Oh, Lord. … [Exit.

]

T u z e n b a c h. It must be Vershinin. [Enter Vershinin] Lieutenant-Colonel Vershinin!

V e r s h i n i n. [To Masha and Irina] I have the honour to introduce myself, my name is Vershinin. I am very glad indeed to be able to come at last. How you’ve grown! Oh! oh!

I r i n a. Please sit down. We’re very glad you’ve come.

V e r s h i n i n. [Gaily] I am glad, very glad! But there are three sisters, surely. I remember – three little girls.