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remember？ How was ita forgiven thief； a doctored horse。
SHABELSKI。 A forgiven thief； a doctored horse； and a
Christianised Jew are all worth the same price。
ANNA。 ＇Laughing＇ You can't even repeat the simplest saying
without ill…nature。 You are a most malicious old man。 ＇Seriously＇
Seriously； Count you are extremely disagreeable； and very
tiresome and painful to live with。 You are always grumbling and
growling； and everybody to you is a blackguard and a scoundrel。
Tell me honestly； Count； have you ever spoken well of any one？
SHABELSKI。 Is this an inquisition？
ANNA。 We have lived under this same roof now for five years； and
I have never heard you speak kindly of people； or without
bitterness and derision。 What harm has the world done to you？ Is
it possible that you consider yourself better than any one else？
SHABELSKI。 Not at all。 I think we are all of us scoundrels and
hypocrites。 I myself am a degraded old man； and as useless as a
cast…off shoe。 I abuse myself as much as any one else。 I was rich
once； and free； and happy at times； but now I am a dependent； an
object of charity； a joke to the world。 When I am at last
exasperated and defy them； they answer me with a laugh。 When I
laugh； they shake their heads sadly and say； 〃The old man has
gone mad。〃 But oftenest of all I am unheard and unnoticed by
every one。
ANNA。 ＇Quietly＇ Screaming again。
SHABELSKI。 Who is screaming？
ANNA。 The owl。 It screams every evening。
SHABELSKI。 Let it scream。 Things are as bad as they can be
already。 ＇Stretches himself＇ Alas； my dear Sarah！ If I could only
win a thousand or two roubles； I should soon show you what I
could do。 I wish you could see me！ I should get away out of this
hole； and leave the bread of charity； and should not show my nose
here again until the last judgment day。
ANNA。 What would you do if you were to win so much money？
SHABELSKI。 ＇Thoughtfully＇ First I would go to Moscow to hear the
Gipsies play； and thenthen I should fly to Paris and take an
apartment and go to the Russian Church。
ANNA。 And what else？
SHABELSKI。 I would go and sit on my wife's grave for days and
days and think。 I would sit there until I died。 My wife is buried
in Paris。 ＇A pause。＇
ANNA。 How terribly dull this is！ Shall we play a duet？
SHABELSKI。 As you like。 Go and get the music ready。 ＇ANNA goes
out。＇
IVANOFF and LVOFF appear in one of the paths。
IVANOFF。 My dear friend； you left college last year； and you are
still young and brave。 Being thirty…five years old I have the
right to advise you。 Don't marry a Jewess or a bluestocking or a
woman who is queer in any way。 Choose some nice； common…place
girl without any strange and startling points in her character。
Plan your life for quiet； the greyer and more monotonous you can
make the background； the better。 My dear boy； do not try to fight
alone against thousands； do not tilt with windmills； do not dash
yourself against the rocks。 And； above all； may you be spared the
so…called rational life； all wild theories and impassioned talk。
Everything is in the hands of God； so shut yourself up in your
shell and do your best。 That is the pleasant； honest； healthy way
to live。 But the life I have chosen has been so tiring； oh； so
tiring！ So full of mistakes； of injustice and stupidity！ ＇Catches
sight of SHABELSKI； and speaks angrily＇ There you are again；
Uncle； always under foot； never letting one have a moment's quiet
talk！
SHABELSKI。 ＇In a tearful voice＇ Is there no refuge anywhere for a
poor old devil like me？ ＇He jumps up and runs into the house。＇
IVANOFF。 Now I have offended him！ Yes； my nerves have certainly
gone to pieces。 I must do something about it； I must…
LVOFF。 ＇Excitedly＇ Ivanoff； I have heard all you have to say
andandI am going to speak frankly。 You have shown me in your
voice and manner； as well as in your words； the most heartless
egotism and pitiless cruelty。 Your nearest friend is dying simply
because she is near you； her days are numbered； and you can feel
such indifference that you go about giving advice and analysing
your feelings。 I cannot say all I should like to； I have not the
gift of words； butbut I can at least say that you are deeply
antipathetic to me。
IVANOFF。 I suppose I am。 As an onlooker； of course you see me
more clearly than I see myself； and your judgment of me is
probably right。 No doubt I
am terribly guilty。 ＇Listens＇ I think I hear the carriage
coming。 I must get ready to go。 ＇He goes toward the house and
then stops＇ You dislike me； doctor； and you don't conceal it。
Your sincerity does you credit。 ＇He goes into the house。＇
LVOFF。 ＇Alone＇ What a confoundedly disagreeable character！ I have
let another opportunity slip without speaking to him as I meant
to； but I simply cannot talk calmly to that man。 The moment I
open my mouth to speak I feel such a commotion and suffocation
here ＇He puts his hand on his breast＇ that my tongue sticks to
the roof of my mouth。 Oh； I loathe that Tartuffe； that
unmitigated rascal； with all my heart！ There he is； preparing to
go driving in spite of the entreaties of his unfortunate wife；
who adores him and whose only happiness is his presence。 She
implores him to spend at least one evening with her； and he
cannot even do that。 Why； he might shoot himself in despair if he
had to stay at home！ Poor fellow； what he wants are new fields
for his villainous schemes。 Oh； I know why you go to Lebedieff's
every evening； Ivanoff！ I know。
Enter IVANOFF； in hat and coat； ANNA and SHABELSKI
SHABELSKI。 Look here； Nicholas； this is simply barbarous You go
away every evening and leave us here alone； and we get so bored
that we have to go to bed at eight o'clock。 It is a scandal； and
no decent way of living。 Why can you go driving if we can't？ Why？
ANNA。 Leave him alone； Count。 Let him go if he wants to。
IVANOFF。 How can a sick woman like you go anywhere？ You know you
have a cough and must not go out after sunset。 Ask the doctor
here。 You are no child； Annie； you must be reasonable。 And as for
you； what would you do with yourself over there？
SHABELSKI。 I am ready to go anywhere： into the jaws of a
crocodile； or even into the jaws of hell； so long as I don't have
to stay here。 I am horribly bored。 I am stupefied by this
dullness。 Every one here is tired of me。 You leave me at home to
entertain Anna； but I feel more like scratching and biting her。
ANNA。 Leave him alone； Count。 Leave him alone。 Let him go if he
enjoys himself there。
IVANOFF。 What does this mean； Annie？ You know I am not going for
pleasure。 I must see Lebedieff about the money I owe him。
ANNA。 I don't see why you need justify yourself to me。 Go ahead！
Who is keeping you？
IVANOFF。 Heavens！ Don't let us bite one another's heads off。 Is
that really unavoidable？
SHABELSKI。 ＇Tearfully＇ Nicholas； my dear boy； do please take me
with you。 I might possibly be amused a little by the sight of all
the fools and scoundrels I should see there。 You know I haven't
been off this place since Easter。
IVANOFF。 ＇Exasperated＇ Oh； very well！ Come along then！ How
tiresome you all are！
SHABELSKI。 I may go？ Oh； thank you！ ＇Takes him gaily by the arm