Page:Plays by Anton Tchekoff (1916).djvu/127

ACT III

sumption! No hope! She is dying! It is nonsense, I can’t abide him!

. What makes you think he is lying?

. [Gets up and walks up and down] I can’t bear to think that a living person could die like that, suddenly, without any reason at all. Don’t let us talk about it!

runs in panting.

. Is Ivanoff at home? How do you do? [He shakes hands quickly all round] Is he at home?

. No, he isn’t.

. [Sits down and jumps up again] In that case I must say good-bye; I must be going. Business, you know. I am absolutely exhausted; run off my feet!

. Where did you blow in from?

. From Barabanoff’s. He and I have been playing cards all night; we have only just stopped. I have been absolutely fleeced; that Barabanoff is a demon at cards. [In a tearful voice] Just listen to this: I had a heart and he [He turns to, who jumps away from him] led a diamond, and I led a heart, and he led another diamond. Well, he didn’t take the trick. [To ] We were playing three in clubs. I had the ace and queen, and the ace and ten of spades

. [Stopping up his ears] Spare me, for heaven’s sake, spare me!

. [To ] Do you understand? I had the ace and queen of clubs, the ace and ten of spades

. [Pushes him away] Go away, I don’t want to listen to you!

. When suddenly misfortune overtook me. My ace of spades took the first trick

. [Snatching up a revolver] Leave the room, or I shall shoot!