Page:Plays by Anton Tchekoff (1916).djvu/66

58

. I am going away out of this hell this minute. [Shrieks] This is too much!

. My life has been a failure. I am clever and brave and strong. If I had lived a normal life I might have become another Schopenhauer or Dostoieffski. I am losing my head! I am going crazy! Mother, I am in despair! Oh, mother!

. [Sternly] Listen, Alexander!

falls on her knees beside the nurse and nestles against her.

. Oh, nurse, nurse!

. Mother! What shall I do? But no, don’t speak! I know what to do. [To ] And you will understand me!

He goes out through the door in the centre of the room and follows him.

. Tell me, what on earth is the matter? Take this lunatic out of my sight! I cannot possibly live under the same roof with him. His room [He points to the centre door] is almost next door to mine. Let him take himself off into the village or into the wing of the house, or I shall leave here at once. I cannot stay in the same house with him.

. [To her husband] We are leaving to-day; we must get ready at once for our departure.

. What a perfectly dreadful man!

. [''On her knees beside the nurse and turning to her father. She speaks with emotion''] You must be kind to us, papa. Uncle Vanya and I are so unhappy! [Controlling her despair] Have pity on us. Remember how Uncle Vanya and Granny used to copy and translate your books for you every night—every, every night. Uncle Vanya has toiled without rest; he would never spend a penny on us, we sent