Uncle Vanya | Page 9

Wait, have patience; I shall he old myself in four or five
years.
SONIA comes in.
SONIA. Father, you sent for Dr. Astroff, and now when he comes you
refuse to see him. It is not nice to give a man so much trouble for
nothing.
SEREBRAKOFF. What do I care about your Astroff? He understands
medicine about as well as I understand astronomy.
SONIA. We can't send for the whole medical faculty, can we, to treat
your gout?
SEREBRAKOFF. I won't talk to that madman!
SONIA. Do as you please. It's all the same to me. [She sits down.]
SEREBRAKOFF. What time is it?
HELENA. One o'clock.
SEREBRAKOFF. It is stifling in here. Sonia, hand me that bottle on
the table.
SONIA. Here it is. [She hands him a bottle of medicine.]
SEREBRAKOFF. [Crossly] No, not that one! Can't you understand me?
Can't I ask you to do a thing?
SONIA. Please don't be captious with me. Some people may like it, but
you must spare me, if you please, because I don't. Besides, I haven't the
time; we are cutting the hay to-morrow and I must get up early.
VOITSKI comes in dressed in a long gown and carrying a candle.
VOITSKI. A thunderstorm is coming up. [The lightning flashes] There
it is! Go to bed, Helena and Sonia. I have come to take your place.
SEREBRAKOFF. [Frightened] No, n o, no! Don't leave me alone with
him! Oh, don't. He will begin to lecture me.
VOITSKI. But you must give them a little rest. They have not slept for
two nights.
SEREBRAKOFF. Then let them go to bed, but you go away too!
Thank you. I implore you to go. For the sake of our former friendship
do not protest against going. We will talk some other time---
VOITSKI. Our former friendship! Our former---
SONIA. Hush, Uncle Vanya!
SEREBRAKOFF. [To his wife] My darling, don't leave me alone with

him. He will begin to lecture me.
VOITSKI. This is ridiculous.
MARINA comes in carrying a candle.
SONIA. You must go to bed, nurse, it is late.
MARINA. I haven't cleared away the tea things. Can't go to bed yet.
SEREBRAKOFF. No one can go to bed. They are all worn out, only I
enjoy perfect happiness.
MARINA. [Goes up to SEREBRAKOFF and speaks tenderly] What's
the matter, master? Does it hurt? My own legs are aching too, oh, so
badly. [Arranges his shawl about his legs] You have had this illness
such a long time. Sonia's dead mother used to stay awake with you too,
and wear herself out for you. She loved you dearly. [A pause] Old
people want to be pitied as much as young ones, but nobody cares
about them somehow. [She kisses SEREBRAKOFF'S shoulder] Come,
master, let me give you some linden-tea and warm your poor feet for
you. I shall pray to God for you.
SEREBRAKOFF. [Touched] Let us go, Marina.
MARINA. My own feet are aching so badly, oh, so badly! [She and
SONIA lead SEREBRAKOFF out] Sonia' s mother used to wear
herself out with sorrow and weeping. You were still little and foolish
then, Sonia. Come, come, master.
SEREBRAKOFF, SONIA and MARINA go out.
HELENA. I am absolutely exhausted by him, and can hardly stand.
VOITSKI. You are exhausted by him, and I am exhausted by my own
self. I have not slept for three nights.
HELENA. Something is wrong in this house. Your mother hates
everything but her pamphlets and the professor; the professor is vexed,
he won't trust me, and fears you; Sonia is angry with her father, and
with me, and hasn't spoken to me for two weeks; I am at the end of my
strength, and have come near bursting into tears at least twenty times
to-day. Something is wrong in this house.
VOITSKI. Leave speculating alone.
HELENA. You are cultured and intelligent, Ivan, and you surely
understand that the world is not destroyed by villains and
conflagrations, but by hate and malice and all this spiteful tattling. It is
your duty to make peace, and not to growl at everything.
VOITSKI. Help me first to make peace with myself. My darling!

[Seizes her hand.]
HELENA. Let go! [She drags her hand away] Go away!
VOITSKI. Soon the rain will be over, and all nature will sigh and
awake refreshed. Only I am not refreshed by the storm. Day and night
the thought haunts me like a fiend, that my life is lost for ever. My past
does not count, because I frittered it away on trifles, and the present has
so terribly miscarried! What shall I do with my life and my love? What
is to become of them? This wonderful feeling of mine will be wasted
and lost as a ray of sunlight is lost