Антон Чехов - The Cherry Orchard / Вишневый сад. Книга для чтения на английском языке

Astrov comes in carrying a portfolio.

Astrov.How do you do? [ Shakes hands with her ] Do you want to see my sketches?

Helena.Yes, you promised to show me what you had been doing. Have you got time now?

Astrov.Of course I have!

He lays the portfolio on the table, takes out a sketch and fastens it to the table with thumb-tacks.

Astrov.Where were you born?

Helena.[ Helping him ] In St. Petersburg.

Astrov.And educated?

Helena.At the Conservatory there.

Astrov.Then this probably won’t interest you.

Helena.Oh, why not? It’s true I don’t know country life very well, but I’ve read a great deal about it.

Astrov.I have my own desk there in Ivan’s room. When I’m absolutely too exhausted to go on I drop everything and rush over here to forget myself in this work for an hour or two. Ivan and Miss Sonya sit rattling at their counting-boards, the cricket chirps, and I sit beside them and paint, feeling warm and peaceful. But I don’t permit myself this luxury very often, only once a month. [ Pointing to the picture ] Look there! That is a map of our district as it was fifty years ago. The green tints, both dark and light, represent forests. Half the map, as you see, is covered with it. Where the green is striped with red the forests were inhabited by elk and wild goats. Here on this lake, lived great flocks of swans and geese and ducks; as the peasants say, there was a power of birds of every kind. Thick as clouds in the sky. Beside the hamlets and villages, you see, I have dotted down here and there the various settlements, farms, hermit’s caves, and water-mills. This country carried a great many cattle and horses, as you can see by the quantity of blue paint. For instance, see how thickly it lies in this part; there were great herds of them here, and every house had three horses. [ A pause ] Now, look lower down. This is the district as it was twenty-five years ago. Only a third of the map is green now with forests. There are still some elk, but there are no goats left. The blue paint is lighter, and so on, and so on. Now we come to the third part; our country as it appears today. We still see spots of green, but not much. The elk, the swans, the wood-grouse have disappeared. It is, on the whole, the picture of a regular and slow decline which it will evidently only take about ten or fifteen more years to complete. You may perhaps object that it is the march of progress, that the old order must give place to the new, and you might be right if roads and railways had been run through these ruined woods, or if factories and schools had taken their place. The people then would have become better educated and healthier and richer, but as it is, we have nothing of the sort. We have the same swamps and mosquitoes; the same disease and want; the typhoid, the diphtheria, the burning villages. We are confronted by the degradation of our country, brought on by the fierce struggle for existence of the human race. It is the consequence of the ignorance and unconsciousness of starving, shivering, sick humanity that, to save its children, instinctively snatches at everything that can warm it and still its hunger. So it destroys everything it can lay its hands on, without a thought for the morrow. And almost everything has gone, and nothing has been created to take its place. [ Coldly ] But I see by your face that you’re bored.

Helena.I know so little about such things!

Astrov.There is nothing to know. It simply isn’t interesting to you, that’s all.

Helena.Frankly, my thoughts were elsewhere. Forgive me! I want to submit you to a little examination, but I’m embarrassed and don’t know how to begin.

Astrov.An examination?

Helena.Yes, but quite an innocent one. Sit down. [ They sit down ] It’s about a certain young girl I know. Let us discuss it like honest people, like friends, and then forget what has passed between us, shall we?

Astrov.All right.

Helena.It’s about my step-daughter, Sonya. Do you like her?

Astrov.Yes, I respect her.

Helena.Do you like her – as a woman?

Astrov.[ Slowly ] No.

Helena.One more word, and that will be the last. You haven’t noticed anything?

Astrov.No, nothing.

Helena.[ Taking his hand ] You don’t love her. I see that in your eyes. She is suffering. You must realise that, and not come here any more.

Astrov.I’m past all that, yes, [ Stands up ] and then I haven’t the time. [ Shrugging his shoulders ] Where shall I find time for such things? [ He is embarrassed. ]

Helena.Ugh! What an unpleasant conversation! I’m as out of breath as if I’d been running three miles uphill. Thank heaven, that’s over! Now let’s forget everything as if nothing had been said. And – and you go away now. You’re sensible. You understand. [ A pause ] I’m actually blushing.

Astrov.If you’d spoken a month or two ago I might perhaps have considered it, but now – [ He shrugs his shoulders ] Of course, if she is suffering – but I cannot understand why you had to put me through this examination. [ He searches her face with his eyes, and shakes his finger at her ] Oho, you are clever!

Helena.What does that mean?

Astrov.[ Laughing ] You are a clever one! Let’s say that Sonya is suffering, but what does this examination of yours mean? [ He prevents her from retorting, and goes on quickly ] Please don’t put on such a look of surprise; you know perfectly well why I come here every day. Yes, you know perfectly why and for whose sake I come! Oh, my sweet tigress! don’t look at me that way; I’m an old bird!

Helena.[ Perplexed ] A tigress? I don’t understand you.

Astrov.Beautiful, sleek tigress, you must have your victims! For a whole month I’ve done nothing but seek you eagerly. I’ve thrown over everything for you, and you love to see it. Now then, I’m sure you knew all this without putting me through your examination. [ Crossing his arms and bowing his head ] I surrender. Here you have me – now, eat me.

Helena.You’ve gone mad!

Astrov.[ Laughs through clenched teeth ] You’re shy!

Helena.I’m a better and stronger woman than you think I am. [ She tries to leave the room. ]

Astrov.[ Barring her way ] I’m leaving today and I won’t be back, but… [ Takes her by the arm and looks around ] Where can we meet? Tell me quickly, where? Some one may come in – tell me quickly. [ Passionately ] You marvelous, wonderful woman! One kiss, just let me kiss your fragrant hair.

Helena.I swear to you…

Astrov.[ Stopping her from speaking ] Why swear anything? No need for that. No need to say anything. Oh, how lovely you are – what hands! [ He kisses her hands. ]

Helena.Enough of this! [ She frees her hands ] Leave the room! You’ve forgotten yourself.

Astrov.Tell me, tell me, where can we meet tomorrow? [ He puts his arm around her waist ] Don’t you see that we must meet, that it’s inevitable?