to say less. Keep quiet, that's
all.

ANYA. You'd be so much happier in yourself if you only kept quiet.

GAEV. All right, I'll be quiet. [Kisses their hands] I'll be quiet. But
let's talk business. On Thursday I was in the District Court, and a lot
of us met there together, and we began to talk of this, that, and the
other, and now I think I can arrange a loan to pay the interest into the
bank.

VARYA. If only God would help us!

GAEV. I'll go on Tuesday. I'll talk with them about it again. [To VARYA]
Don't howl. [To ANYA] Your mother will have a talk to Lopakhin; he, of
course, won't refuse... And when you've rested you'll go to Yaroslav to
the Countess, your grandmother. So you see, we'll have three irons in
the fire, and we'll be safe. We'll pay up the interest. I'm certain.
[Puts some sugar-candy into his mouth] I swear on my honour, on anything
you will, that the estate will not be sold! [Excitedly] I swear on my
happiness! Here's my hand. You may call me a dishonourable wretch if I
let it go to auction! I swear by all I am!

ANYA. [She is calm again and happy] How good and clever you are, uncle.
[Embraces him] I'm happy now! I'm happy! All's well!

[Enter FIERS.]

FIERS. [Reproachfully] Leonid Andreyevitch, don't you fear God? When are
you going to bed?

GAEV. Soon, soon. You go away, Fiers. I'll undress myself. Well,
children, bye-bye...! I'll give you the details to-morrow, but let's go
to bed now. [Kisses ANYA and VARYA] I'm a man of the eighties.... People
don't praise those years much, but I can still say that I've suffered
for my beliefs. The peasants don't love me for nothing, I assure you.
We've got to learn to know the peasants! We ought to learn how....

ANYA. You're doing it again, uncle!

VARYA. Be quiet, uncle!

FIERS. [Angrily] Leonid Andreyevitch!

GAEV. I'm coming, I'm coming.... Go to bed now. Off two cushions into
the middle! I turn over a new leaf.... [Exit. FIERS goes out after him.]

ANYA. I'm quieter now. I don't want to go to Yaroslav, I don't like
grandmother; but I'm calm now; thanks to uncle. [Sits down.]

VARYA. It's time to go to sleep. I'll go. There's been an unpleasantness
here while you were away. In the old servants' part of the house, as you
know, only the old people live--little old Efim and Polya and Evstigney,
and Karp as well. They started letting some tramps or other spend the
night there--I said nothing. Then I heard that they were saying that I
had order