nk, or mad, or dreaming....
[Stamps his feet] Don't laugh at me! If my father and grandfather rose
from their graves and looked at the whole affair, and saw how their
Ermolai, their beaten and uneducated Ermolai, who used to run barefoot
in the winter, how that very Ermolai has bought an estate, which is
the most beautiful thing in the world! I've bought the estate where my
grandfather and my father were slaves, where they weren't even allowed
into the kitchen. I'm asleep, it's only a dream, an illusion.... It's
the fruit of imagination, wrapped in the fog of the unknown.... [Picks
up the keys, nicely smiling] She threw down the keys, she wanted to show
she was no longer mistress here.... [Jingles keys] Well, it's all one!
[Hears the band tuning up] Eh, musicians, play, I want to hear you! Come
and look at Ermolai Lopakhin laying his axe to the cherry orchard,
come and look at the trees falling! We'll build villas here, and our
grandsons and great-grandsons will see a new life here.... Play on,
music! [The band plays. LUBOV ANDREYEVNA sinks into a chair and weeps
bitterly. LOPAKHIN continues reproachfully] Why then, why didn't you
take my advice? My poor, dear woman, you can't go back now. [Weeps] Oh,
if only the whole thing was done with, if only our uneven, unhappy life
were changed!

PISCHIN. [Takes his arm; in an undertone] She's crying. Let's go into
the drawing-room and leave her by herself... come on.... [Takes his arm
and leads him out.]

LOPAKHIN. What's that? Bandsmen, play nicely! Go on, do just as I want
you to! [Ironically] The new owner, the owner of the cherry orchard is
coming! [He accidentally knocks up against a little table and nearly
upsets the candelabra] I can pay for everything! [Exit with PISCHIN]

[In the reception-room and the drawing-room nobody remains except LUBOV
ANDREYEVNA, who sits huddled up and weeping bitterly. The band plays
softly. ANYA and TROFIMOV come in quickly. ANYA goes up to her
mother and goes on her knees in front of her. TROFIMOV stands at the
drawing-room entrance.]

ANYA. Mother! mother, are you crying? My dear, kind, good mother, my
beautiful mother, I love you! Bless you! The cherry orchard is sold,
we've got it no longer, it's true, true, but don't cry mother, you've
still got your life before you, you've still your beautiful pure soul...
Come with me, come, dear, away from here, come! We'll plant a new
garden, finer than this, and you'll see it, and you'll underst