and, and
deep joy, gentle joy will sink into your soul, like the evening sun, and
you'll smile, mother! Come, dear, let's go!

Curtain.

ACT FOUR

[The stage is set as for Act I. There are no curtains on the windows, no
pictures; only a few pieces of furniture are left; they are piled up in
a corner as if for sale. The emptiness is felt. By the door that
leads out of the house and at the back of the stage, portmanteaux and
travelling paraphernalia are piled up. The door on the left is open; the
voices of VARYA and ANYA can be heard through it. LOPAKHIN stands and
waits. YASHA holds a tray with little tumblers of champagne. Outside,
EPIKHODOV is tying up a box. Voices are heard behind the stage. The
peasants have come to say good-bye. The voice of GAEV is heard: "Thank
you, brothers, thank you."]

YASHA. The common people have come to say good-bye. I am of the
opinion, Ermolai Alexeyevitch, that they're good people, but they don't
understand very much.

[The voices die away. LUBOV ANDREYEVNA and GAEV enter. She is not crying
but is pale, and her face trembles; she can hardly speak.]

GAEV. You gave them your purse, Luba. You can't go on like that, you
can't!

LUBOV. I couldn't help myself, I couldn't! [They go out.]

LOPAKHIN. [In the doorway, calling after them] Please, I ask you most
humbly! Just a little glass to say good-bye. I didn't remember to bring
any from town and I only found one bottle at the station. Please, do!
[Pause] Won't you really have any? [Goes away from the door] If I only
knew--I wouldn't have bought any. Well, I shan't drink any either.
[YASHA carefully puts the tray on a chair] You have a drink, Yasha, at
any rate.

YASHA. To those departing! And good luck to those who stay behind!
[Drinks] I can assure you that this isn't real champagne.

LOPAKHIN. Eight roubles a bottle. [Pause] It's devilish cold here.

YASHA. There are no fires to-day, we're going away. [Laughs]

LOPAKHIN. What's the matter with you?

YASHA. I'm just pleased.

LOPAKHIN. It's October outside, but it's as sunny and as quiet as if
it were summer. Good for building. [Looking at his watch and speaking
through the door] Ladies and gentlemen, please remember that it's only
forty-seven minutes till the train goes! You must go off to the station
in twenty minutes. Hurry up.

[TROFIMOV, in an overcoat, comes in from the grounds.]

TROFIMOV. I think it's time we went. The carriages are waiting. Where
the de