"AntonChekhov-Ivanoff" - читать интересную книгу автора (Chekhov Anton)

ANNA appears at the open window.

ANNA. Whose voice did I hear just now? Was it yours, Misha? Why
are you stamping up and down?

BORKIN. Anybody who had anything to do with your Nicholas would
stamp up and down.

ANNA. Listen, Misha! Please have some hay carried onto the
croquet lawn.

BORKIN. [Waves his hand] Leave me alone, please!

ANNA. Oh, what manners! They are not becoming to you at all. If
you want to be liked by women you must never let them see you
when you are angry or obstinate. [To her husband] Nicholas, let
us go and play on the lawn in the hay!

IVANOFF. Don't you know it is bad for you to stand at the open
window, Annie? [Calls] Shut the window, Uncle!

[The window is shut from the inside.]

BORKIN. Don't forget that the interest on the money you owe
Lebedieff must be paid in two days.

IVANOFF. I haven't forgotten it. I am going over to see Lebedieff
today and shall ask him to wait

[He looks at his watch.]

BORKIN. When are you going?

IVANOFF. At once.

BORKIN. Wait! Wait! Isn't this Sasha's birthday? So it is! The
idea of my forgetting it. What a memory I have. [Jumps about] I
shall go with you! [Sings] I shall go, I shall go! Nicholas, old
man, you are the joy of my life. If you were not always so
nervous and cross and gloomy, you and I could do great things
together. I would do anything for you. Shall I marry Martha
Babakina and give you half her fortune? That is, not half,
either, but all--take it all!

IVANOFF. Enough of this nonsense!

BORKIN. No, seriously, shan't I marry Martha and halve the money
with you? But no, why should I propose it? How can you
understand? [Angrily] You say to me: "Stop talking nonsense!" You
are a good man and a clever one, but you haven't any red blood in