What can she have written? I'm frightened!--My hands tremble!--Well, what is to be will be! I'll read it. [_Reads_] "And I love you. Lyubov Tortsov."

[_Clutches his head and runs out_.

ACT II

_Guest-room in the house of_ TORTSoV. _Against the rear wall a sofa, in front of the sofa a round table and six armchairs, three on each side; in the left corner a door; on each wall a mirror, and under them little tables. A door in each side wall, and a door in the rear wall in the corner. On the stage it is dark; from the left door comes a light._

SCENE I

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA _and_ ANNA IVaNOVNA _enter through the lighted door._

ANNA IVaNOVNA. Why don't they come, our fine lads? Shall we go and fetch them?

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. No, you'd better not. Well, yes, if you like, fetch them. [_Embraces her_] Fetch them, Annushka.

ANNA IVaNOVNA. Well, evidently you aren't happy without him!

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. Oh, Annushka, if you only knew how I love him!

ANNA IVaNOVNA. Love him, then, my dear, but don't lose your wits. Don't let him go too far, or you may be sorry for it. Be sure you find out first what sort of a fellow he is.

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. He's a good lad!--I love him very much; he's so quiet, and he's an orphan.

ANNA IVaNOVNA. Well, if he's good, then love him; you ought to know best.

I just said that! Many a girl comes to grief because of them. It's easy to get into trouble, if you don't use your sense.

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. What is our love? Like a blade of gra.s.s in the field; it blooms out of season--and it fades.

ANNA IVaNOVNA. Wait a moment! Some one's coming, I think. Isn't it he? I'll go and you wait, perhaps it's he! Have a good talk with him. [_She goes out._

MiTYA _enters._

SCENE II

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA _and_ MiTYA

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. Who's there?

MiTYA. It's I, Mitya.

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. Why were you so long in coming?

MiTYA. I was detained. [_Approaches_] Lyubov Gordeyevna, are you alone?

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. Yes, what of it?

MiTYA. Lyubov Gordeyevna, how do you wish me to understand your letter?

Do you mean it, or is it a joke? [LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA _is silent_] Tell me, Lyubov Gordeyevna! I am now in such perplexity that I cannot express it to you. My position in your house is known to you; subordinate to everybody, and I may say utterly despised by Gordey Karpych. I've had only one feeling, that for you, and if I receive ridicule from you, then it would have been better for me never to have lived in this world. You may trust me! I am telling you the truth.

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. No, Mitya dear, what I wrote to you was the truth, and not a joke. And you, do you love me?

MiTYA. Indeed, Lyubov Gordeyevna, I do not know how to express to you what I feel. But at least let me a.s.sure you that I have a heart in my breast, and not a stone. You can see my love from everything.

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. But I thought that you loved Anna Ivanovna.

MiTYA. That is not true!

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. Really, they told me so.

MiTYA. If this were true, then what sort of a man should I be after acting as I have? Could I declare with words what my heart does not feel! I think such a thing would be dishonorable! I may not be worth your regard, but I'm not the man to deceive you.

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. It is impossible to believe you men; all men in the world are deceivers.

MiTYA. Let them be deceivers, but I am not.

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. How can one know! Perhaps you also are deceiving me and want to play a joke on me!

MiTYA. It would be easier for me to die in this place than to hear such words from you! [_Turns away._

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. No, Mitya, I didn't mean it. I know that you love me. I only wanted to tease you. [MiTYA _is silent_] Mitya dear! Mitya! Why are you silent? Are you angry with me? I tell you I was only joking! Mitya!

Yes! Now, then, say something. [_Takes his hand._

MiTYA. Oh, Lyubov Gordeyevna, I'm not in a joking humor! I'm not that sort of man.

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. Don't be angry.

MiTYA. If you love me, then stop these jokes! They are not in place. Oh, it's all the same to me now! [_Embraces her_] Maybe they can take you from me by force, but I won't give you up of my free will. I love you more than my life!

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. [_Returning his embrace_] Mitya dear, what shall we do now?

MiTYA. What shall we do? We didn't fall in love with each other just to say good-by!

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. Well, but what if they promise me to some one else?

MiTYA. Look here, Lyubov, one word! To-morrow we must go together to Gordey Karpych, and throw ourselves at his feet. We'll say so and so--whatever you please, but we can't live without each other. Yes, if you love me, then forget your pride!

LYUBoV GORDeYEVNA. What pride, Mitya? Is this a time for pride! Mitya dear, don't be angry with me; don't remember my past words. It was only girlish foolishness; I'm sorry that I did it! I shouldn't have joked with you; I should have caressed you, my poor boy. [_Throws her arms round his neck_]

Oh, but, if father doesn't consent to our happiness--what then?

MiTYA. Who can tell beforehand? It will be as G.o.d wills. I don't know how it is with you, but for me life is not life without you! [_Is silent_.