Cherry Orchard

Dunyasha:
Yasha:
Dunyasha:
Yasha:
Dunyasha:
God, I hope he doesn’t shoot himself. (pause) I’ve gotten very nervous,
everything upsets me. They took me in to work for them when I was a little
girl, so I’m used to the good life now. My hands are whiter than white, like a
lady’s. I’ve gotten delicate, refined, I’m soft, and things frighten me… It’s
terrible. And if you lead me on, Yasha, I don’t know if my nerves can take it.
(kisses her) My little peach! Girls have to look after themselves, you know,
and there’s nothing I like less than a girl who behaves badly.
I’m really in love with you, you’re so educated, you can talk about so many
things. (pause)
(yawns) Yep… Course, I think that if a girl says she loves you, she must have
loose morals. (pause) It’s nice to smoke a cigar in the fresh air. (listens)
Someone’s coming… it’s the mistress… (Dunyasha embraces him
impulsively) Go home! Go like you were down by the river, swimming, go
that way, and if you run into anyone and they ask about me, tell them we just
ran into each other. I can’t stand this.
(coughs quietly) Your cigar gave me a headache… (exits)
ONE FEMALE, TWO MALES
Lopakin:
Lovey:
Lopakin:
Gaev:
Lopakin:
Lovey:
Lopakin:
Lovey:
Lopakin:
Deriganov is planning to buy your estate, he’s very rich. They say he’s
coming to the auction personally.
Where did you hear that?
The whole town is talking.
Our aunt in Yaroslavl has promised to send us money, although we don’t
know when, or how much…
How much will she send? A hundred thousand? Two hundred?
Well, maybe ten thousand, fifteen, and we’ll be grateful to have it.
You’ll forgive me, but you all are the most simple-minded people, the most
impractical, the strangest people I’ve ever met. I tell you, “your estate will be
sold,” plain and simple, and you still don’t get it.
What should we do? Tell us, what?
I tell you every day. Every day, I tell you the same thing. Both the cherry
orchard and your other land must be rented out for summer cottages, you need
38