SHPIGELSKY
(Taking a pinch of snuff and glancing first at Natalya Petrovna, then at Rakitin) I see, I see . . .
NATALYA
(With animation, to Shpigelsky) Your story’s very good, but you still haven’t made me laugh.
SHPIGELSKY
Well, my dear lady, who can make you laugh now, pray tell? That’s not what you need now.
NATALYA
Then what do I need?
SHPIGELSKY
(With false humility) God only knows!
NATALYA
Ah, how boring you are, no better than Rakitin.
SHPIGELSKY
Good heavens, what an honor . . .
Natalya Petrovna makes an impatient gesture.
ANNA
(Getting up) Well, at last . . . (She sighs) My feet are asleep.
Lizaveta Bogdanovna and Schaaf also get up.
O-o-oh.
NATALYA
(Gets up and goes to them) How can you sit there so long . . .
Shpigelsky and Rakitin get up.
ANNA
(To Schaaf) That’s seventy kopecks from you, my dear.
Schaaf bows drily.
We can’t lose all the time. (To Natalya Petrovna) You look pale today, Natasha. Are you feeling well? . . . Shpigelsky, is she well?
SHPIGELSKY
(Who is whispering something to Rakitin) Oh, perfectly!
ANNA
All right, then . . . I’ll go and rest a bit before dinner . . . I’m worn out. Come, Liza . . . Oh, my feet, my feet . . .
She goes to the ballroom with Lizaveta Bogdanovna. Natalya Petrovna accompanies her to the door. Shpigelsky, Rakitin and Schaaf remain where they are.
SHPIGELSKY
(To Schaaf, holding out his snuffbox) Well, Adam Ivanych, wie befinden Sie sich?3
SCHAAF
(Taking a pinch, importantly) Qvite vell. And yourzelf?
SHPIGELSKY
Still breathing, thank you. (In a low voice to Rakitin) You really don’t know what’s going on with Natalya Petrovna today?
RAKITIN
No, I don’t.
SHPIGELSKY
Well, if you don’t know . . . (He turns and goes to meet Natalya Petrovna, who is coming back from the door) I have a little business with you, Natalya Petrovna.
NATALYA
(Walking to the window) Do you? What is it?
SHPIGELSKY
I must talk with you in private . . .
NATALYA
Really . . . You frighten me.
Meanwhile Rakitin takes Schaaf under the arm, walks back and forth with him, and whispers something to him in German. Schaaf laughs and says in a low voice: “Ja, ja, ja wohl, ja wohl, zehr gut.”4
SHPIGELSKY
(Lowering his voice) As a matter of fact, it doesn’t concern just you . . .
NATALYA
(Looking out to the garden) What do you mean to say?
SHPIGELSKY
The thing is this, ma’am. An acquaintance of mine has asked me to find out . . . well . . . your intentions concerning your ward . . . Vera Alexandrovna.
NATALYA
My intentions?
SHPIGELSKY
Well . . . to put it plainly, my acquaintance . . .
NATALYA
He’s not asking to marry her, is he?
SHPIGELSKY
Exactly right, ma’am.
NATALYA
Are you joking?
SHPIGELSKY
Not at all, ma’am.
NATALYA
(Laughing) Good heavens, she’s still a child! What a strange idea!