SHPIGELSKY
What’s strange about it, Natalya Petrovna? My acquaintance . . .
NATALYA
You’re such a busybody, Shpigelsky. Who is this acquaintance of yours?
SHPIGELSKY
(Smiling) Excuse me, excuse me, but you haven’t said anything definite yet about . . .
NATALYA
Enough, doctor. Vera’s still a child. You know it yourself, mister diplomat. (Turning) And, look, here she is.
Vera and Kolya come running in from the ballroom.
KOLYA
(Runs to Rakitin) Rakitin, tell them to give me some glue, I need some glue . . .
NATALYA
(To Vera) Where have you been? (Stroking her cheek) You’re so flushed . . .
VERA
Outside . . .
Shpigelsky bows to her.
Hello, doctor.
RAKITIN
(To Kolya) What’s the glue for?
KOLYA
We need it, we need it . . . Alexei Nikolaich is making a kite for us . . . Tell them . . .
RAKITIN
(About to ring) Wait, just a . . .
SCHAAF
Erlauben Sie . . . Meester Koleeah hassn’t read his lektsion for tootay . . . (Takes Kolya’s hand) Kommen Sie.
KOLYA
(Sadly) Morgen, Herr Schaaf, morgen . . .
SCHAAF
(Sharply) Morgen, morgen, nur nicht heute, sagen alle faule Leute . . . Kommen Sie . . .5
Kolya resists.
NATALYA
(To Vera) Who did you take such a long walk with? I haven’t seen you since morning.
VERA
With Alexei Nikolaich . . . with Kolya . . .
NATALYA
Ah! (Turning) Kolya, what are you doing?
KOLYA
(Lowering his voice) Mr. Schaaf . . . Mama . . .
RAKITIN
(To Natalya) There they’re making a kite, and here they want to give him a lesson.
SCHAAF
(With a sense of dignity) Gnädige Frau. . .6
NATALYA
(Sternly, to Kolya) Do as he says, enough running around for today . . . Go with Mr. Schaaf . . .
SCHAAF
(Leading Kolya to the ballroom) Es ist unerhört!7
KOLYA
(As he leaves, whispering to Rakitin) Get us the glue . . .
Rakitin nods.
SCHAAF
(Pulling Kolya) Kommen Sie, mein Herr . . .
They go to the ballroom. Rakitin follows.
NATALYA
(To Vera) Sit down . . . you must be tired . . . (Sits down herself)
VERA
(Sitting down) Not at all, ma’am.
NATALYA
(Smiling, to Shpigelsky) Doctor, look at her, isn’t she tired?
SHPIGELSKY
But it’s good for her.
NATALYA
I’m not saying . . . (To Vera) So, what have you been up to outside?
VERA
Playing, ma’am; running around. First we watched them dig the dam. Then Alexei Nikolaich climbed a tree to get a squirrel, way, way up, and he started shaking the top . . . We all even got scared . . . The squirrel finally fell and Trésor almost caught it . . . But it got away.
NATALYA
(Glancing at Shpigelsky with a smile) And then?
VERA
And then Alexei Nikolaich made a bow for Kolya . . . and so quickly . . . and then he snuck up on our cow in the meadow and suddenly jumped on her back . . . the cow got scared and started running and kicking . . . and he was laughing, (She laughs herself) and then Alexei Nikolaich wanted to make us a kite, so we came here.