NATALYA

(With some effort) Yes, right . . . I need to . . . have a talk with you.

BELYAEV

A talk?

NATALYA

(Not looking at him) Yes . . . a talk. (Pause) Allow me to tell you, Alexei Nikolaich, that I . . . I’m not pleased with you.

BELYAEV

May I know the reason?

NATALYA

Listen to me . . . I . . . I really don’t know how to begin. By the way, I want you to know that my displeasure does not come from any neglect . . . of your duties . . . On the contrary, I like the way you treat Kolya.

BELYAEV

Then what can it be?

NATALYA

(Glancing at him) You needn’t worry . . . It’s not really your fault. You’re young. You’ve probably never lived in a strange house. You couldn’t have foreseen . . .

BELYAEV

But, Natalya Petrovna . . .

NATALYA

You want to know what it’s all about? I understand your impatience. Well, then, I must tell you that Verochka . . . (Glancing at him) . . . Verochka has confessed everything to me.

BELYAEV

(In amazement) Vera Alexandrovna? What could she have confessed to you? And what have I got to do with it?

NATALYA

So you really don’t know what she might have confessed? You can’t guess?

BELYAEV

Me? No.

NATALYA

In that case forgive me. If you really can’t guess, I must ask you to forgive me. I thought . . . I was wrong. But, allow me to tell you, I don’t believe you. I know why you’re saying this . . . I respect your discretion.

BELYAEV

I have no idea what you’re referring to, Natalya Petrovna.

NATALYA

Really? So I’m to believe that you haven’t noticed the way this child, Vera, feels about you?

BELYAEV

The way she feels about me? I don’t even know what to say . . . Good God. It seems to me that with Vera Alexandrovna I’ve always been the same as . . .

NATALYA

As you’ve been with everyone, right? (A brief pause) Be that as it may, whether you really don’t know or are pretending you don’t know, the thing is the girl loves you. She confessed it to me herself. Now I ask you, as an honorable man, what do you intend to do?

BELYAEV

(Embarrassed) What do I intend to do?

NATALYA

(Her arms crossed) Yes.

BELYAEV

This is all so unexpected, Natalya Petrovna . . .

NATALYA

(After a pause) Alexei Nikolaich, I see . . . I’m not handling this matter in the right way. You don’t understand me. You think I’m angry with you . . . but I . . . I’m just . . . slightly upset. That’s only natural. Calm yourself. Let’s sit down.

They sit down.

I’ll be frank with you, Alexei Nikolaich, and you be at least a little more trusting of me. Really, you needn’t be standoffish with me. Vera loves you . . . of course, you’re not to blame for that. I’m prepared to assume that you’re not to blame for it. But you see, Alexei Nikolaich, she’s an orphan, and my ward: I’m responsible for her, for her future, for her happiness. She’s still young, and I’m sure that the feeling you inspired in her may soon disappear . . . at her age love doesn’t last. But you understand that it was my duty to warn you. It’s always dangerous to play with fire . . . and I have no doubt that, now that you know her feeling for you, you will change the way you behave with her, that you will avoid meetings, strolls in the garden . . . Right? I’m counting on you . . . I’d be wary of talking so openly with anyone else.