LUBOV. There’s nobody there; I thought I saw somebody. On the right, at the turning by the summer-house, a white little tree bent down, looking just like a woman. [Enter TROFIMOV in a worn student uniform and spectacles] What a marvellous garden! White masses of flowers, the blue sky.... TROFIMOV. Lubov Andreyevna! [She looks round at him] I only want to show myself, and I’ll go away. [Kisses her hand warmly] I was told to wait till the morning, but I didn’t have the patience. [LUBOV ANDREYEVNA looks surprised.] VARYA. [Crying] It’s Peter Trofimov. TROFIMOV. Peter Trofimov, once the tutor of your Grisha.... Have I changed so much? [LUBOV ANDREYEVNA embraces him and cries softly.] GAEV. [Confused] That’s enough, that’s enough, Luba. VARYA. [Weeps] But I told you, Peter, to wait till to-morrow. LUBOV. My Grisha... my boy... Grisha... my son. VARYA. What are we to do, little mother? It’s the will of God. TROFIMOV. [Softly, through his tears] It’s all right, it’s all right. LUBOV. [Still weeping] My boy’s dead; he was drowned. Why? Why, my friend? [Softly] Anya’s asleep in there. I am speaking so loudly, making such a noise.... Well, Peter? What’s made you look so bad? Why have you grown so old? TROFIMOV. In the train an old woman called me a decayed gentleman. LUBOV. You were quite a boy then, a nice little student, and now your hair is not at all thick and you wear spectacles. Are you really still a student? [Goes to the door.] TROFIMOV. I suppose I shall always be a student. LUBOV. [Kisses her brother, then VARYA] Well, let’s go to bed.... And you’ve grown older, Leonid. PISCHIN. [Follows her] Yes, we’ve got to go to bed.... Oh, my gout! I’ll stay the night here. If only, Lubov Andreyevna, my dear, you could get me 240 roubles to-morrow morning-- GAEV. Still the same story. PISCHIN. Two hundred and forty roubles... to pay the interest on the mortgage. LUBOV. I haven’t any money, dear man. PISCHIN. I’ll give it back... it’s a small sum.... LUBOV. Well, then, Leonid will give it to you.... Let him have it, Leonid. GAEV. By all means; hold out your hand. LUBOV. Why not? He wants it; he’ll give it back. [LUBOV ANDREYEVNA, TROFIMOV, PISCHIN, and FIERS go out. GAEV, VARYA, and YASHA remain.] GAEV. My sister hasn’t lost the habit of throwing money about. [To YASHA] Stand off, do; you smell of poultry. YASHA. [Grins] You are just the same as ever, Leonid Andreyevitch. GAEV. Really? [To VARYA] What’s he saying? VARYA. [To YASHA] Your mother’s come from the village; she’s been sitting in the servants’ room since yesterday, and wants to see you.... YASHA. Bless the woman! VARYA. Shameless man. YASHA. A lot of use there is in her coming. She might have come tomorrow just as well. [Exit.] VARYA. Mother hasn’t altered a scrap, she’s just as she always was. She’d give away everything, if the idea only entered her head.