My dear sisters, I want to confess somet...

My dear sisters, I want to confess something. I want to bare my soul. I want to confess something to you, and then I never want to say another word about it ever again. I want to tell you everything right now. (Quietly) It’s my secret, but you should know it anyway… I can’t keep it to myself anymore. (Pause). I’m in love, I’m in love… I love that man, the one you saw just now… Well, that’s it: I love Vershinin.

[OLGA: Stop that; I’m not going to listen.]

What can I do! (Puts her hands to her head) At first I thought he was strange, then I started feeling sorry for him; in love with his voice, with the things he says, with all his problems, with ihis two little girls…

[OLGA: I’m not listening. I don’t care what you’re saying; I’m not listening.]

Oh, Olga, you’re the silly one. I’m in love! It’s fate, I guess—I mean it’s just my luck. And he loves me… It’s all so funny. Don’t you think so? Doesn’t it strike you funny?(Takes Irina’s hand, draws her close) Oh, my darling, we’ll get through life somehow, no matter what happens to us…. When you read about these things in books, it all seems terribly silly and predictable, but when you fall in love yourself, you realize nobody knows anything about it, everyone has to figure it out for herself. My dear sisters, there. I’ve told you. Now I will never say another word about it. The rest is silence.