he loves you or not. Don’t be ashamed, sweetheart, don’t worry. I shall be careful; he will not notice a thing. We only want to find out whether it is yes or no, don’t we? [A pause] And if it is no, then he must keep away from here, is that so?
Sonia nods.
Helena. It will be easier not to see him any more. We won’t put off the examination an instant. He said he had a sketch to show me. Go and tell him at once that I want to see him.
Sonia. [In great excitement] Will you tell me the whole truth?
Helena. Of course I will. I am sure that no matter what it is, it will be easier for you to bear than this uncertainty. Trust to me, dearest.
Sonia. Yes, yes. I shall say that you want to see his sketch. [She starts out, but stops near the door and looks back] No, it is better not to know—and yet—there may be hope.
Helena. What do you say?
Sonia. Nothing. [She goes out.
Helena. [Alone] There is no greater sorrow than to know another’s secret when you cannot help them. [In deep thought] He is obviously not in love with her, but why shouldn’t he marry her? She is not pretty, but she is so clever and pure and good, she would make a splendid wife for a country doctor of his years. [A pause] I can understand how the poor child feels. She lives here in this desperate loneliness with no one around her except these colourless shadows that go mooning about talking nonsense and knowing nothing except that they eat, drink, and sleep. Among them appears from time to time this Dr. Astroff, so different, so handsome, so interesting, so charming. It is like seeing the moon rise on a dark night. Oh, to surrender
