Astroff. Why good-bye? Don’t say good-bye, don’t waste words. Oh, how lovely you are—what hands!
Helena. Enough of this! [She frees her hands] Leave the room! You have forgotten yourself.
Astroff. Tell me, tell me, where can we meet to-morrow? [He puts his arm around her] Don’t you see that we must meet, that it is inevitable?
He kisses her. Voitski comes in carrying a bunch of roses, and stops in the doorway.
Helena. [Without seeing Voitski] Have pity! Leave me, [Lays her head on Astroff’s shoulder] Don’t!
Astroff. [Holding her by the waist] Be in the forest to-morrow at two o'clock. Will you? Will you?
Helena. [Sees Voitski] Let me go! [Goes to the window deeply embarrassed] This is appalling!
Voitski. [Throws the flowers on a chair, and speaks in great excitement, wiping his face with his handkerchief] Nothing—yes, yes, nothing.
Astroff. The weather is fine to-day, my dear Ivan; the morning was overcast and looked like rain, but now the sun is shining again. Honestly, we have had a very fine autumn, and the wheat is looking fairly well. [Puts his map back into the portfolio] But the days are growing short.
Helena. [Goes quickly up to Voitski] You must do your best; you must use all your power to get my husband and myself away from here to-day! Do you hear? I say, this very day!
Voitski. [Wiping his face] Oh! Ah! Oh! All right! I—Helena, I saw everything!
