esteem and admiration of my colleagues. Now I suddenly find
myself plunged in this wilderness, condemned to see the same
stupid people from morning till night and listen to their futile
conversation. I want to live; I long for success and fame and the
stir of the world, and here I am in exile! Oh, it is dreadful to
spend every moment grieving for the lost past, to see the success
of others and sit here with nothing to do but to fear death. I
cannot stand it! It is more than I can bear. And you will not
even forgive me for being old!

HELENA. Wait, have patience; I shall he old myself in four or
five years.

SONIA comes in.

SONIA. Father, you sent for Dr. Astroff, and now when he comes
you refuse to see him. It is not nice to give a man so much
trouble for nothing.

SEREBRAKOFF. What do I care about your Astroff? He understands
medicine about as well as I understand astronomy.

SONIA. We can't send for the whole medical faculty, can we, to
treat your gout?

SEREBRAKOFF. I won't talk to that madman!

SONIA. Do as you please. It's all the same to me. [She sits
down.]