Time has passed—perhaps a year or more. Natasha is checking the house for any lamps that have been left burning. Olga is at a teacher’s meeting, and Irina is at work in a telegraph office. Natasha is very overprotective of her infant son, Bobik, and worries that he is sick or too cold. Although Andrey reassures her, Natasha decides that she will change Bobik’s diet. She also plans to revoke her invitation to the carnival people who are expected to come by the house. Despite Andrey’s reminder that it is his sisters’ house, Natasha explains her plans to move Bobik into Irina’s room and relegates Irina to sharing Olga’s room. She informs Andrey that Ferapont is waiting to see him and then exits. Ferapont enters and gives Andrey a book and some papers that Protopopov has sent. Since Ferapont cannot hear him, Andrey complains about his boredom and the dashed expectations for his future as an academic. His greatest aspiration now is to be a full member of the district council, but he also fantasizes about being a professor at Moscow University.

Andrey asks Ferapont if he has ever been to Moscow, and he says that he hasn’t.