The house is quiet that evening. Telegin and Marina sit in Voitski’s room, winding wool. Voitski’s desk is covered in papers, a smaller table holds Astroff’s paints and drawing materials, and a map of Africa is affixed to the wall next to a caged starling. Sonia and Astroff are in the garden searching for Voitski to ensure he doesn’t die by suicide, and Helena and Serebrakoff are preparing to leave for Kharkov. Telegin and Marina believe that fate has decreed it is time for Helena and Serebrakoff to go. Helena is frightened, so they plan to leave immediately and send for their luggage later. Both Telegin and Marina are glad that the household can now return to its former order. After the shameful commotion earlier, Marina wishes that she had never laid eyes on the couple. Telegin says that he has hidden Voitski’s gun in the cellar. He recounts how a shopkeeper called him a “hanger on” that morning, hurting his feelings, and Marina consoles him that everyone is dependent on God.

Voitski enters the room with Astroff and shoos Marina and Telegin out. He tries to get Astroff to leave too, but Astroff says that he will be happy to go as soon as Voitski returns the bottle of morphine he stole from Astroff’s bag.