Although loved and admired by both her husband, Islaev, and her friend of long standing, Rakitin, Natalya Petrovna falls in love with the young tutor, Belyaev, who has been engaged to teach her son. Bewildered by her own emotions, she is nevertheless quick enough to take advantage of the offer of a husband for her ward Verochka, who she realizes is a rival for Belyaev's affections. Unwittingly a catalyst, Belyaev does not understand until it is already too late how disturbing a presence he has been in the stuffy, isolated world of the Islaev country house. This new translation by a renowned Turgenev translator achieves a balance between accuracy and elegance ideally suited to a contemporary English-speaking audience. This book is intended for general; students from 6th Form upwards following courses on drama, Russian literature, Russian studies, world or comparative literature; theatre-goers; those involved in the theatre at amateur or professional level. Translated and edited by: Freeborn, Richard (Emeritus Professor of Russian Literature, University of London);