Act 2 — Scene IV. On Gallery.

(Karp Kàrpych. Oulìta sits down at her place and pours out tea. Serafìma, in hat and cloak, with parasol and green gloves. Matryòna places on table a figured china cup which she has brought from the room, and stands a little way off.)

SERAFIMA: “GOOD EVENING, PAPA.”

Serafima. Good evening, papa. (Goes up to him. They kiss.)

Karp. Good evening. Sit down, my girl.

Serafima (sits down). And where’s my brother, Onesìme?

Karp. Where’s Onesìme? Off on the spree. He’s been playing the devil for five days.

89Serafima. And Anna Vlàsyevna?

Karp. Well, you see, whatever we do, we can’t make Onesìme leave off drinking. So your mother has sent your sister round to the prisons to give out white bread; so perhaps God will forgive us.

Oulìta. Yes, yes; I sent her to take round white rolls to the prisoners.... You know they’ve most of them got into trouble for nothing....

Karp. Oho! For nothing? They’re to rob and murder to their heart’s content, and not get locked up for it!

Oulìta. Well, but the robbers and murderers are in the great prison; what do people get put into the jail for?

Karp. For debt.

Oulìta. It’s all very well to talk about debt; they say Kòn Kònych is in jail for interest.

Karp. For what—interest?

Oulìta. Yes, indeed; for interest. And it’s not right! What a man borrows, he should give back; but interest is a sin.

Karp. Going to begin your chattering again, now! (Oulìta pours out tea; Matryòna carries cup on tray to Serafìma; she takes it with her gloves on.)

Oulìta. Serafimoushka, you’d better take off your hat and cloak; and you might as well unlace your dress at the back; there are no strangers here. Matryòna will do it for you.

Serafima. Oh! mamma, how can you? I don’t feel the heat. I just came to you for a minute to ask your advice.

Karp (blowing on his saucer). What about?

Serafima. I want to marry.

Oulìta (clasping her hands). Good gracious!

Karp. Well, why not? Why shouldn’t she? You might do worse....

Oulìta (shaking her head, and folding both hands on her breast). My beauty!

90Karp. Who is the man? I should like to hear that.

Serafima. He’s quite a young man, papa; he serves in the Law Court; and, I ought to tell you, he’s not well off. I wouldn’t marry a poor man, only that I am so very much in love with him. (Raises eyes to heaven; sighs, and meditates.)

Oulìta (clasping her hands). Dear heart!

Karp. And who is he?

Serafima. His name is Prèzhnev. He’s a noble, of good family; and may get a good situation. I’ve thought it over; you see, I have my own fortune. If I am careful with the money, there will be enough for me and a husband. I am willing to deny myself many things rather than live without him. (Raises eyes to heaven, and sighs.)

Karp. Perhaps there’s something remarkable about him?

Serafima. I haven’t heard of anything at all.

Karp. Well, Serafima, my girl, remember one thing: you’re a cut-off twig; I shan’t give you any more money; so mind you don’t run through what you’ve got.

Oulìta. The other one was old; but you say this one’s young, so very likely you may have children; you must keep the money for them.

Serafima. With my character, I can’t squander my money. (Gives cup to Matryòna.)

Karp. H’m!——You say he’s young; and you’re a widow, not a girl; I doubt you’ll feel a bit ashamed before your husband; he’ll just make a fool of you and get hold of your money.

Serafima (takes cup from Matryòna). Do you think that men love only for money? (Raises eyes to heaven, and sighs.)

Karp. Why, what did you suppose? Everybody knows that.

Serafima (suddenly waking out of meditation). I won’t give him any money.

91Karp. That’s right; that’s capital; you do as I told you.

Serafima. Of course I will, papa. You needn’t think I’m going to be silly.

Karp. We’re going to have a wedding too, soon. Matryòna was found in the garden with one of the shopmen; so I’m going to marry them. (Matryòna hides her face in her sleeve.) I shall give him a thousand roubles, and have the wedding at my cost.

Oulìta. It’s all very well for you to get up weddings; you just want a chance to have a drunken spree.

Karp. Well, what now?

Oulìta. Nothing.

Karp (sternly). No; you say what you mean.

Oulìta. Nothing; really nothing.

Karp (very sternly). No; I will have you speak out; I want to hear.

Oulìta. There’s no use speaking when you never listen.

Karp. What should I listen for? It’s not worth while when you talk. Ah-h-h-, Oulìta Nikìtishna! (Threatens with his finger.) You were told to hold your tongue! I want the lass to feel what I’m doing for her; and here you come in with your chattering!... (Matryòna hides her face with the other sleeve.) She’s only my second cousin twice removed, and yet I give her a dowry. I’m the benefactor of all my kindred. There’s another little one; I shall take her in Matryòna’s place, and bring her up, and settle her in life. (Silence.)

Oulìta. Are you quite sure he will love you, my dear?

Serafima. Why not, mamma? There’s nothing objectionable in my character. The only thing is ... when I was at boarding-school they used to say that I had no comprehension of music whatsoever, and that I was dreamy, and given to meditating about nothing; and then, I’m very fond of sweets—perhaps he won’t notice that though. 92There is one thing more: I’m very bad at counting silver money——

Karp. Oh, that’s nothing! You’ll soon get into it.

Serafima. Perhaps he won’t like my being economical; but then, how could I manage otherwise? I only try to live within my income, and not run into my capital. What should I be without capital? I should have no value at all!

Karp. Of course not!

Serafima. And I know how to add up interest—on paper; I was taught that at boarding-school. I can’t do it without paper, though. (Meditates.)

Oulìta. What are you thinking about, child?... Why, what a silly I am! It’s not much wonder that you think, poor girl! Such a change in your life! And there’s no telling beforehand how it’ll turn out.

Serafima. No, mamma, it’s not that. I’ve just been buying some ribbon—seven ells at eighty kopecks, paper money; and I was just thinking how much that would be in silver money, and how much change I ought to have from three roubles. (Takes out purse and looks into it.)

Karp. Rouble sixty kopecks—one rouble forty change.

Serafima. Are you sure, papa?

Karp. Why, bless the girl, what else could it be?

Serafima (puts back purse). All right.

Oulìta. Are you sure he doesn’t drink?

Karp. There you are again! Everybody drinks nowadays.

Oulìta. I mean, you’d better ask what he’s like when he’s drunk.

Karp. Ah! that’s another matter!

Oulìta. Because, you know, some people are so quiet in drink that it really doesn’t matter. It’s just as if they weren’t drunk.

Serafima. All right, mamma; I’ll ask. I must go now.

93Oulìta. Oh, no! You mus’n’t, indeed; stop a bit. You’re so fond of sweet things.... We’ve got some splendid fruit. Run and fetch it, Matryòna; it’s on my bedroom window-sill. (Matryòna goes out, comes back with fruit, offers it to Serafìma, and then places it on table.) Take some, dear child; take some. Won’t you have some liqueur?

Serafima. Really, mamma!

Oulìta. Have a glass of beer, darling.

Serafima. You know I never drink it.

Oulìta. Well then, mead?

Serafima. I can’t, really.

Oulìta. Jam, then?

Serafima. I’ll have some jam.

Oulìta (taking keys out of pocket). Go to the store-room, Matryòna, and bring me two kinds.

Serafima. And tell my coachman to bring the carriage round.

(Matryòna crosses stage, and exit.)

Oulìta. Have some more fruit, Serafimoushka. (Serafìma takes some.) Won’t you have any, Karp Kàrpych?

Karp. What next? As if I were going to eat all sorts of rubbish now! Put some aside for me, and have the rest cleared away. I’ll eat an orange with my brandy. (Oulìta eats fruit. Silence.)