(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_.)
[Illustration:
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.
_Serafima._ 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!
_Karp._ 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.
_Karp._ 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. There 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.
_Oulìta._ 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._)