MME. KABANOVA (_alone_).
MME. KABANOVA.
The way young folks behave! It makes one laugh really to see them! If they
weren't my own, I could laugh till I split. They don't know the way to do
anything properly. Can't even take leave with decorum. A lucky thing it is
for them that they have elder folk, who will keep their house together as
long as they're living. And yet, the silly fools, they long to be their
own masters, though when they do have their own way, they get in a mess
directly to the scandal and amusement of all worthy folk. One here and
there, to be sure, will be sorry for them, but for the most part they'll
all laugh. No one can help laughing either; they'll invite guests, and not
know how they should sit, and what's more, as likely as not, they leave
out some one of their relations. It's simply comical. But the old order's
passing away. There are some houses one doesn't care to go into. If you do
cross the threshold, all you can do is to spit, and get away as quick as
may be. What will happen when the old people are dead, how the world will
go on, I really can't think. I'm thankful anyway, that I shall see nothing
of it.
[_Enter Katerina and Varvara._