The same and LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. Here, Lyubóv dear! Mítya has come to say good-by; he is
going away from here to his mother's.
MÍTYA. [Bows] Good-by, Lyubóv Gordéyevna! Don't bear me any ill will!
LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA. Good-by, Mítya! [_Bows_]
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. Kiss each other good-by; it may be that God will not let
you see each other again. Well, never mind! [_MÍTYA and LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA
kiss each other; she seats herself on the sofa and weeps; MÍTYA also
weeps_] Stop, stop your weeping! you will drive me wild!
MÍTYA. Oh, I'll risk everything now; everything in the world! [_Goes to
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA_] Pelagéya Egórovna, are you sorry to marry your daughter
to an old man, or not?
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. If I weren't sorry, I shouldn't be crying.
MÍTYA. Will you permit me to speak, Pelagéya Egórovna?
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. Speak!
MÍTYA. This is what I have to say: Get her ready and put on her warm
clothes. Let her slip out quietly; I'll seat her in my fairy sleigh, and
that's the last of us. Then the old man will never see her any more than
his own ears! And no matter if I do go to ruin! I will take her to my
mother and there we will get married. Oh, just give us a chance! I want
some joy in life! At any rate, if I have to pay the price, at least I shall
know that I've really lived.
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. What do you mean? What do you mean, you scamp?
LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA. What an idea, Mítya!
MÍTYA. So you don't love me? Or have you ceased to love me?
LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA. What you say is dreadful!
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. What an idea, you scamp! Who would dare to take such a
sin on his soul? Yes, come to your senses! What are you thinking of?
MÍTYA. Why, I said if you're sorry! But if you're not sorry--then give
her to Afrikán Savvich; sell her into slavery forever and ever. You'll be
miserable yourselves when you see her wretched life; you'll come to your
senses, you and Gordéy Kárpych, but then it will be too late.
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. But how could you, without her father's blessing? How
could you? Judge for yourself!
MÍTYA. Certainly, how could we live without a blessing! Then you bless us,
Pelagéya Egórovna. [_Kneels down_] and Gordéy Kárpych, it may be--himself,
in time--somehow---
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. What can I say to you? I feel altogether
distracted.--Yes, I'm going out of my mind! I don't know anything! I don't
remember anything! Yes, yes, my head spins. Oh, my darlings, my heart is
torn!
LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA. _Goes to MÍTYA_] No, Mítya, this can't be! Don't torture
yourself for nothing; stop! [Raises him up] Don't tear my soul! Already my
heart is all withered away within me! God be with you; good-by!
MÍTYA. Why did you deceive me and mock at me?
LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA. Don't, Mítya! Why should I deceive you? Why? I fell in
love with you; so I told you, myself. But now we must not go against the
will of our parents. For it is the will of my father that I should marry; I
must submit to him--that is a girl's lot. It must be that that's the right
thing since it was so ordained of old. I don't want to go against my
father; I don't wish people to talk about me and make an example of me.
Although it may be I have broken my heart because of this--at any rate I
know that I am acting according to law; no one will dare to look me in the
face and jeer. Good-by! [_They kiss_]
MÍTYA. Well, now I know my fate! [_LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA seats herself on the
sofa and weeps_] Good-by! [_Bows to PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA_] Good-by, Pelagéya
Egórovna, you have been my benefactress! So long as I live I shall not
forget your goodness and kindness to me; you did not forget the orphan in a
strange land.
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. Good-by, my dear; do not blame us in any way--that would
be a sin for you. God grant that you may live happily; we shall not forget
you. MÍTYA _bows and goes out_.