_The same and_ LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH
LÍZA. Oh, good heavens, again!
MÁSHA. This is terrible!
RAZLYULYÁYEV. Ha, ha, ha!
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. Gurr, gurr, gurr; bul, bul, bul! With the finger nine! With
the cucumber fifteen! How do, friend! [_Holds out his hand to_ KÓRSHUNOV]
My respects! I haven't seen you for a thousand years and a day! How are
you?
KÓRSHUNOV. Oh, is this you, Lyubím?
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. [_Covering his face with his hands_] I'm not I, and the
horse is not mine, and I'm not a coachman.
KÓRSHUNOV. I remember you, brother! You used to roam the town and pick up
kopeks.
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. You remember how I used to pick up kopeks, but do you
remember how you and I used to go on sprees together? How we sat through
the dark autumn nights, and how we skipped back and forth, from the tavern
to the wine-shop? And don't you know who ruined me, and who turned me out
with a beggar's wallet?
KÓRSHUNOV. Why didn't you look out for yourself? Nobody dragged you in by
the collar, my dear fellow. It's your own fault.
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. I was a fool! But, well, _you_ haven't much to be proud of!
You raised me to such heights, you promoted me to such a place--I've stolen
nothing, and yet I'm ashamed to look men in the eyes!
KÓRSHUNOV. You're the same old joker as ever! [_Turning to_ LYUBÓV
GORDÉYEVNA] You've got a jolly uncle! For old acquaintance sake, we'll
surely have to give him a ruble.
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. Sh! It's not a question of rubles here! Pay up your old
debts, and for my niece here a million three hundred thousand! I won't sell
her cheaper.
KÓRSHUNOV. [_Laughing_] Won't you come down?
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. Not a kopek!
RAZLYULYÁYEV. Aha, Lyubím Kárpych! Don't you take any less!
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH _comes in._