OSSEP. What is the matter with you? You speak as if in a dream.

BARSSEGH. Whether I speak as in a dream or not, give me the money, and have done with it.

OSSEP [_takes a chair and sits down_]. You are mistaken, my dear Mr.

Barssegh; you are mistaken. Sit down, pray.

BARSSEGH [_ironically_]. Thank you very much.

OSSEP. You will surely not take back your word?

BARSSEGH. Hand over the money.

OSSEP. What has happened to you? You speak like a madman.

BARSSEGH. It is all the same to me however I speak.

OSSEP. When I gave you the 5,000 rubles that time, did not you say that I was to pay the rest in a month?

BARSSEGH [_sitting down_]. And if I did say so, what does it amount to?

I need it now.

OSSEP. You should have said so at the time and I would not have paid out my money in other ways. How comes it that you demand it so suddenly? I am no wizard, I am sure, to procure it from the stars for you.

BARSSEGH. You may get it wherever you want to. I need it, and that settles it.

OSSEP. Just heaven! Why did you give me a month's grace and reckon on an additional twelve per cent. for it?

BARSSEGH. What kind of grace? Have you anything to show for it?

OSSEP. Isn't your word enough? Why do we need a paper in addition?

BARSSEGH. I didn't give you my word.

OSSEP. What? You did not give it? You admitted it just a few minutes ago.

BARSSEGH. No, I said nothing about it.

OSSEP [_standing_]. My G.o.d! what do I see and hear? You are a merchant and tread your word under foot. Shame on you! [_Takes him by the arm and leads him to the mirror_.] Look! look at your face! Why do you turn pale?

BARSSEGH. Let me go!

OSSEP [_holding him fast by the sleeve_]. How can you be so unscrupulous? Look! How pale your lips are!

BARSSEGH. Let me go! [_Freeing himself_.] You act exactly as though you were the creditor.

OSSEP. No, you are the creditor. I would rather be swallowed up alive by the earth than be such a creditor as you are. What do you think you will be in my eyes after this?

BARSSEGH. I tell you, hand out my money or I will lay your note before the court immediately! I would only like to know where you are going to get the dowry for your daughter. You will pay over my money to your son-in-law, will you, and give me the go-by?

OSSEP. Give yourself no trouble! Even if you should beg me now, I would not keep your money. To-morrow at this time you shall have it, and then may the faces turn black of those who still look at you.

BARSSEGH. I want it at once.

OSSEP. Then come with me. You shall have it. The sooner a man is rid of a bad thing, the better it is. Give me the note! No, don't give it to me, for you don't trust me. You are not worthy of trusting me. Take it yourself and come with me. We will go at once to the bazaar, sell it, then you can have your money. I may lose something by it. It makes no difference. It is easier to bear this misfortune than to talk to you. Do you hear? Shall we go?

BARSSEGH. What do you mean?

OSSEP. Get the note, I tell you! Don't you hear?

BARSSEGH. What kind of a note?

OSSEP. Rostom's note.

BARSSEGH. Rostom's' note? What is this note to you?

OSSEP. What is it to me? It is no word, indeed, that you can deny. It is a doc.u.ment.

BARSSEGH. What is it to you that I have this doc.u.ment in my hands? That is mine and Rostom's business.

OSSEP. Yours and Rostom's business! [_Pauses_.] It is, I see, not yet enough that you lie. You are a thief and a robber beside. What people say of you is really true; namely, that you have robbed everybody, and by this means have acquired your wealth. Yes, it is true that you have ruined twenty-five families; that you have put out their candle and lighted yours by it. Now I see, for the first time, that everything that people say about you is true. Now I believe, indeed, that these chairs, this sofa, this mirror, your coat, your cane--in a word, every article that you call yours--represents some person you have robbed. Take my bones and add to them. Make the measure full. You have made your conscience a stone and will hear nothing; but I tell you, one day it will awake, and every object that lies or stands here will begin to speak and hold up to you your villanies. Then you can go and justify yourself before your Maker. Shame upon him who still calls you a human being! [_Exit by the middle door_.

BARSSEGH. Ha! ha! ha! [_Exit at the right_.

CURTAIN.

ACT THIRD

SCENE I--OSSEP'S HOUSE

NATO [_stands before the mirror elegantly dressed, and, while she prinks, hums a European melody. Then she draws out of her pocket a little photograph and speaks to herself while looking in the mirror_]. O my treasure! my treasure! [_Presses the photo to her breast and kisses it._] _Mon cher!_ Come; we will dance. [_Dances around the table_.]

Tra-la-la, Tra-la-la. [_Sits down at the right_.] Alexander; my Alexander; dear Alexander! Yes, you are really an angel. Why are you so handsome? You have black eyes and I also have black. Then arched eyebrows just like me. [_Touches her eyebrows_.] A pretty little mustache, which I lack. Which of us is more beautiful, I or you? You are handsomest; no, I am handsomest [_springing up_]. We will see at once.

[_Looks at herself in the mirror and then at the photograph. Enter Alexander at the middle door_.

NATO [_without noticing Alexander_]. No, you are the more beautiful!

[_Kisses the photograph_.

[_Alexander approaches softly and kisses Nato_.

NATO [_frightened_]. Oh!

ALEXANDER. No, you are the more beautiful, Natalie, dear. _Ma chere Nathalie!_