NATO. _O mon cher Alexandre!_ How you frightened me!

ALEXANDER [_putting his arm around her_]. Let me kiss you again, and your fright will pa.s.s away. [_Kisses her_.] Give me a kiss just once!

NATO [_kissing him_]. There, you have one.

ALEXANDER. Well, I ought to allow you to kiss me. Am I not worth more than that piece of paper?

[_Takes her by the hand; they sit down on sofa at the right_.

NATO. They have come to congratulate us.

ALEXANDER. Yes, your grandmother, your aunts, and your cousins. Nato, shall you give evening parties like this?

NATO [_smiling_]. Ha! ha! ha! No such _soirees_ as this, my dear Alexander. Two evenings every month we will give little dances, either on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Which is better? Do you not think, Alexander, that Thursday will be best?

ALEXANDER [_with a grimace_]. As you wish, _chere Nathalie_. If you like, you can give a _soiree_ every week.

NATO. No, twice a month is better. Sophie, who is now Madame Jarinskaja, gives only two _soirees_ in a month.

ALEXANDER. Very well, Nato dear.

NATO. That is agreed, then. And every Thursday we will dance at the Casino. [_Alexander makes another grimace_.] Mind, now! every Thursday.

ALEXANDER. Do you like to visit the Casino?

NATO [_laying her hand on his shoulder_]. Who doesn't like to visit it?

Is there another place where one can amuse one's self better? The beautiful long _salon_! the _boudoir_! the beautiful music and the rich costumes! How beautiful they all are! [_Embracing Alexander_.] We will dance together, and when we are tired, we will go into the mirror-room and rest ourselves and talk and laugh.

ALEXANDER. And then we will dance again and rest ourselves, and talk and laugh again.

NATO. It will be splendid! [_Kisses him_.] I will dress beautifully _a la mode_, so that everyone will say, "Look! look! what a charming woman Madame Marmarow is!" And then, dear Alexander, we will subscribe for a box at the theatre for Fridays.

ALEXANDER [_making another grimace aside_]. She's piling it on.

NATO. And do you know where? In the upper tier at the left, near the foyer.

ALEXANDER. Wouldn't it be better to subscribe for two evenings a week?

NATO. Wouldn't it cost too much?

ALEXANDER. What has that to do with it? Do you think I could deny you any pleasure? No! no! you shall have everything.

NATO [_embracing him_]. _Cher Alexandre_! do you really love me so much?

ALEXANDER. I cannot tell you at all how much I love you. Right at our first meeting I fell in love with you!

NATO. I don't believe it! I don't believe it! All young men talk so!

ALEXANDER. Ha! ha! ha! Do you think I am like them? With them the tongues have nothing to do with the heart; but my tongue speaks what is here!

[_Strikes himself on the breast_.

NATO [_ironically_]. I know! I know! If I had no dowry you would not marry me.

ALEXANDER. Nato dear, you wrong me! _ma chere_! As if the dowry made any difference! _Fi donc_!

NATO. Then you really love me so much?

ALEXANDER. Very, very much, Nato dear. You can put me to the test if you will.

NATO. Do you know, my piano is not fit to use!

ALEXANDER [_smoothing his hair_--_aside_]. Something new again.

NATO. Buy me a new piano. To-day I saw one at a store; it cost 500 rubles.

ALEXANDER. Five hundred rubles! You cannot buy a decent piano for that!

NATO. Dear Alexander!

ALEXANDER. Be patient awhile, Nato dear. One of my friends brought a piano from abroad that cost 1,000; yes, even 1,500 rubles.

NATO. My sweetheart; my dear sweetheart! [_Kissing him_.] I will come right back. [_Rises_.] I must go and prepare for our reception or mamma will be angry. Tra-la-la.

[_Exit at left_.

ALEXANDER [_alone, springing up_]. Ha! ha! ha! _soirees_, b.a.l.l.s at the club, box at the theatre, dresses and ornaments after the latest fashion! Am I a millionaire? I would have nothing against it if I had the money to do it. She acts as though she was going to bring 50,000 rubles dowry into the house. No, Natalie, that will all come later. In ten or twenty years, perhaps, I will set up a carriage; but it is not even to be thought of now. Indeed, I don't know, where it will lead to if she makes such demands on me every day. It will lead to quarrels and unpleasantness, and it will be all up with my economizing. No, indeed, Natalie, it will be no easy thing to satisfy you. Why did I not think of this sooner? Let her talk, and demand what she will. I will do what pleases me.

NATO [_enter right; speaks to someone behind the scenes_]. I will come at once. I am coming. Come, Alexander, let us go into the garden. Mamma must go upstairs, and the guests will be all alone in the garden.

ALEXANDER. I am waiting for your father, Nato dear, I have something important to discuss with him.

NATO. Why, we will soon return, and by that time father will be home. Do you want to sit here alone?

ALEXANDER. Well, we will go.

NATO. Come! come! I want to introduce you to my coquettish aunt.

[_Mimics her while making a courtesy, and makes faces. Alexander, shaking his head, goes out with Nato noisily through middle door_.

SCENE II

_Salome. Chacho_.

CHACHO. No, indeed, Salome. She behaves too boldly. You must give her a warning. Such self-confidence I have I never before seen in a girl.

SALOME. That is all a matter of fashion! What is to be done?

[_Shuffling the cards_.