BABaYEV. They tell me, at court, the day after to-morrow.

KRASNoV. So, when that's over you're going directly?

BABaYEV. I think so. What is there to do here?

KRASNoV. Yes, there's nothing to do here. My regards to you! [BABaYEV, TATYaNA, _and_ LUKeRYA _go out_] An unbidden guest is worse than a Tatar.

What do we want with him? What use is he to us? I won't have his help; we aren't beggars. Well, be off with you! Go to St. Petersburg, and good luck to you.

_Enter_ TATYaNA _and_ LUKeRYA.

SCENE V

KRASNoV, TATYaNA, _and_ LUKeRYA

TATYaNA. What are you doing? Why did you go and insult me so?

KRASNoV. There's no insult! Now, look here! We haven't quarrelled once since our wedding, and I hope that we may never do so, but may always live in love.

LUKeRYA. Fine love, I must say!

[KRASNoV _looks at her sharply._

TATYaNA. Where is your love? Now we see it very plainly. I must serve your relatives and friends like a cook; but when our friend came, a gentleman, then you almost drove him away.

LUKeRYA. You did drive him away, only in a roundabout fashion.

TATYaNA. You'd better not speak of your love. What do I want with your love when you disgrace me at every step.

KRASNoV. I don't understand the reason for this argument! The whole affair isn't worth discussing. We probably won't ever see him again, and we have no need of him; he went with what he came. We have to live our life together; it isn't worth our having trouble over him.

TATYaNA. Ah, Lusha, what a disgrace! I wonder what he'll think of us now?

LUKeRYA. Yes. He'll soon go back to St. Petersburg; a fine opinion of us he'll take away with him!

KRASNoV. I tell you again, that you should dismiss him and his opinions from your mind. The whole affair isn't worth a kopek. I think that whether he's alive or no, it's all the same to us.

TATYaNA. It may be all the same for you, but not so for us. Sister and I have promised to visit him and we want to go to-day.

KRASNoV. There's no need.

TATYaNA. How, no need? I tell you that I want to see him.

KRASNoV. You want to, but I'm not anxious. Ought you to consider my wishes or not?

TATYaNA. You seem to have a.s.sumed authority all of a sudden. You certainly don't imagine that we'll obey you.--No, indeed, _we won't_.

KRASNoV. [_Striking the table_] What do you mean by "no, indeed"? No, if I tell you something, then that has to go. I'm talking sense and what's good for you, and that's why I give you strict orders. [_Again strikes the table._

TATYaNA. [_Crying_] What tyranny! What torture!

LUKeRYA. [With a laugh] Oh, what a fearful, oh, what a terrible man, ha, ha, ha!

KRASNoV. What are you cackling about? I'll fire you out so fast that your skirts will squeak on the gate.

TATYaNA. Well, do what you like, even kill us, but we'll go. We don't want to show him we're boors. We surely have to thank him for remembering us, and wish him a pleasant journey.

KRASNoV. Tatyana Danilovna, please understand what you are told.

TATYaNA. I hope you aren't going to fight? That'll be just like you. That's what's to be expected.

KRASNoV. You're mistaken. You'll never see me do that. I love you so much that this time I'll even respect your caprices. Go along, but never set your foot there again. Only one more thing, Tatyana Danilovna: you see this clock! [_Points to the wall clock_] Look at the clock when you leave, and be back in half an hour! [_Pointing to the floor_] On this very spot.

Understand?

TATYaNA. Come, Lusha, let's dress. [_Both go out._

KRASNoV. I think everything will be all right now. They were a little spoiled; in that case sternness will do no harm. If I hold on she'll come to love me. Then when the gentleman is gone, I can humor her again; then our misunderstanding will be forgotten. What wouldn't I give for the half-hour they're with the gentleman? But what's to be done? I can't cut her off sharp--that'd entirely turn her away from me. Whatever I try to think of, horrid things come into my head. But he certainly isn't a bandit.

And then my wife, a little while ago--I'm just an enemy to myself! There surely can't be anything bad; but I think of all sorts of nonsense! I'd better go and have a chat with my friends at the tavern. What did he whisper to her just now? Well, they're old acquaintances; just something!

[Takes his cap] Tatyana Danilovna! I pined for you until I married you; and now that I have married you, all my heart aches. Don't ruin me, poor lad that I am; it will be a sin for you! [Goes out.

TABLEAU II

Same room as in ACT I

SCENE I

KARP and PROKoFYEVNA come in

PROKoFYEVNA. Is he asleep?

KARP. Don't know. I guess not; he hasn't that habit. It isn't time yet, anyway. What do you think? In St. Petersburg it isn't dinner-time yet, it's still morning.

PROKoFYEVNA. What's that, good heavens!

KARP. Why, at times in the winter, when it's already dusk and the lights are lit everywhere, it's still considered morning.

PROKoFYEVNA. What's the wonder! It's a big city, the capital, not like this. I just came in to see if anything was needed. [Glancing out of the window] I believe some one is coming here. I'll go and meet them. [Goes out.

KARP. One is bored to extinction here. If he'd grease the palms of the princ.i.p.al men at the court, then they'd have done it in a jiffy. At least we'd now be home, at business. I wonder how it is he isn't bored! I wonder if he hasn't found some prey here! He surely doesn't go about town for nothing! I know his ways: he walks and walks past the windows, and casts his eye around for some brunette.

PROKoFYEVNA _comes in._