away, miss. The guitar’s out of tune. It’s awful, just awful! In a chorus you’ve got to stand up straight, and there he is bent over.
Mme Ogudalov. How did he get that way?
Ilya. From stupidity.
Mme Ogudalov. What kind of stupidity?
Ilya. That kind of stupidity our people have. I said, “Watch out, Anton, be careful now!” But he didn’t understand.
Mme Ogudalov. And we don’t understand either.
Ilya. Well, I hate to tell you, but he went on a spree, and what a spree, what a spree! I said, “Anton, watch out, careful now!” But he didn’t understand. Oh it’s awful, awful! Right now a man’s worth a hundred rubles, that’s the business at hand, the kind of gentleman we’re expecting, and there’s Anton bent over crooked. He was a real straight-up gypsy, but now he’s twisted! (He starts to sing in a bass voice.) “O tempt me not…”
Voice through the window: “Ilya, Ilya, come here! Come quick!"
Why? What do you want?
Voice from the street: “Come, the gentleman is here!"
You’re joking!
Voice from the street: “He's really come!"
I don’t have any more time, miss, the gentleman’s come. (He puts down the guitar and takes his peak cap.)
Mme Ogudalov. What gentleman?
Ilya. The one we’ve been waiting for a whole year, that one! (Hegoes off.)
Mme Ogudalov. Who do you suppose could have come? He must be rich and probably a bachelor, Larisa, since the gypsies are so glad to see him. You can see he spends time with the gypsies. Oh Larisa, have we missed out on a suitor? Why did we have to hurry so?
Larisa. Oh Mama, haven’t I suffered enough? No, I’ve been humiliated enough.
Mme Ogudalov. You used that horrible word “humiliated”! Did you mean to frighten me, perhaps? We’re poor folk, and that means being humiliated all our life. So it’s better to be humiliated when you’re young if you can later live like a human being.
Larisa. No, I can’t, it’s more than I can bear.
Mme Ogudalov. But you can’t get anything easily, and you’d stay nobody all your life.
Larisa. To pretend again, lie again!
Mme Ogudalov. So pretend then, and lie too! Happiness won’t come running after you if you run away from it. (Karandyshov enters.) Yuly Kapitonych, our Larisa’s all set to go to the country, here she’s gotten herself a basket for mushrooms.
Larisa. Yes, please, for my sake, let’s go right away!
Karandyshov. I don’t understand you. Why are you in such a hurry to get there?
Larisa. I want so much to get away from here.
Karandyshov (in an outburst). Who is it you want to get away from? Who’s persecuting you? Or could you be ashamed of me?
Larisa (coldly). No, I’m not ashamed of you, I don’t know how it’s going to be in the future, but so far you haven’t given me any cause for that.
Karandyshov. Then why run away, why hide from people? Give me some time to get settled, to pull myself together, to come to my senses. I’m glad, I’m happy. So give me a chance to feel the pleasure of my position.
Mme Ogudalov. To show off.
Karandyshov. Yes, to show off, I won’t hide it. My self-respect has suffered many, many wounds, and my pride has been offended more than once. Now I rightly want to be proud and strut some.
Larisa. Then when are you thinking of going to the country?
Karandyshov. After the wedding, whenever you want, even the very next day. Only we absolutely must get married here, so nobody can say we’re hiding out because I’m not a good match for you but just the straw a drowning man grabs for.
Larisa. But you know, Yuly Kapitonych, that last part’s almost the way it is, it’s true.
Karandyshov (angrily). Then keep that truth to yourself! (In tears.) Have a little pity on me! At least let the others think you love, that you made a free choice.
Larisa. But why do that?
Karandyshov. What do you mean, “why”? Don’t you make any allowance for self-respect in a man?
Larisa. Self-respect! All you think about is yourself! Everybody loves himself! When is anybody ever going to love me? You’re going to lead me to ruin.
Mme Ogudalov. That’s enough, Larisa, what’s gotten into you?
Larisa. Mama, I’m afraid, I’m afraid of something. Now listen. If the wedding’s going to be here, then please, as few people as possible, as quiet and simple as possible.
Mme Ogudalov. No, don’t you get any crazy ideas! A wedding’s a wedding, and I’m an Ogudalov and won’t allow any skimping. You’ll shine as nobody here has ever shone.
Karandyshov. And I won’t begrudge a thing.
Larisa. All right, I’ll be quiet. I can see that for you I’m a doll. You’ll play with me, break me and throw me away.
Karandyshov. That dinner tonight is going to cost me plenty.
Mme Ogudalov. And I consider that dinner of yours absolutely unnecessary, an unjustified expense.
Karandyshov. But even if it should cost me twice as much, or three times as much, I wouldn’t begrudge the money.
Mme Ogudalov. It’s something nobody needs.
Karandyshov. I need it.
Larisa. But what for, Yuly Kapitonych?
Karandyshov. Larisa Dmitriyevna, for three years I’ve been suffering humiliation, for three years I’ve had to put up with mockery from your friends right to my face. I’ve got to have my turn to laugh at them.
Mme Ogudalov. What will you think up next! Do you want to get up some quarrel, is that it? In that case Larisa and I won’t go.
Larisa. Oh, please, don’t offend anybody!
Karandyshov. Don’t offend! Though they can offend me? But don’t worry, there won’t be any quarrel, it’ll all be very peaceful. I’ll propose a toast to you and
