It’s come out from behind the island. It’s making a lot of headway, a lot.
Gavrilo. You say it’s making a lot of headway?
Ivan. A lot. An awful lot! It runs faster than the Flier, they’ve timed it.
Gavrilo. It’s him, sir.
Vozhevatov (to Ivan). You tell us when they start coming aside.
Ivan. Yes, sir. I suppose they’ll shoot from the cannon.
Gavrilo. They’re sure to.
Vozhevatov. What cannon?
Gavrilo. He has his own barges anchored in the middle of the Volga.
Vozhevatov. I know.
Gavrilo. One barge has a cannon. Whenever somebody meets Sergey Sergeyich or sees him off they always fire a salute. (Looking beyond the coffee house.) There’s one of Chirkov’s carriages going for him now, sir. They must have let Chirkov know he’d be coming, for Chirkov himself is on the box. That’s him they’re going for, sir.
Vozhevatov. But how do you know it’s for him?
Gavrilo. They’ve got four pacers lined up, it’s really for him. Who else would Chirkov make up four horses for? It’s even scary to look at them… they’re like lions… all four with snaffle bits! And the harness, the harness! They’re going for him, sir.
Ivan. And there’s a gypsy sitting on the box with Chirkov, he has a fancy Cossack coat on, and his belt’s so tight he could snap in two.
Gavrilo. They’re going after him, sir. It couldn’t be anyone else with four horses like those. It’s him, sir.
Knurov. Paratov lives in style.
Vozhevatov. Whatever else, he has plenty of style.
Knurov. Are you buying the boat cheap?
Vozhevatov. Cheap, Moky Parmenych.
Knurov. Yes, of course; otherwise, what’s the advantage of buying? Why is he selling it?
Vozhevatov. I suppose he doesn’t find any profit in it.
Knurov. Of course, how could he! That’s no business for a gentleman. But you’ll make a profit, especially if you buy it cheap.
Vozhevatov. It suits our purpose; we have a lot of cargo down the river.
Knurov. Maybe he needs the money… he’s a great spender, you know.
Vozhevatov. That’s his business. We have the money ready.
Knurov. Yes, with money a man can do business. (With a smile.) A man who has a lot of money, Vasily Danilych, that man’s in good shape.
Vozhevatov. How could he be in bad shape! You yourself know that better than any one, Moky Parmenych.
Knurov. I know it, I know it.
Vozhevatov. Moky Parmenych, couldn’t we have a cool drink?
Knurov. What do you mean, it’s still morning! I haven’t eaten yet.
Vozhevatov. That doesn’t matter, sir. There was an Englishman, a factory director, and he told me that if a man has a cold it’s a good idea to drink champagne on an empty stomach. And yesterday I caught a little cold.
Knurov. How could you do that? We’re having such warm weather now.
Vozhevatov. I caught cold from the drink itself; they served it up very cold.
Knurov. No, what’s the good of that? People will see us, and they’ll say: it’s hardly morning yet, and they’re drinking champagne.
Vozhevatov. But so people won’t say something bad, we’ll drink tea.
Knurov. Tea, that’s another matter.
Vozhevatov (to Gavrilo). Gavrilo, bring us some of my tea, you understand?… Mine!
Gavrilo. Yes, sir. (He goes off.)
Knurov. Do you drink a special kind?
Vozhevatov. It’s really champagne, but he’ll pour it into teapots and serve it in tea glasses with saucers.
Knurov. That’s smart.
Vozhevatov. Necessity is the mother of invention, Moky Parmenych.
Knurov. Are you going to Paris, to the exposition?
Vozhevatov. After I’ve bought the boat and sent it down the river for cargo, then I’ll go.
Knurov. Me too one of these days. I already have somebody waiting for me there.
Gavrilo brings a tray with two teapots containing champagne and two glasses.
Vozhevatov (pouring). Have you heard the news, Moky Parmenych? Larisa Dmitriyevna is getting married.
Knurov. Getting married! You can’t mean it! Who to?
Vozhevatov. Karandyshov.
Knurov. What kind of nonsense is that! It’s insanity! What’s Karandyshov! You know he’s no match for her, Vasily Danilych.
Vozhevatov. Of course he’s no match! But what can they do, where can they find a husband for her? After all, she doesn’t have any dowry.
Knurov. Even girls without a dowry can find good husbands.
Vozhevatov. Times have changed. There used to be enough eligible bachelors, even for girls without a dowry. But now there’s just enough for girls with a dowry, no extras for those without. Do you think Kharita Ignatyevna would marry her daughter off to Karandyshov if she could find anyone better?
Knurov. She’s a resourceful woman.
Vozhevatov. She can’t be Russian.
Knurov. Why not?
Vozhevatov. She’s so energetic.
Knurov. How could she make such a mistake? The Ogudalovs have a respectable family name, and just like that a marriage to the likes of Karandyshov!.. And with all her cleverness… their house is always full of bachelors!.
Vozhevatov. The men all go to her house because it’s so
