TATYANA.  What did I say—­I don’t know; and what I’m doing now—­I can’t understand.

LUKERYA.  Well, run along! run along!

TATYANA goes out.

SCENE IX

LUKERYA and later AFONYA

LUKERYA. [At the window] Just look at her!  She’s flying like an arrow.  Who’d scheme for her if I didn’t?  She’s a pretty girl, only she hasn’t any sense, and that’s bad.  She has to be taught everything; she has to be looked after as though she were a small child.  If I hadn’t advised her to make up with her husband, what would have happened?  Quarrel and abuse.  She probably wouldn’t have wanted to give in; then there’d have been a continual squabble in the house and scandal among the neighbors.  But now she can do as she likes; everything will be smoothed over. Enter AFONYA.

AFONYA.  Where is Tatyana?  Where is she, where is she?

LUKERYA.  What do you want her for?

AFONYA.  I need her.  Tell me, where?  Tell me, where?

LUKERYA.  Probably in the garden.

AFONYA.  Why are you fooling me?  For once in your life tell the truth!  Has she gone?  Speak, has she gone?

LUKERYA.  Maybe she has gone.

AFONYA.  Did she just slip out of the gate?

LUKERYA.  Probably it was she.  Wasn’t it for thread she went?  She’s been wanting to run over to the neighbor’s for some time.

AFONYA.  For thread?

LUKERYA.  Well, yes, for thread.

AFONYA.  You lie, lie!

LUKERYA.  Leave me alone!  Why are you worrying me?  Why did you leave grandfather?

AFONYA.  That’s none of your business.  I know where she went.  You’re devils.  You’ve deceived brother.  I saw it long ago in your eyes; in your eyes flames flickered, devilish flames!

LUKERYA.  My, but you’re a malicious imp!

AFONYA.  You just wait, just wait!  You’ll get sick of deceiving us; I’ll show you up.

LUKERYA.  Don’t threaten!  We’re not afraid of you.

AFONYA. [With tears] Heavens!  My God!  What’s all this?  What a man it is they’re deceiving before his very eyes! [Runs out.

ACT IV

TABLEAU I

A street before PROKOFYEVNA’s house.  Twilight

SCENE I

ULYANA and PROKOFYEVNA come out of the gate

PROKOFYEVNA.  What is it, Ulyana!  What is it!  How is it possible!  Don’t think of such a thing!  You just imagined it.  Believe me, you just imagined it.

ULYANA.  Say what you like about imagining!  Thank Heaven, I’m not blind yet.  Not to recognize her!  Why, I’d pick her out of a thousand by her dress.  We have only one style for our clothes; on holidays we don’t wear the clothes she does on week-days.  You and I were just coming out of the door, and she was just going in to see him.