AFONYA.  You fooled brother, but you can’t fool me.  No, no!  LUKERYA.  I don’t understand a bit what you’re talking about.

AFONYA.  Oh, I’m exhausted!  Go away:  out of my sight.  Don’t torment me.

LUKERYA.  You feel worse because you don’t appreciate kindness.

AFONYA.  I don’t need it!  I don’t need anything.

LUKERYA.  Well, then just lie on your couch.  Do you think I want anything from you?  I only spoke out of sympathy. [Silence] What a senseless girl; how senseless!  I’m all a-tremble.

KRASNOV comes in.

SCENE II

The same and KRASNOV

KRASNOV.  Well, here I am.  What a trick I’ve played!  The joke’s on Tatyana Danilovna.  “Expect me in an hour,” I said, and here I am in half an hour, so she’d be surprised.  I was invited to tea, but I didn’t stay.  “Do you think I want tea,” I said, “when I have a young wife at home who’s waiting for me!” But where is she?

LUKERYA.  I don’t know.  Somewhere around.  Isn’t she in the garden?

KRASNOV.  Send her in right away, I want to give her a present for her kindness to-day.

LUKERYA.  Right away, right away. [Goes out]

KRASNOV. [Paces up and dawn in silence; then speaks to himself] Fifty-seven rubles, six and three, nine to Peter Ananyev. [Pause] Has she disappeared? [Paces up and down in silence] Afonya, do you know where my wife went?

AFONYA.  Don’t know.  Oh, I feel sick.

KRASNOV.  What’s she dallying around for? [Goes to the door] Tatyana Danilovna!  Lukerya Danilovna!  They don’t even answer.  What does that mean now?  Afanasy, where’s my wife?

AFONYA.  Are you lonesome without her?  She’ll come, don’t be afraid.  No matter where she’s strolling, she’ll come home.

KRASNOV. [At the door] Tatyana Danilovna!

ULYANA comes in.

SCENE III

The same and ULYANA

KRASNOV.  Who’s that?  Is that you, Ulyana?

ULYANA.  Yes, brother.

KRASNOV.  What do you want?

ULYANA.  Just to call on you, brother, as a relative should.

KRASNOV.  I’m in no great need of your calls.

ULYANA.  My feelings, brother, are different from yours; I can’t help remembering my kindred.  Where’s your bride?

KRASNOV.  She seems to have gotten lost somewhere here.  I keep calling her, but can’t raise her.

ULYANA.  Maybe she’s far away from here, so she can’t hear your call

KRASNOV.  What do you mean by “far”?  I tell you she’s at home.

ULYANA.  Who said that?  Wasn’t it her sister, Lukerya Danilovna?

KRASNOV.  Yes, maybe it was she.

ULYANA.  And you believed her.  Oh, you’re simple, simple!

KRASNOV.  Go away, sister!  Keep out of trouble!