LIPOCHKA.  There you go, crying!  Honestly, aren’t you ashamed, mamma?  What do you mean by blockhead?

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. [Weeping] The words came out of themselves.  I couldn’t help it.

BOLSHOV.  What made you start this bawling?  If anybody asks you, you don’t know yourself.

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA.  I don’t know, my dear, I don’t know; the fit just came over me.

BOLSHOV.  That’s it, just foolishness.  Tears come cheap with you.

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA.  Yes, my dear, they do!  They do!  I know myself that they come cheap; but how can you help it?

LIPOCHKA.  Fudge, mamma, how you act!  Stop it!  Now, he’ll come any moment—­what’s the use?

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA.  I’ll stop, child, I’ll stop; I’ll stop right off!

SCENE III

The same, and USTINYA NAUMOVNA

USTINYA NAUMOVNA. [Entering] How are you, my jewels!  What are you gloomy and down in the dumps for?

[Kisses are exchanged.

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA.  We’d about given you up.

LIPOCHKA.  Well, Ustinya Naumovna, will he come soon?

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  It’s my fault, I own up at once; it’s my fault!  But our affairs, my jewels, aren’t in a very good way.

LIPOCHKA.  How!  What do you mean by that?

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA.  Now what new notion have you got?

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  Why, my pearls, our suitor is wavering.

BOLSHOV.  Ha, ha, ha!  You’re a great go-between!  How are you going to make a match?

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  He’s like a balky horse, he won’t whoa nor giddup.  You can’t get a sensible word out of him.

LIPOCHKA.  But what’s this, Ustinya Naumovna?  What do you mean, really?

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA.  Holy saints!  How can it be!

LIPOCHKA.  Have you just seen him?

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  I was at his house this morning.  He came out just as he was, in his dressing-gown; but he treated me, be it said to his honor.  He ordered coffee, and rum, and heaps of fancy crackers—­simply piles of them.  “Eat away!” says he, “Ustinya Naumovna.”  I had come on business, you know, so it was necessary to find out something definite.  So I said:  “You wanted to go to-day and get acquainted.”  But on that subject he wouldn’t say a sensible word to me.  “Well,” he said, “we’ll think it over, and advise about it.”  And all he did was pull at the cords of his dressing-gown.

LIPOCHKA.  Why does he just fold his arms and sentimentalize?  Why, it’s disgusting to see how long this lasts.

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA.  Really, now, why is he showing off?  Aren’t we as good as he is?

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  Plague take him; can’t we find another fellow?

BOLSHOV.  Don’t you look for another, or the same thing will happen again.  I’ll find another for you myself.