USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  Come, come now:  just see what a nice sweetheart I got for you.

PODKHALYUZIN.  We’re well satisfied, Ustinya Naumovna; we’re well satisfied.

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  How could you be dissatisfied, my ruby?  What’s the matter with you!  I suppose you’re all the time bustling around over new clothes, now.  Have you laid in a stock of stylish things yet?

OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA.  Not much so far, and that mostly because the new stuffs have just come in.

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  Naturally, my pearl, you can’t help it; let ’em be of poor goods, so long’s they’re blue!  But what kind of dresses did you order most of, woollens or silks?

OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA.  All sorts—­both woollens and silks; not long ago I had a crape made with gold trimmings.

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  How much have you, all-in-all, my jewel?

OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA.  Here, count:  my wedding-dress of blond lace over a satin slip; and three velvets—­that makes four; two gauze and a crape embroidered with gold—­that’s seven; three satin, and three grosgrain—­that’s thirteen; gros de Naples and gros d’Afrique, seven—­that’s twenty; three marceline, two mousseline de ligne, two Chine royale—­how many’s that?—­three and four’s seven, and twenty—­twenty-seven; four crape Rachel—­that’s thirty-one.  Then there are muslins, bouffe mousseline and calico, about twenty, and then waists and morning jackets—­about nine or ten.  And then I’ve just had one made of Persian stuff.

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  Lord help you, what heaps you’ve got!  But you go and pick out for me the largest of the gros d’Afrique ones.

OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA.  I won’t give you a gros d’Afrique.  I have only three myself; besides, it wouldn’t suit your figure:  now, if you want to, you can take a crape Rachel.

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  What in time do I want with a tripe Rachel.  Evidently there’s nothing to be done with you; I’ll be satisfied with a satin one, and let it go at that.

OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA.  Well, and the satin, too—­it’s not quite the thing, cut ballroom style, very low—­you understand?  But I’ll look up a crape Rachel jacket; we’ll let out the tucks, and it’ll fit you like the paper on the wall.

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  Well, bring on your tripe Rachel!  You win, my ruby; go open the clothes closet.

OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA.  Right away; wait just a minute.

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  I’ll wait, my jewel, I’ll wait.  Besides, I have to have a little talk with your husband. [OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA goes out] What’s this, my jewel, have you entirely forgotten about your promise?

PODKHALYUZIN.  How could I forget, ma’am?  I remember. [He takes out his pocketbook and gives her a note.

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  Why, what’s this, my diamond?

PODKHALYUZIN.  One hundred rubles, ma’am!

USTINYA NAUMOVNA.  Only one hundred?  Why, you promised me fifteen hundred!