MADAM ULANBEKOV.  Go away!

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA. [Weeping] I can’t keep back my tears when I look at you!  My heart bleeds that they don’t respect you, that they don’t respect you even in your own house!  In your honorable house, in such pious premises as these, to do such things!

MADAM ULANBEKOV. [Frowning] You silly crow!  You want to croak about something or other.  Well, croak away!

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA.  Benefactress, I’m afraid it might upset you.

MADAM ULANBEKOV.  You’ve upset me already.  Talk!

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA. [Glances about in all directions and sits down on a stool at the feet of MADAM ULANBEKOV] Yesterday, benefactress, I was ending my evening prayer to the Heavenly Creator, and went out to stroll in the garden, and to occupy myself for the night with pious meditations.

MADAM ULANBEKOV.  Well!

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA.  And what did I see there, benefactress!  How my legs held me up, I don’t know!  That Liza of yours was running through the bushes with a depraved look; it must be she was seeking her lovers.  Our master, the little angel! was rowing in the boat on the pond, and Nadya, also with a depraved expression, was clinging to him with her arms about his neck, and was kissing him.  And it was easy to see that he, because of his purity, was trying to thrust her away; but she kept clasping him about the neck, kissing and tempting him.

MADAM ULANBEKOV.  Are you lying?

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA.  You may quarter me, benefactress.

MADAM ULANBEKOV.  It’s enough if there is one grain of truth in your words.

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA.  It’s all true, benefactress.

MADAM ULANBEKOV.  Fiddlesticks! not all—­it can’t be!  You always make up more than half.  But where were the servants?

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA.  All of them, benefactress, were more or less drunk.  No sooner had you gone to bed, than they all went to the fair and got tipsy.  Gavrilovna, Potapych, all were drunk.  What an example to the young!

MADAM ULANBEKOV.  This must be looked into thoroughly.  Of course, I shouldn’t have expected the least mischief of Leonid.  Quiet lads like him!  Well, if he’d been a soldier, it would be pardonable; but as it is.... [She muses.

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA.  And furthermore, benefactress, so far Grisha hasn’t come back from the fair.

MADAM ULANBEKOV.  How’s that?  He didn’t sleep at home?

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA.  He did not, benefactress!

MADAM ULANBEKOV.  You lie, you lie, you lie!  I’ll drive you off the place!

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA.  May I die in my tracks!

MADAM ULANBEKOV. [Sinking back in her chair] You want to kill me. [Raising herself from the chair] You simply want to kill me. [She rings.  Enter POTAPYCH] Where’s Grisha?

POTAPYCH.  Just came, ma’am.