GUSLIN.  Why so?

MITYA. [Rises] Well, I have a reason for this.  It is, Yasha, because I have another sorrow—­but nobody knows about it.  I haven’t spoken to any one about my sorrow.

GUSLIN.  Tell me about it.

MITYA. [Waving his hand] What for?

GUSLIN.  Yes, tell me; don’t put on airs!

MITYA.  Whether I tell you or not, you can’t help me!

GUSLIN.  How do you know?

MITYA. [Walking toward GUSLIN] Nobody can help me—­I am a lost man!  I’ve fallen wildly in love with Lyubov Gordeyevna.

GUSLIN.  What’s the matter with you, Mitya?  Whatever do you mean?

MITYA.  Well, anyhow, it’s a fact.

GUSLIN.  You’d better put it out of your head, Mitya.  Nothing can ever come of that, so there’s no use thinking about it.

MITYA.  Though I know all this, one cannot control one’s heart.  “To love is most easy, one cannot forget.” [He speaks with violent gestures] “I love the beautiful girl more than family, more than race; but evil people forbid me, and they bid me cease.”

GUSLIN.  Yes, indeed; but you must stop it!  Now Anna Ivanovna is my equal; she has no money, and I haven’t a kopek—­and even so uncle forbids me to marry.  It’s no use for you to think of doing so.  You’ll get it into your head and then it’ll be still harder for you.

MITYA. [Declaiming] “What of all things is most cruel?  The most cruel thing is love.” [Walking about the room.] Yasha, have you read Koltsov?

GUSLIN.  Yes, why?

MITYA.  How he describes all these feelings!

GUSLIN.  He does describe them exactly.

MITYA.  Exactly, to perfection. [Walking about the room] Yasha!

GUSLIN.  What?

MITYA.  I myself have composed a song.

GUSLIN.  You?

MITYA.  Yes.

GUSLIN.  Let’s make up a tune for it, and we’ll sing it.

MITYA.  Good!  Here, take this [gives him a paper] and I’ll write a little—­I have some work:  most likely Gordey Karpych will be asking me about it. [Sits and writes.

GUSLIN takes the guitar and begins to pick out a tune.  RAZLYULYAYEV comes in with an accordion.

SCENE VI

The same and RAZLYULYAYEV

RAZLYULYAYEV.  Hello, boys! [Plays on the accordion and begins to dance.

GUSLIN.  What a fool!  What did you buy that accordion for?

RAZLYULYAYEV.  Why, I bought it to play on, of course—­this way. [Plays.

GUSLIN.  Well, that’s fine music, I must say!  Stop, I tell you!

RAZLYULYAYEV.  What!  Do you think I’ll stop?  I’ll stop when I want to.—­What airs!  Haven’t I got any money? [Slapping his pocket] It chinks!  If we go on a spree—­then it’s some spree!

    “One mountain is high,
    And another is low;
    One darling is far,
    And another is near.”