ACT III

A small room in the house of TORTSOV, furnished with cupboards of various sorts; chests and shelves with plates and silver.  Furniture:  sofas, armchairs, and tables, all very expensive and crowded together.  Usually this room is used as a sort of sitting-room for the mistress of the house, where she directs her household, and where she receives her guests informally.  One door leads into the room where the guests are dining, and the other into the inner rooms.

SCENE I

ARINA is seated on a chair near the door leading into the dining-room; near her are several girls and women.

ARINA. [Looking into the dining-room] I didn’t expect this, my dear friends!  I never thought to see it!  He fell upon us like a hawk—­like snow on the head; he seized our darling swan from the flock of her dear ones, from father, from mother, from kinsfolk, and from friends.  We didn’t realize what was happening.  What things happen in this world of ours!  Nowadays people are double-faced and sly, crafty, and cunning.  He fairly befogged Gordey Karpych with this and that in his old age, and he began to hanker after his wealth.  They have engaged our lovely beauty to a disgusting old man.  Now she is sitting there, my darling, broken-hearted!  Oh, I’m ready to die!  After I have brought you up and nursed you, and carried you in my arms!  I cared for you like a little bird—­in cotton wool!  Just now she and I were talking it over together.  “We won’t give you up, my child,” I said, “to a common man!  Only if some prince comes from foreign lands, and blows his trumpet at our door.”  But things didn’t turn out our way.  Now there he sits—­the man who is going to tear her away—­fat and flabby!  Staring and smirking at her!  He likes it!  Oh, confound you!  Well, now they’ve finished eating and are getting up; I must set to work.

Rises from her chair; the women go out; PELAGEYA EGOROVNA comes in.

SCENE II

ARINA and PELAGEYA EGOROVNA

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA.  Come along, Arinushka, and help me to get the table ready.  Yes, I’ll sit down and rest—­I’m tired.

ARINA.  Of course you are tired, my dear!  Day in, day out, on your feet!  You aren’t as young as you were once!

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA. [Seating herself on the sofa] Oh!  Tell them to send the big samovar to the maids’ room—­the very biggest; and find Annushka and send her to me.

ARINA.  Certainly, certainly.