BABAYEV.  A petty shopkeeper?  What kind of shop has he?

LUKERYA.  A vegetable shop.  You can see it from here, the sign reads, “Lev
Krasnov.”

BABAYEV.  Yes, I noticed it.  Is he a good man?

LUKERYA.  Considering the type, he’s a very nice man, and he loves sister very dearly.  Yet there is something so inherently bad about his calling that, judge as you will, he’s still not very far removed from a peasant.  That trait of character, if you boil a man for seven years in a kettle, you cannot boil out.  Yet I must give him credit for taking good care of his house.  He doesn’t give himself any rest day or night; he toils hard all the time.  As for my sister, he’s willing to give her whatever her heart desires, even his last kopek, just to please her, so that she does absolutely nothing, and lives like a lady.  But his manners are boorish, and his conversation embarrasses us very much.  Altogether this is not the kind of happiness I wished for Tanya.  Judging by her beauty and the standing of her former admirers, she should now be riding in a carriage.  As it is, necessity has forced her to marry a peasant, almost for a crust of bread, and to blush for him whenever she sees anybody.

BABAYEV.  So Tatyana Danilovna has married—­I’m sorry.

LUKERYA.  You needn’t feel sorry.  She’s no match for you.

BABAYEV.  Of course.—­Here I am in this city, and owing to circumstances I’m forced to remain at least four days, and maybe more.  What am I going to do?  I’m very much pleased that you have called on me.  If it hadn’t been for you I don’t know what I should have done with myself.  Now, just imagine, if your sister weren’t married, we’d spend these four days so that we shouldn’t know how the time was passing. [Takes her by the hand] Isn’t that true?

LUKERYA.  Who’s keeping you from that now?

BABAYEV.  Well, you see it’s awkward; being married, what will her husband think?  It’s really provoking.

LUKERYA.  You don’t mean it!  It seems to me that you used to have different opinions on such things.  You weren’t so anxious to know what pleased the husbands and what didn’t.

BABAYEV.  Yes, but that was in an entirely different social circle.  There manners are much more free.

LUKERYA.  How do you know whether my sister has freedom or hasn’t?

BABAYEV. [Taking both her hands] At all events, I’m so glad, so thankful to you for furnishing me with diversion when I was bored.  Don’t you want something?  Be good enough to make yourself at home; everything is at your service.  Will you have some tea?

LUKERYA.  Thank you, I’ve just had tea.  But I must hurry home now.  I have to attend to some matters with sister.  Shall I extend her your greetings?

BABAYEV.  Please be so kind.

LUKERYA. [Going to the door] Why don’t you invite sister and me to call on you?

BABAYEV.  I should be so happy to have you, only I really don’t know how to arrange it.  I should like very much to see Tatyana Danilovna.