ULYANA.  Well, good-by, sister, but remember!  And you, brother, just wait; we’ll settle accounts somehow. [They go out.

SCENE III

KRASNOV, TATYANA, LUKERYA, and AFONYA

KRASNOV. [Approaching his wife] Tatyana Danilovna, I hope you won’t take that to heart, because they’re a rough lot.

TATYANA.  That’s the kind of relatives you have!  I lived better beyond comparison as a girl; at least I knew that no one dared to insult me.

LUKERYA. [Clearing the table] We didn’t associate with the common people.

KRASNOV.  And I’ll never let you be insulted.  You saw I didn’t spare my own sister, and drove her out of my house; but if it had been a stranger, he wouldn’t have got off alive.  You don’t know my character yet; at times I’m afraid of myself.

TATYANA.  What, do you become dreadfully furious?

KRASNOV.  Not that I’m furious, I’m hot-tempered.  I’m beside myself, and don’t see people at such times.

TATYANA.  How terribly you talk!  Why didn’t you tell me about your character before?  I wouldn’t have married you.

KRASNOV.  There’s nothing bad in a man’s being hot-tempered.  That means that he’s eager in all things, even in his work, and he can love better, because he has more feeling than others.

TATYANA.  Now I shall be afraid of you.

KRASNOV.  I don’t want you to fear me.  But I should like to know when you are going to love me?

TATYANA.  What sort of love do you want to have from me?

KRASNOV.  You know yourself what sort; but maybe you don’t feel it.  What’s to be done?  We’ll wait, perhaps it’ll come later.  Everything can happen in this world!  There have been cases where love has come the fifth or sixth year after marriage.  And what love!  Better than if it came at first.

TATYANA.  Keep on waiting.

LUKERYA.  You’re very hot in your love; but we’re of entirely different bringing up.

KRASNOV.  You speak of bringing up?  I’ll tell you this, that if I were younger, I’d take up and study for Tatyana Danilovna.  I know, myself, what I lack, but now it’s too late.  I’ve a soul but no training.  If I were trained——­

LUKERYA. [Glancing towards the window] He’s coming, Tanya; he’s coming! [Both run out of the room.

KRASNOV.  Where so suddenly?  What are you running after?

LUKERYA.  What do you mean?  Recollect yourself.  We must be courteous and go to meet him. [They go out.

AFONYA.  Brother!  You drove sister away.  Whether right or not, let God judge you!  But I tell you, you’d better watch the gentleman.

KRASNOV.  What the deuce have you got to do with this?  You hiss like a snake.  You want to wound me.  Get out of here!  Go, I tell you, or I’ll kill you.

AFONYA.  Well, kill!  My life isn’t very sweet to me, and I haven’t long to live, anyway.  But don’t be blind!  Don’t be blind! [Goes out.