PELAGUEYA (spitefully)

Hypocrite!  Let go!  Where are you going? (She carries out the pail and returns for the other things)

SAVVA (entering; to his sister)

Why is your face so red?

LIPA

It’s hot.

[Pelagueya laughs.

SAVVA

Say, Pelagueya, has Kondraty inquired for me?

PELAGUEYA

Kondraty!  What Kondraty?

SAVVA

Kondraty, the friar; he looks something like a sparrow.

PELAGUEYA

I didn’t see any Kondraty.  Like a sparrow!  That’s a funny way of putting it.

SAVVA

Tell Tony to come here, won’t you?

PELAGUEYA

Tell him yourself.

SAVVA

Well, well!

PELAGUEYA (calls through the door before she goes out into the tavern) Anthony, Savva wants you.

LIPA

What do you want him for?

SAVVA

What a queer habit you have here of plying a person with questions all the time.  Where, who, why, what for?

LIPA (slightly offended)

You needn’t answer if you don’t want to.

TONY (enters, speaking slowly and with difficulty)

Who wants me?

SAVVA

I am expecting Kondraty here—­you know Kondraty, don’t you?  Send him in when he comes.

TONY

Who are you?

SAVVA

And send in two bottles of whiskey too, do you hear?

TONY

Maybe I do and maybe I don’t.  Maybe I’ll send the whiskey and maybe I won’t.

SAVVA

What a sceptic.  You’ve grown silly, Tony.

LIPA

Leave him alone, Savva.  He has got that from the seminary student, from Speransky.  Anyhow, he is full of—­

TONY (sitting down)

I didn’t get it from anybody.  I can understand everything myself.  The blood has congealed in my heart.

SAVVA

That’s from drink, Tony.  Stop drinking.

TONY

The blood has congealed in my heart.  You think I don’t know what’s what.  A while ago you weren’t here with us, and all of a sudden you came.  Yes, I understand everything.  I have visions.