There is nothing to “oh” about.  It’s all right, papa is papa, but you see I am properly dressed.  I dressed and then went out.  That’s the right way to do.  Yes.  It’s a pleasure to look at myself sideways.  I dressed as was proper, yes.  On a day like this you ought to give a hand at the counter.  Tony has disappeared, and Polya can’t do all the work herself.  You needn’t be making such a face now.

MERCHANT (passing by)

Congratulate you on the miracle, Mr. Tropinin!

YEGOR

Thank you, brother, the same to you.  Wait, I’ll go with you.  You are a goose, Olympiada.  You have always been a goose, and you have remained a goose to this day.

MERCHANT

You’ll have a fine trade now.

YEGOR

If it please the Lord!  Why are you so late?  Have you been sleeping?  You keep sleeping, all of you, all the time. (They go out)

FRIAR

I scattered all the fireflies I caught on the road when I ran last night.  And now the crowd has trampled them down.  I wish I had left them in the woods.  Listen to the way they are shouting.  I wonder what’s the matter.  They must have squeezed somebody to death again.

LIPA (closing her eyes)

When you talk, Vassya, your words seem to pass by me.  I hear and I don’t hear.  I think I should like to stay this way all my life without moving from the spot.  I should like to remain forever with my eyes shut, listening to what is going on within me.  Oh, Lord!  What happiness!  Do you understand, Vassya?

FRIAR

Yes, I understand.

LIPA

No.  Do you understand what it is that has happened to-day?  Why, it means that God has said—­God Himself has said:  “Wait and do not fear.  You are miserable.  Never mind, it’s nothing, it’s only temporary.  You must wait.  Nothing has to be destroyed.  You must work and wait.”  Oh, it will come, Vassya, it will come.  I feel it now, I know it.

FRIAR

What will come?

LIPA

Life, Vassya, real life will come.  Oh, mercy!  I still feel like crying for joy.  Don’t be afraid.

[Speransky and Tony enter, the latter very gloomy, glancing sideways and sighing.  In a queer way he sometimes recalls Savva his gait and look.

SPERANSKY

Good morning, Miss Olympiada.  Good morning, Vassya.  What an extraordinary event, if we are to believe what people say.

LIPA