you’re jabbering about!
Akoulína
Yes, I do. I’ll not live with her! I’ll turn her out of the house! She can’t live here with me. The mistress indeed! She’s not the mistress—that jailbird!
Nikíta
That’s enough! What have you to do with her? Don’t mind her. You look at me! I am the master! I do as I like. I’ve ceased to love her, and now I love you. I love who I like! The power is mine, she’s under me. That’s where I keep her. Points to his feet. A pity we’ve no concertina. Sings.
“We have loaves on the stoves,
We have porridge on the shelf.
So we’ll live and be gay,
Making merry every day,
And when death comes,
Then we’ll die!
We have loaves on the stoves,
We have porridge on the shelf …”
Enter
Mítritch. He takes off his outdoor things and climbs on the oven.
Mítritch
Seems the women have been fighting again! Tearing each other’s hair. Oh Lord, gracious Nicholas!
Akím
Sitting on the edge of the oven, takes his leg-bands and shoes and begins putting them on. Get in, get into the corner.
Mítritch
Seems they can’t settle matters between them. Oh Lord!
Nikíta
Get out the liquor, we’ll have some with our tea.
Nan
To Akoulína. Sister, the samovar is just boiling over.
Nikíta
And where’s your mother?
Nan
She’s standing and crying out there in the passage.
Nikíta
Oh, that’s it! Call her, and tell her to bring the samovar. And you, Akoulína, get the tea things.
Akoulína
The tea things? All right.
Brings the things.
Nikíta
Unpacks spirits, rusks, and salt herrings. That’s for myself. This is yarn for the wife. The paraffin is out there in the passage, and here’s the money. Wait a bit,
takes a counting-frame I’ll add it up.
Adds. Wheat-flour, eighty kopecks, oil … Father, ten roubles. … Father, come let’s have some tea!
Silence.
Akím sits on the oven and winds the bands round his legs. Enter
Anísya with samovar.
Anísya
Where shall I put it?
Nikíta
Here on the table. Well! have you been to the Elder? Ah, that’s it! Have your say and then eat your words. Now then, that’s enough. Don’t be cross, sit down and drink this.
Fills a wineglass for her. And here’s your present.
Gives her the parcel he had been sitting on. Anísya takes it silently and shakes her head.
Akím
Gets down and puts on his sheepskin, then comes up to the table and puts down the money. Here, take your money back! Put it away.
Nikíta
Does not see the money. Why have you put on your things?
Akím
I’m going, going I mean; forgive me for the Lord’s sake.
Takes up his cap and belt.
Nikíta
My gracious! Where are you going to at this time of night?
Akím
I can’t, I mean what d’ye call ’em, in your house, what d’ye call ’em, can’t stay I mean, stay, can’t stay, forgive me.
Nikíta
But are you going without having any tea?
Akím
Fastens his belt. Going, because, I mean, it’s not right in your house, I mean, what d’you call it, not right, Nikíta, in the house, what d’ye call it, not right! I mean, you are living a bad life, Nikíta, bad—I’ll go.
Nikíta
Eh now! Have done talking! Sit down and drink your tea!
Anísya
Why, father, you’ll shame us before the neighbours. What has offended you?
Akím
Nothing what d’ye call it, nothing has offended me, nothing at all! I mean only, I see, what d’you call it, I mean, I see my son, to ruin I mean, to ruin, I mean my son’s on the road to ruin, I mean.
Nikíta
What ruin? Just prove it!
Akím
Ruin, ruin; you’re in the midst of it! What did I tell you that time?
Nikíta
You said all sorts of things!
Akím
I told you, what d’ye call it, I told you about the orphan lass. That you had wronged an orphan—Marína, I mean, wronged her!
Nikíta
Eh! he’s at it again. Let bygones be bygones … All that’s past!
Akím
Excited. Past! No, lad, it’s not past. Sin, I mean, fastens on to sin—drags sin after it, and you’ve stuck fast, Nikíta, fast in sin! Stuck fast in sin! I see you’re fast in sin. Stuck fast, sunk in sin, I mean!
Nikíta
Sit down and drink your tea, and have done with it!
Akím
I can’t, I mean can’t what d’ye call it, can’t drink tea. Because of your filth, I mean; I feel what d’ye call it, I feel sick, very sick! I can’t what d’ye call it, I can’t drink tea with you.
Nikíta
Eh! There he goes rambling! Come to the table.
Akím
You’re in your riches same as in a net—you’re in a net, I mean. Ah, Nikíta, it’s the soul that God needs!
Nikíta
Now really, what right have you to reprove me in my own house? Why do you keep on at me? Am I a child that you can pull by the hair? Nowadays those things have been dropped!
Akím
That’s true. I have heard that nowadays, what d’ye call it, that nowadays children pull their fathers’ beards, I mean! But that’s ruin, that’s ruin, I mean!
Nikíta
Angrily. We are living without help from you, and it’s you who came to us with your wants!
Akím
The money? There’s your money! I’ll go begging, begging I mean, before I’ll take it, I mean.
Nikíta
That’s enough! Why be angry and upset the whole company!
Holds him by the arm.
Akím
Shrieks. Let go! I’ll not stay. I’d rather sleep under some fence than in the midst of your filth! Faugh! God forgive me!
Exit.
Nikíta
Here’s a go!
Akím
Reopens the door. Come to your senses, Nikíta! It’s the soul that God wants!
Exit.
Akoulína
Takes cups. Well, shall I pour out the tea?
Takes a cup. All are silent.
Mítritch
Roars. Oh Lord, be merciful to me a sinner!
All start.
Nikíta
Lies down on the bench. Oh, it’s dull, it’s dull!
To
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