got up? How did you pass the night? All alive, my precious?

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. Thank the Lord! I'm alive, able to chew; I've been
joking with my daughter all the morning.

USTINYA NAUMOVNA. All about dresses, I suppose. [_Exchanging kisses with_
LIPOCHKA] Well, your turn has come. What's this! It seems as if you had
grown stouter, my jewel! Lord bless you! What could be better than to
blossom out in beauty!

FOMINISHNA. Shame on you, temptress! You'll give us bad luck yet!

LIPOCHKA. Oh, what nonsense! It just looks that way to you, Ustinya
Naumovna. I keep getting punier; first it's stomachache, then palpitation
of the heart--just like the beating of a pendulum. Now I have a sinking
feeling, or feel kind of seasick, and things swim before my eyes.

USTINYA NAUMOVNA. [_To_ FOMINISHNA] Come on, you dear soul, let's have a
kiss now. To be sure, we've already exchanged greetings in the yard, my
jewel, so we don't need to rub lips again.

FOMINISHNA. Just as you wish. Of course I'm no lady of a household. I don't
amount to much; all the same I have a soul in me, and not just vapor!

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. [_Sitting down_] Sit down, sit down, Ustinya
Naumovna! Why do you stand up as stiff as a bean-pole? Fominishna, go tell
them to heat up the samovar.

USTINYA NAUMOVNA. I've had my tea, I've had it, my jewel; may I perish on
the spot if I haven't; and I've just dropped in for a moment.

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. What are you loafing about for, Fominishna? Run off
a little more nimbly, granny.

LIPOCHKA. Let me, mamma, I'll go quicker; look how clumsy she is!

FOMINISHNA. Don't you meddle where you aren't asked! For my part, my dear
Agrafena Kondratyevna, this is what I think: wouldn't it be nicer to serve
cordial and some herring?

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. Cordial's all right, and the samovar's all right. Or
are you stingy with other people's stuff? Well, when it's ready, have it
brought here.

FOMINISHNA. Certainly! All right! [_She goes out_.

SCENE V

_The same, without_ FOMINISHNA

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. Well, haven't you any news, Ustinya Naumovna? This
girl of mine is simply grieved to death.

LIPOCHKA. And really, Ustinya Naumovna, you keep coming, and coming, and no
good comes of it.

USTINYA NAUMOVNA. But one can't fix things up quickly with you, my jewels.
Your daddy has his eye peeled for a rich fellow; he tells me he'll be
satisfied with any bell-boy provided he has money and asks a sm