SA PEREGRINOVNA. Don't be angry, benefactress! I spoke as I did
because you yourself know how touchy people are nowadays--never satisfied.

MADAM ULANBEKOV. You spoke as you did in order to cause me some
unpleasantness.

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA. May my eyes burst if I did.

MADAM ULANBEKOV. Well, I know you. You're never at rest in your own soul
unless you're about to say something mean. You will please be more careful;
otherwise you'll drive me out of patience one of these days; it'll be all
the worse for you. [_Silence_] Serve the tea.

GAVRILOVNA. Right away, mistress.

_She pours out two cups_. POTAPYCH _hands them to_ MADAM ULANBEKOV _and to_
VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA.

MADAM ULANBEKOV. Pour Grisha a cup, too; he went with me to-day, and he's
tired out.

GAVRILOVNA. Yes, mistress.

[_She pours out a cup and hands it to_ GRISHA.

GRISHA. Why didn't you put more milk in it? Are you stingy, eh?

GAVRILOVNA. [_Adding milk_] As it is, you're fattened on milk, like a calf.

GRISHA _takes the cup and goes out through the door into the garden._

MADAM ULANBEKOV. I have thought of marrying NADYA to NEGLIGENTOV--with
a decent settlement, of course. You say that he leads a bad life;
consequently we must hasten the wedding. She is a girl of good principles,
she'll hold him back, otherwise he'll ruin himself with his bachelor
habits. Bachelor life is very bad for young men.

NADYA. [_To_ LIZA] Do you hear, Liza? What's this? My God!

LIZA. You just have to listen, and you can't say a word.

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA. It's high time she was married, benefactress; why
should she be hanging around here? And now your young son, the angel, has
come.

MADAM ULANBEKOV. Oh, be still! What are you thinking up now? Why, he's only
a child!

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA. A child, benefactress! Well, there's nothing more to
be said; God gave you a son as a joy and a consolation. And we can never
feast our eyes enough on him. It's just as if the sunshine had come into
our house. So good-natured, so merry, so gentle with every one! But he's
already running after the girls so; he never lets one pass; and they, silly
things, are tickled to death; they fairly snort with delight.

MADAM ULANBEKOV. You're lying. He never has a chance to see the girls
anywhere, I think; all day long they are in their own side of the house,
and, besides, they never go anywhere.

VASILISA PEREGRINOVNA. Ah, benefactress, there are no locks to keep a girl
in, onc