omedy. The fantastic but amusing plot of this lesser
comedy, "Marriage," is founded upon a young girl's meditations on that
theme, and the actions which lead up to and follow them. The wealthy
heroine of the merchant class, being desirous of marrying, enlists the
services of the professional match-maker, the old-time Russian
matrimonial agent, in the merchant and peasant classes. This match-maker
offers for her choice several eligible suitors (all strangers), and the
girl makes her choice. She is well pleased with it, but suddenly begins
to speculate on the future; is moved to tears by the prospect that her
daughter may be unhappy in a hypothetical marriage, in the dim future;
and at last, driven to despair by this painful picture of her fancy, she
evades her betrothed and breaks off the match.

The interest of "The Inspector" is perennial and universal; official
negligence, corruption, bribery, masculine vanity and boastfulness, and
feminine failings to match, are the exclusive prerogatives of no one
nation or epoch. The comedy is not a caricature, but it is a faithful
society portrait and satire, with intense condensation of character, and
traits which are not only truly and typically Russian, but come within
the ken of all fair-minded persons of other lands. The scene opens in a
room at the house of the Chief of Police in a provincial town. Those
present are: The Chief himself, the Curator of the Board of Benevolent
Institutions, the Superintendent of Schools, the Judge, the Commissioner
of Police, the Doctor, and two policemen.

CHIEF.--I have summoned you hither, gentlemen, in order to
communicate to you an unpleasant piece of news. An Inspector is
coming.

JUDGE.--What! An Inspector?

CHIEF.--An Inspector from St. Petersburg, incognito, and with
secret orders, to boot.

JUDGE.--I thought so!

CURATOR.--If there's not trouble, I'm mistaken!

CHIEF.--I have warned you, gentlemen. See to it! I have made
some arrangements in my own department, and I advise you to do
the same. Especially you, Artemy Philipp'itch! Without a doubt,
this traveling official will wish, first of all, to inspect
your institutions, and therefore, you must arrange things so
that they will be decent. The nightcaps should be clean, and
the sick people should not look like blacksmiths, as they
usually do in private.

CURATOR.--Well, that is a mere trifle