stibly comic on the stage,
habitually addresses her clients as, "my silver ones," "my
golden ones," "my emerald ones," "my brilliant (or diamond)
ones," which she pronounces "bralliant." Matters are nearly
arranged for Lipotchka's marriage with a man of good birth.

Old Bolshoff, however, is represented as being in a financial
position where he can take his choice between paying all his
debts and being thus left penniless but honest; and paying his
creditors nothing, or, at most, a quarter of their dues, and
remaining rich enough to indulge in the luxury of a noble
son-in-law, the only motive on whose part for such a marriage
being, naturally, the bride's dowry.

Old Bolshoff decides to defraud his creditors, with the aid of
a pettifogging lawyer, and he makes over all his property to
his clerk, Podkhaliuzin. The latter has long sighed for
Lipotchka, but his personal repulsiveness, added to his
merchant rank, has prevented his ever daring to hint at such a
thing. Now, however, he sees his chance. He promises the legal
shyster a round sum if he will arrange matters securely in his
favor. He bribes the match-maker to get rid of the noble
suitor, and to bring about his marriage with Lipotchka,
promising her, in case of success, two thousand rubles and a
sable-lined cloak.

Matters have gone so far that Lipotchka is gorgeously arrayed
to receive her nobly born suitor, and accept him. Her mother is
feasting her eyes on her adored child, in one of the intervals
of her grumbling and bickering with her "ungrateful offspring,"
and warning the dear idol not to come in contact with the door,
and crush her finery. But the match-maker announces that the
man has beaten a retreat; Lipotchka falls in a swoon. Her
father declares that there is no occasion for that, as he has a
suitable match at hand. He calls in Podkhaliuzin, whom
Lipotchka despises, and presents him, commanding his daughter
to wed. Lipotchka flatly refuses. But after a private interview
with the ambitious clerk, in which the latter informs her that
she no longer possesses a dowry wherewith to attract a noble
suitor, and in which he promises that she shall have the
greatest liberty and be indulged in any degree of extravagance,
she consents.

The marriage takes place. But