friend. What--?

ANNA. Listen, Osip, does your master wear uniform in St. Petersburg?

GOVERNOR. Enough of your tattle now, really. This is a serious matter, a
matter of life and death. (To Osip.) Yes, friend, I like you very much.
It's rather chilly now and when a man's travelling an extra glass of tea
or so is rather welcome. So here's a couple of rubles for some tea.

OSIP [taking the money.] Thank you, much obliged to you, sir. God grant
you health and long life. You've helped a poor man.

GOVERNOR. That's all right. I'm glad to do it. Now, friend--

ANNA. Listen, Osip, what kind of eyes does your master like most?

MARYA. Osip, darling, what a dear nose your master has!

GOVERNOR. Stop now, let me speak. [To Osip.] Tell me, what does your
master care for most? I mean, when he travels what does he like?

OSIP. As for sights, he likes whatever happens to come along. But what
he likes most of all is to be received well and entertained well.

GOVERNOR. Entertained well?

OSIP. Yes, for instance, I'm nothing but a serf and yet he sees to it
that I should be treated well, too. S'help me God! Say we'd stop at
some place and he'd ask, "Well, Osip, have they treated you well?" "No,
badly, your Excellency." "Ah," he'd say, "Osip, he's not a good host.
Remind me when we get home." "Oh, well," thinks I to myself [with a wave
of his hand]. "I am a simple person. God be with them."

GOVERNOR. Very good. You talk sense. I've given you something for tea.
Here's something for buns, too.

OSIP. You are too kind, your Excellency. [Puts the money in his pocket.]
I'll sure drink your health, sir.

ANNA. Come to me, Osip, and I'll give you some, too.

MARYA. Osip, darling, kiss your master for me.

Khlestakov is heard to give a short cough in the next room.

GOVERNOR. Hush! [Rises on tip-toe. The rest of the conversation in the
scene is carried on in an undertone.] Don't make a noise, for heaven's
sake! Go, it's enough.

ANNA. Come, Mashenka, I'll tell you something I noticed about our guest
that I can't tell you unless we are alone together. [They go out.]

GOVERNOR. Let them talk away. If you went and listened to them, you'd
want to stop up your ears. [To Osip.] Well, friend--

SCENE XI

The same, Derzhimorda and Svistunov.

GOVERNOR. Sh--sh! Bandy-legged bears--thumping their boots on the floor!
Bump, bump as if a thousand pounds were being unloaded from a wagon.
Where in the devil have you been knockin