where with the governor-general. And the
town-governor--I'll keep him waiting at the door. Ha, ha, ha! [He bursts
into a roar of laughter, shaking all over.] That's what's so alluring,
confound it!

ANNA. You always like such coarse things. You must remember that our
life will have to be completely changed, that your acquaintances will
not be a dog-lover of a judge, with whom you go hunting hares, or a
Zemlianika. On the contrary, your acquaintances will be people of the
most refined type, counts, and society aristocrats. Only really I am
afraid of you. You sometimes use words that one never hears in good
society.

GOVERNOR. What of it? A word doesn't hurt.

ANNA. It's all right when you are a town-governor, but there the life is
entirely different.

GOVERNOR. Yes, they say there are two kinds of fish there, the sea-eel
and the smelt, and before you start to eat them, the saliva flows in
your mouth.

ANNA. That's all he thinks about--fish. I shall insist upon our house
being the first in the capital and my room having so much amber in it
that when you come in you have to shut your eyes. [She shuts her eyes
and sniffs.] Oh, how good!

SCENE II

The same and the Merchants.

GOVERNOR. Ah, how do you do, my fine fellows?

MERCHANTS [bowing]. We wish you health, father.

GOVERNOR. Well, my dearly beloved friends, how are you? How are your
goods selling? So you complained against me, did you, you tea tanks, you
scurvy hucksters? Complain, against me? You crooks, you pirates, you.
Did you gain a lot by it, eh? Aha, you thought you'd land me in prison?
May seven devils and one she-devil take you! Do you know that--

ANNA. Good heavens, Antosha, what words you use!

GOVERNOR [irritated]. Oh, it isn't a matter of words now. Do you know
that the very official to whom you complained is going to marry my
daughter? Well, what do you say to that? Now I'll make you smart. You
cheat the people, you make a contract with the government, and you
do the government out of a hundred thousand, supplying it with rotten
cloth; and when you give fifteen yards away gratis, you expect a reward
besides. If they knew, they would send you to--And you strut about
sticking out your paunches with a great air of importance: "I'm a
merchant, don't touch me." "We," you say, "are as good as the nobility."
Yes, the nobility, you monkey-faces. The nobleman is educated. If he
gets flogged in school, it is for a purpose, to learn something