Page:Five Russian plays and one Ukrainian.pdf/162

 my consent! They mustn’t do it, your excellency! I’m a poor woman, and live by lodgers. I’m a weak, defenceless womaneverybody insults me, and I never hear a kind word from anybody.


 * Permit me. (Takes her application and reads it, standing.)

(to Hirin): But I must begin at the beginning. Suddenly last week I got a letter from Mama. She wrote that a certain Grendelevski had proposed to my sister Kate. An excellent, modest young man, but without any means and with no particular position. And apparently, just imagine, Kate was attracted by him. What was to be done? Mama wrote to me to come at once and use my influence over my sister.

(roughly): Excuse me, you’re disturbing me! You and Mama and Kate—here am I disturbed and I don’t understand anything.


 * There’s seriousness! Why are you so bad-tempered to-day? You’re in love? (Smiles.)

(to Merchutkin): Excuse me, what is all this about? I don’t understand.


 * In love? Aha! He blushed!