Page:Plays by Anton Tchekoff (1916).djvu/102

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. What nonsense! The fact that you are a widow means nothing. You could beat any pretty girl you chose at a canter.

brings some tea.

. Why do you bring the tea in like that? Go and fetch some jam to eat with it!

. No thank you; none for me, don’t trouble yourself.

[A pause.

. [To ] Did you come through Mushkine on your way here?

. No, I came by way of Spassk. The road is better that way.

. Yes, so it is.

. Two in spades.

. Pass.

. Pass.

. Pass.

. The price of lottery tickets has gone up again, my dear. I have never known such a state of affairs. The first issue is already worth two hundred and seventy and the second nearly two hundred and fifty. This has never happened before.

. How fortunate for those who have a great many tickets!

. Don’t say that, dear; even when the price of tickets is high it does not pay to put one’s capital into them.

. Quite true, and yet, my dear, one never can tell what may happen. Providence is sometimes kind.

. My impression is, ladies, that at present capital is exceedingly unproductive. Shares pay very small dividends, and speculating is exceedingly dangerous. As I understand it, the capitalist now finds himself in a more critical position than the man who