A sitting-room in LEBEDIEFF'S house.In the middle of the wall at the back of the room is an arch dividing the sitting-room from the ballroom.To the right and left are doors.Some old bronzes are placed about the room;family portraits are hanging on the walls.Everything is arranged as if for some festivity.On the piano lies a violin;near it stands a violoncello.During the entire act guests,dressed as for a ball,are seen walking about in the ball-room.
Enter LVOFF,looking at his watch.
LVOFF.It is five o'clock.The ceremony must have begun.First the priest will bless them,and then they will be led to the church to be married.Is this how virtue and justice triumph?Not being able to rob Sarah,he has tortured her to death;and now he has found another victim whom he will deceive until he has robbed her,and then he will get rid of her as he got rid of poor Sarah.
It is the same old sordid story.[A pause]He will live to a fine old age in the seventh heaven of happiness,and will die with a clear conscience.No,Ivanoff,it shall not be!I shall drag your villainy to light!And when I tear off that accursed mask of yours and show you to the world as the blackguard you are,you shall come plunging down headfirst from your seventh heaven,into a pit so deep that the devil himself will not be able to drag you out of it!I am a man of honour;it is my duty to interfere in such cases as yours,and to open the eyes of the blind.I shall fulfil my mission,and to-morrow will find me far away from this accursed place.[Thoughtfully]But what shall I do?To have an explanation with Lebedieff would be a hopeless task.Shall I make a scandal,and challenge Ivanoff to a duel?I am as excited as a child,and have entirely lost th e power of planning anything.
What shall I do?Shall I fight a duel?
Enter KOSICH.He goes gaily up to LVOFF.
KOSICH.I declared a little slam in clubs yesterday,and made a grand slam!Only that man Barabanoff spoilt the whole game for me again.We were playing--well,I said "No trumps"and he said "Pass.""Two in clubs,"he passed again.I made it two in hearts.
He said "Three in clubs,"and just imagine,can you,what happened?I declared a little slam and he never showed his ace!
If he had showed his ace,the villain,I should have declared a grand slam in no trumps!
LVOFF.Excuse me,I don't play cards,and so it is impossible for me to share your enthusiasm.When does the ceremony begin?
KOSICH.At once,I think.They are now bringing Zuzu to herself again.She is bellowing like a bull;she can't bear to see the money go.
LVOFF.And what about the daughter?
KOSICH.No,it is the money.She doesn't like this affair anyway.
He is marrying her daughter,and that means he won't pay his debts for a long time.One can't sue one's son-in-law.
MARTHA,very much dressed up,struts across the stage past LVOFFand KOSICH.The latter bursts out laughing behind his hand.
MARTHA looks around.
MARTHA.Idiot!
KOSICH digs her in the ribs and laughs loudly.
MARTHA.Boor!
KOSICH.[Laughing]The woman's head has been turned.Before she fixed her eye on a title she was like any other woman,but there is no coming near her now![Angrily]A boor,indeed!
LVOFF.[Excitedly]Listen to me;tell me honestly,what do you think of Ivanoff?
KOSICH.He's no good at all.He plays cards like a lunatic.This is what happened last year during Lent:I,the Count,Borkin and he,sat down to a game of cards.I led a--LVOFF [Interrupting him]Is he a good man?
KOSICH.He?Yes,he's a good one!He and the Count are a pair of trumps.They have keen noses for a good game.First,Ivanoff set his heart on the Jewess,then,when his schemes failed in that quarter,he turned his thoughts toward Zuzu's money-bags.I'll wager you he'll ruin Zuzu in a year.He will ruin Zuzu,and the Count will ruin Martha.They will gather up all the money they can lay hands on,and live happily ever after!But,doctor,why are you so pale to-day?You look like a ghost.
LVOFF.Oh,it's nothing.I drank a little too much yesterday.
Enter LEBEDIEFF with SASHA.
LEBEDIEFF.We can have our talk here.[To LVOFF and KOSICH]Go into the ball-room,you two old fogies,and talk to the girls.
Sasha and I want to talk alone here.
KOSICH.[Snapping his fingers enthusiastically as he goes by SASHA]What a picture!A queen of trumps!
LEBEDIEFF.Go along,you old cave-dweller;go along.
KOSICH and LVOFF go out.
LEBEDIEFF.Sit down,Sasha,there--[He sits down and looks about him]Listen to me attentively and with proper respect.The fact is,your mother has asked me to say this,do you understand?I am not speaking for myself.Your mother told me to speak to you.
SASHA.Papa,do say it briefly!
LEBEDIEFF.When you are married we mean to give you fifteen thousand roubles.Please don't let us have any discussion about it afterward.Wait,now!Be quiet!That is only the beginning.
The best is yet to come.We have allotted you fifteen thousand roubles,but in consideration of the fact that Nicholas owes your mother nine thousand,that sum will have to be deducted from the amount we mean to give you.Very well.Now,beside that--SASHA.Why do you tell me all this?
LEBEDIEFF.Your mother told me to.
SASHA.Leave me in peace!If you had any respect for yourself or me you could not permit yourself to speak to me in this way.Idon't want your money!I have not asked for it,and never shall.
LEBEDIEFF.What are you attacking me for?The two rats in Gogol's fable sniffed first and then ran away,but you attack without even sniffing.
SASHA.Leave me in peace,and do not offend my ears with your two-penny calculations.