NADYA.  Because you’re still a boy!...  Leave me!

LEONID.  But, you see, he’s such a drunken, vile fellow.

NADYA.  Oh, my God!  It would be better for you to go off somewhere:  out of my sight.

LEONID.  Yes, really, it would be better for me to spend a week with our neighbors.

NADYA.  For God’s sake, do!

LEONID.  But Nadya, if it should be awfully hard for you to live with your husband, what then?

NADYA. [Weeping] Oh, leave me alone!  Be good enough to leave me alone! [Sobbing] I beg only one thing of you:  leave me, for God’s sake! [She sobs.

GAVRILOVNA and LIZA. [Motioning with their hands] Go away!  Go away!

LEONID.  Why do you drive me out?  I guess I’m sorry enough for her!  I keep thinking somehow or other, that it may still be possible to help her in some way.

NADYA. [With desperation] I don’t want any helpers or defenders!  I don’t want them!  If my patience fails, that pond of ours isn’t far off!

LEONID. [Timidly] Well, I’ll go away if you wish....  Only what is she saying?  You folks, look after her, please!  Good-by! [He goes to the door.

NADYA. [After him in a loud voice] Good-by!

LEONID goes out.

LIZA.  And so the old proverb is true:  What’s fun for the cat is tears for the mouse.

POVERTY IS NO CRIME

A COMEDY IN THREE ACTS

CHARACTERS

GORDEY KARPYCH TORTSOV, a rich merchant.

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA, his wife.

LYUBOV GORDEYEVNA, his daughter.

LYUBIM KARPYCH TORTSOV, his brother, a man who has squandered his property.

AFRIKAN SAVVICH KORSHUNOV[1], a manufacturer.

[Footnote 1:  Vulture]

MITYA, TORTSOV’S clerk.

YASHA GUSLIN, nephew of TORTSOV.

GRISHA RAZLYULYAYEV, a young merchant, the son of a rich father.

ANNA IVANOVNA, a young widow.

MASHA }
      } friends of LYUBOV TORTSOV. 
LIZA }

EGORUSHKA, a boy, distant relative of TORTSOV.

ARINA, nurse of LYUBOV GORDEYEVNA.

GUESTS, SERVANTS, MUMMERS, AND OTHERS.

The action takes place in a district town in the house of the merchant TORTSOV during the Christmas holidays.

POVERTY IS NO CRIME

ACT I

A small office room; in the rear wall a door; in the corner on the left a bed, on the right a cupboard.  In the left wall a window, and beside the window a table.  Near the table a chair; near the right wall a desk and a wooden stool.  Beside the bed a guitar; on the table and desk are books and papers.