ARINA.  Yes, to be sure, to be sure!  Why shouldn’t they?

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA.  Bring in some Madeira, Arinushka, the oldest we have; and gingerbread for the young people, and sweets—­whatever you choose!  Attend to it yourself, but don’t forget the Madeira.

ARINA.  I understand, I understand; there’ll be enough of everything. 
Directly, my dear, directly!

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA.  And a snack for the young men.

ARINA.  Everything, everything will be all right.  Don’t you worry yourself; you join the guests.  I’ll do everything with pleasure. [Goes out.

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA. [Going to the door] Girls, boys, come here!  There’s more room here and it’s lighter.

Enter LYUBOV GORDEYEVNA, MASHA, LIZA, ANNA IVANOVNA, RAZLYULYAYEV, MITYA, GUSLIN, and two GUESTS.

SCENE V

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA, LYUBOV GORDEYEVNA, MASHA, LIZA, ANNA IVANOVNA, RAZLYULYAYEV, MITYA, GUSLIN, and two GUESTS (old women).

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA. [To the old women] We’ll sit here. [Seats herself on the sofa, with the old women near her; ANNA IVANOVNA and GUSLIN take chairs and talk quietly; MITYA stands near them; MASHA, LYUBOV GORDEYEVNA, and LIZA walk about the room with their arms round each other; RAZLYULYAYEV follows them] We’ll watch them while they play.

LIZA.  “Just imagine, mother!” I said, “he doesn’t know how to talk properly, and he even uses such words that it’s absolutely impolite.”

RAZLYULYAYEV.  Do you mean me?

LIZA.  We aren’t talking about you; it’s no business of yours. [She continues] “But why, mother, must I love him?” [Speaks in a whisper.

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA.  Yes, my friend, I love the good old ways.  Yes, our good old Russian ways.  But there! my husband doesn’t care for them!  What can you do about it?  That’s his character.  But I love them, I’m naturally jolly; yes, I love to give a person a bite and to get them to sing songs to me!  Yes, I take after my family.  Our family are all jolly, and love singing.

FIRST GUEST. When I look round, my dear Pelageya Egorovna, there isn’t the gayety that there used to be when we were young.

SECOND GUEST. No, no.

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA.  In my young days I was the merriest sort of girl—­always singing and dancing—–­indeed I was.  Yes, what songs I knew!  They don’t sing such songs now.

FIRST GUEST. No, they don’t sing them; new songs have come in now.

SECOND GUEST. Yes, yes, one remembers the old times.

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA.  Yasha dear!  Sing us some good old songs.

GUSLIN takes the guitar.

RAZLYULYAYEV. [To the girls] So it’s no use for me to wait; evidently I shan’t get any sense out of you.

LIZA.  What do you mean by sense?  I don’t understand.