Marina.  Dost thou truly think
I shall be queen?

ROUZYA.  Who, if not you?  Who here
Dares to compare in beauty with my mistress? 
The race of Mnishek never yet has yielded
To any.  In intellect you are beyond
All praise.—­Happy the suitor whom your glance
Honours with its regard, who wins your heart—­
Whoe’er he be, be he our king, the dauphin
Of France, or even this our poor tsarevich
God knows who, God knows whence!

Marina.  The very son
Of the tsar, and so confessed by the whole world.

ROUZYA.  And yet last winter he was but a servant
In the house of Vishnevetsky.

Marina.  He was hiding.

ROUZYA.  I do not question it:  but still do you know
What people say about him?  That perhaps
He is a deacon run away from Moscow,
In his own district a notorious rogue.

Marina.  What nonsense!

ROUZYA.  O, I do not credit it! 
I only say he ought to bless his fate
That you have so preferred him to the others.

Waiting-woman. (Runs in.) The guests have come already.

Marina.  There you see;
You’re ready to chatter silliness till daybreak. 
Meanwhile I am not dressed—­

ROUZYA.  Within a moment
’Twill be quite ready.

(The Waiting-women bustle.)

Marina. (Aside.) I must find out all.

A SUITE OF LIGHTED ROOMS.

VISHNEVETSKY, MNISHEK

Mnishek.  With none but my Marina doth he speak,
With no one else consorteth—­and that business
Looks dreadfully like marriage.  Now confess,
Didst ever think my daughter would be a queen?

Vishnevetsky.  ’Tis wonderful.—­And, Mnishek, didst thou think
My servant would ascend the throne of Moscow?

Mnishek.  And what a girl, look you, is my Marina. 
I merely hinted to her:  “Now, be careful! 
Let not Dimitry slip”—­and lo!  Already
He is completely tangled in her toils.

(The band plays a Polonaise.  The pretender and
Marina advance as the first couple.)

Marina. (Sotto voce to Dimitry.) Tomorrow evening at eleven, beside
The fountain in the avenue of lime-trees.

(They walk off.  A second couple.)

Cavalier.  What can Dimitry see in her?

Dame.  How say you? 
She is a beauty.

Cavalier.  Yes, a marble nymph;
Eyes, lips, devoid of life, without a smile.

(A fresh couple.)

Dame.  He is not handsome, but his eyes are pleasing,
And one can see he is of royal birth.

(A fresh couple.)