his feet_] Don't make me unhappy for my whole life! Relent, father! Make me
do whatever you like, only don't compel me to marry a man I don't love!

GORDEY KARPYCH. I never take back my word. [_Rises._

LYUBOV GORDEYEVNA. As you wish, father! [_Bows and goes to her mother._

KORSHUNOV. There, that business is over! Now, then, girls--a marriage song!

GIRLS. [_Sing_] "The flowers in the garden will wither all about me,
The blue flower in the meadow will be faded and forlorn;
And so will my darling of the red cheeks without me;
So rise up early, mother, in the morn.
You must water all the flowers
In the dawn and evening hours
With water very often and with bitter tears in showers."

LYUBOV GORDEYEVNA. Not that, not that! Sing another!

GORDEY KARPYCH. Let's go into the reception-room, Afrikan Savvich. Wife,
all of you, come there!

LYUBOV GORDEYEVNA. Where can I hide myself!

GORDEY KARPYCH. Arina, bring along the wine!

ARINA. Oh, wait, I can't attend to you now! My darling child! Girls, my
dearies! Here's the song we'll sing. [_She sings._

"Thou art my own, my mother,
Who grievest day by day,
And at night to God dost pray.
Thou who art so downcast,
Look but once on her here,
Thy daughter who was so dear--
For the last time--the last."

LYUBOV GORDEYEVNA. For the last time.

_At the end of this song_ GORDEY KARPYCH _and_ KORSHUNOV _go out;_ LYUBOV
GORDEYEVNA _remains in the embrace of her mother, surrounded by her
friends._

ACT III

_A small room in the house of_ TORTSOV, _furnished with cupboards of
various sorts; chests and shelves with plates and silver. Furniture: sofas,
armchairs, and tables, all very expensive and crowded together. Usually
this room is used as a sort of sitting-room for the mistress of the
house, where she directs her household, and where she receives her guests
informally. One door leads into the room where the guests are dining, and
the other into the inner rooms._

SCENE I

ARINA _is seated on a chair near the door leading into the dining-room;
near her are several girls and women._

ARINA. [_Looking into the dining-room_] I didn't expect this, my dear
friends! I never thought to see it! He fell upon us like a hawk--like snow
on the head; he seized our darling swan from the flock of her dear ones,
from father, from mother, from kinsfolk, and from friends. We didn't
realize what was happening. What things h