moment--what's the use?

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. I'll stop, child, I'll stop; I'll stop right off!

SCENE III

_The same, and USTINYA NAUMOVNA_

USTINYA NAUMOVNA. [_Entering_] How are you, my jewels! What are you gloomy
and down in the dumps for?

[_Kisses are exchanged._

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. We'd about given you up.

LIPOCHKA. Well, Ustinya Naumovna, will he come soon?

USTINYA NAUMOVNA. It's my fault, I own up at once; it's my fault! But our
affairs, my jewels, aren't in a very good way.

LIPOCHKA. How! What do you mean by that?

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. Now what new notion have you got?

USTINYA NAUMOVNA. Why, my pearls, our suitor is wavering.

BOLSHOV. Ha, ha, ha! You're a great go-between! How are you going to make a
match?

USTINYA NAUMOVNA. He's like a balky horse, he won't whoa nor giddup. You
can't get a sensible word out of him.

LIPOCHKA. But what's this, Ustinya Naumovna? What do you mean, really?

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. Holy saints! How can it be!

LIPOCHKA. Have you just seen him?

USTINYA NAUMOVNA. I was at his house this morning. He came out just as he
was, in his dressing-gown; but he treated me, be it said to his honor. He
ordered coffee, and rum, and heaps of fancy crackers--simply piles of them.
"Eat away!" says he, "Ustinya Naumovna." I had come on business, you know,
so it was necessary to find out something definite. So I said: "You wanted
to go to-day and get acquainted." But on that subject he wouldn't say a
sensible word to me. "Well," he said, "we'll think it over, and advise
about it." And all he did was pull at the cords of his dressing-gown.

LIPOCHKA. Why does he just fold his arms and sentimentalize? Why, it's
disgusting to see how long this lasts.

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. Really, now, why is he showing off? Aren't we as
good as he is?

USTINYA NAUMOVNA. Plague take him; can't we find another fellow?

BOLSHOV. Don't you look for another, or the same thing will happen again.
I'll find another for you myself.

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. Yes, much you will, unless you get down off the
stove and hustle. You've actually forgotten, I think, that you have a
daughter.

BOLSHOV. We'll see!

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. We'll see what? We'll see nothing! Bah--don't talk
to me, please; don't aggravate me. [_She sits down._

_BOLSHOV bursts out laughing;_ USTINYA NAUMOVNA _walks off with_ LIPOCHKA
_to the other side of the stage_. USTINYA NAUMOVNA _inspects the girl's
dr