b that says: "The thunderbolt
strikes, not from the clouds, but from the dung-heap." Good Lord! Just look
at her; what a lady!

OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA. Bright idea of yours, Lazar Elizarych, ever to have
anything to do with her!

PODKHALYUZIN. Really, a very absurd woman.

OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA. [_Glancing out of the window_] I believe they've let
daddy out of the pen; go see, Lazar Elizarych.

PODKHALYUZIN. Well, no, ma'am; they won't let daddy out of the pen soon,
either; most likely they ordered him to the meeting of the creditors,
and then he got leave to come home. Mamma, ma'am! Agrafena Kondratyevna!
Daddy's coming, ma'am!

SCENE IV

_The same,_ BOLSHOV, _and_ AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. Where is he? Where is he? My own children, my little
doves! [_Kisses are exchanged._

PODKHALYUZIN. Daddy, how do you do, our respects!

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. My little dove, Samson Silych, my treasure! You've
left me an orphan in my old age!

BOLSHOV. That'll do, wife; stop!

OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA. What's the matter with you, ma? you're crying over
him as if he were dead! God only knows what's happened.

BOLSHOV. That's just it, daughter; God only knows; but all the same your
father's in jail.

OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA. Why, daddy, there are better people than you and me
there, too.

BOLSHOV. There are, that's so! But how does it feel to be there? How'd you
like to go through the street with a soldier? Oh, daughter! You see they've
known me here in this city for forty years; for forty years they've all
bowed to me down to their belts, but now the street brats point their
fingers at me.

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. You haven't any color at all, my darling! You look
like a ghost.

PODKHALYUZIN. Ah, daddy, God is merciful! When the rough places are
smoothed over it'll all be pleasant again. Well, daddy, what do the
creditors say?

BOLSHOV. Here's what: they've agreed on the terms. "What's the use," they
say, "of dragging it out? Maybe it'll do good, maybe it won't; but just
give something in cash, and deuce take you!"

PODKHALYUZIN. Why not give 'em something, sir! By all means do, sir! But do
they ask much, daddy?

BOLSHOV. They ask twenty-five kopeks.

PODKHALYUZIN. That's a good deal, daddy!

BOLSHOV. Well, man, I know myself that it's a good deal; but what's to be
done? They won't take less.

PODKHALYUZIN. If they'd take ten kopeks, then it'd be all right sir. Seven
and a half for satis