Madeira if you want it, sir! Mamma, pass daddy something.

AGRAFENA KONDRATYEVNA. Eat, Samson Silych, dear! Eat! I'll pour out a
little punch for you, dear!

BOLSHOV. [_Drinks_] Rescue me, my children, rescue me!

PODKHALYUZIN. Here, daddy, you were pleased to ask what I had done with the
money?--How can you ask, sir? Just consider yourself: I'm beginning to do
business; of course, without capital it's impossible, sir; there's nothing
to begin on. Here, I've bought a house; we've ordered everything that a
good house ought to have, horses, and one thing and another. Just consider
yourself! One has to think about the children.

OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA. Why, daddy, we can't strip ourselves bare! We're none
of your common townspeople.

PODKHALYUZIN. Daddy, please consider: to-day, without capital, sir, without
capital you can't do much business.

OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA. I lived with you until I was twenty years old, daddy,
and was a regular stay-at-home. What, would you have me give back the money
to you, and go about again in calico-print clothes?

BOLSHOV. What are you saying? What are you saying? Recollect! You see I'm
not asking any kindness of you, but my rights. Are you human beings?

OLIMPIADA SAMSONOVNA. Why, of course, daddy, we're human beings; we're not
animals.

BOLSHOV. Lazar, you just recollect; you see, I've given away everything to
you, fairly wiped my slate clean; here's what I've got left, you see! You
see, I took you into my house when you were a little rascal, you heartless
scoundrel! I gave you food and drink as if I were your own father, and set
you up in the world. But did I ever see any sort of gratitude in you?
Did I? Recollect, Lazar, how many times have I noticed that you were
light-fingered! What of it? I didn't drive you away as if you were a beast,
I didn't tell on you all over town. I made you my head clerk; I gave all my
property away to you; and to you, Lazar, I gave even my daughter, with my
own hand. If you hadn't received permission from me, you'd never have dared
look at her.

PODKHALYUZIN. If you please, daddy, I feel all that very keenly, sir.

BOLSHOV. Yes, you do! You ought to give everything away as I did, and leave
yourself nothing but your shirt, just to rescue your benefactor. But I
don't ask that, I don't need to; you simply pay out for me what's expected
now.

PODKHALYUZIN. And why shouldn't I pay, sir? Only they ask a price that's
wholly unreasonable.

BOLSHOV. But