ALEXANDER MARMAROW, a young official.
BARSSEGH LEPROINK, a merchant.
KHALI, his wife.
MOSI, Leproink's relative.
MICHO, shop-boy at Leproink's.
DARTSCHO, clerk at Leproink's.
MARTHA, Salome's friend.

Guests, an executor, his secretary, creditors, witnesses, and several
servants.

The scene is Tiflis. The first and third acts take place in Ossep's
house, the second in Barssegh's.

THE RUINED FAMILY

ACT I

_Well-furnished room with open door in centre and ante-room behind. To
the left in foreground a window looking out upon a garden. To the right
a sofa, in front of which is a table. To the left a tachta[35] with a
ketscha[36] and several mutakas.[37] A side door._

[35] Broad, low sofa.

[36] Carpet.

[37] Long, round pillows.

SCENE I

_Salome. Chacho_.

SALOME [_from back of stage_]. You're welcome. Come, come, I beg of you.
Dear aunt, how can I thank you for taking the trouble to come here!

CHACHO [_covered by a tschadra[38] enters from the right of the
ante-chamber_]. Good-morning! [_Taking off the tschadra._] Why did you
send for me in such haste?
[_Gives one end of the tschadra to Salome_.

[38] A long veil, covering the head and upper part of the body.

SALOME [_taking hold of one end of the tschadra_]. Dear aunt, I am in
such a desperate mood that if someone were to pierce my heart not a drop
of blood would flow.
[_While she is speaking they fold the tschadra_.

CHACHO. So it seems that it cannot be managed?

SALOME. How could it be managed, dear aunt? They insist upon having
8,000 rubles. Ossep will not give so much. You know what a miser he is!

CHACHO. Yes, he is really odd.

SALOME. But, dear aunt, God would surely not allow an affair like this
to come to nothing for the sake of 2,000 rubles. What, am I to let a man
of such social position and such brilliancy escape me?

CHACHO. Great heaven, how can anyone be so obstinate!

SALOME. That is just why I begged you to come to us. Speak to Ossep
about it, and perhaps your words will soften him.

CHACHO. I will talk with him; yes, indeed, I will talk to him. We cannot
neglect a matter of such importance, my child. [_Lays the tschadra under
the tachta covering the ketscha and sits down on it_.] Great heaven, how
sore the pavement has made my feet!

SALOME [_seating herself on a chair_]. May God reward you, dear aunt!
May the Holy Mother be a protectress for your children as yo