u are now
for my Nato.

CHACHO. Is not Nato my child also? Is she a stranger to me? I am
altogether charmed with her beautiful form. But where is the child? Is
she not at home?

SALOME. Yes, certainly; she is dressing. You understand, dear aunt, how
you are to talk to him? Perhaps you will succeed with him. They expect
the final answer to-day; this morning the young man's sister was here,
and she may be here again any minute.

CHACHO. Don't be afraid, dear child. Calm yourself. Where is Ossep? What
does he think about it?

SALOME. He is busy, but he will be here directly. He says, and insists
upon it, that he will allow our daughter to marry no one but a business
man.

CHACHO. He is right, my child; a good business man is worth much. Yes;
is not one who has money in his pockets the best?

SALOME. Oh, how you talk! What business man is to be compared with
Alexander Marmarow! Is there any business man worthy to untie his
shoe-strings? His politeness alone is worth more than ten business men.
Lately he honored us with a visit, and I was so fascinated with his
manners! and beside he is still young; is handsome; is educated; has a
good position and a good salary and will advance every day--everybody
says so. Perhaps some day he will be governor.

CHACHO. That is all very well, dear Salome; but if the thing cannot be
done, what then? One must submit, to some extent, to the head of the
family. A good business man never suffers from hunger, and lives without
wanting anything. I don't know what has gotten into your heads.
Officials! always officials!

SALOME. You speak well, dear aunt, but Nato would not marry a business
man at any price. I would thank God if she would. Would I be so stupid
as not to be glad of it? The deuce take these times! This comes of too
much study: the girls now mind neither father nor mother!

CHACHO. Yes; how the world has changed! The streams and the hills are
the same, but the people are different! But, by the way, Salome, do you
know what I have heard? They say that Leproink is trying for him also;
is that true?

SALOME. Yes, yes, dear aunt, a lot of go-betweens go to his house. But
God will surely not let a man like that become his son-in-law while my
daughter is left to become the wife of a shopkeeper.

CHACHO. Who would have believed that this Barssegh would have worked
himself up like that! Yet God be praised! Perhaps it is the times that
bring it about. Yesterday or the day before