KHALI. She lies about it, beside! Isn't that shameful?

SALOME. Satan lies. What are you accusing me of?

KHALI. And you really did not know that I wished to give him my
daughter?

SALOME. And if I had known it? When a man wants to marry, they always
speak of ten, and yet he marries only one.

KHALI. So you knew it very well? Why did you lie, then?

SALOME. You are out of your head! How was I to find it out? Did you send
word by anyone that you were going to give your daughter to the man? In
what way am I to blame for it? You knew as much as I did. You treated
with him just as I did and sent marriage brokers to him.

KHALI. I approached him first.

SALOME. O my dear, the flowers in the meadow belong not to those who
see them first, but to those who pluck them.

KHALI. You did not wait. Perhaps I would have plucked them.

SALOME. And why didn't you pluck them?

KHALI. You wouldn't let me. Do you think I do not know that you promised
him more than we did?

SALOME. May I go blind! Khali, how can you say that? How much did you
promise him?

KHALI. How much did we promise him? Ha! ha! as though you did not know
it! Eight thousand rubles.

SALOME. Then you promised more than we did, for we can give him only
7,000.

KHALI. You surely do not think me so stupid as to believe that!

SALOME. As sure as I wish my Nato all good fortune, what I say is true.

KHALI. And you think that I believe you?

SALOME. What? What do you say? Would I swear falsely about my daughter?

KHALI. Of course it is so! Would he let my 8,000 go to take your 7,000?

SALOME. I am not to blame for that. Probably your daughter did not
please him, since he did not want her.

KHALI. What fault have you to find with my daughter? As though yours
were prettier, you insolent woman, you!

SALOME [_standing up_]. You are insolent! Is it for this you called me
in? Can your daughter be compared to my Nato? Is it my fault that your
daughter has a wide mouth?

KHALI. You have a wide mouth yourself; and your forward daughter is not
a bit prettier than mine!

SALOME. What! you say she is forward? Everyone knows her as a modest and
well-behaved girl, while everybody calls yours stupid. Yes, that is
true; and if you want to know the truth, I can tell it to you--it is
just on that account that he would not have her.

KHALI. Oh, you witch, you! You have caught the poor young man in your
nets and deceived him. I would like to know where you are