Enough of that! Tell me whether you have brought the money or
not.

OSSEP. Have I ever kept back from you any of your money? Why should I do
it to-day?

BARSSEGH. Then give it to me now.

OSSEP. You said at that time--

BARSSEGH. I know nothing of that time.

OSSEP. What is the matter with you? You speak as if in a dream.

BARSSEGH. Whether I speak as in a dream or not, give me the money, and
have done with it.

OSSEP [_takes a chair and sits down_]. You are mistaken, my dear Mr.
Barssegh; you are mistaken. Sit down, pray.

BARSSEGH [_ironically_]. Thank you very much.

OSSEP. You will surely not take back your word?

BARSSEGH. Hand over the money.

OSSEP. What has happened to you? You speak like a madman.

BARSSEGH. It is all the same to me however I speak.

OSSEP. When I gave you the 5,000 rubles that time, did not you say that
I was to pay the rest in a month?

BARSSEGH [_sitting down_]. And if I did say so, what does it amount to?
I need it now.

OSSEP. You should have said so at the time and I would not have paid out
my money in other ways. How comes it that you demand it so suddenly? I
am no wizard, I am sure, to procure it from the stars for you.

BARSSEGH. You may get it wherever you want to. I need it, and that
settles it.

OSSEP. Just heaven! Why did you give me a month's grace and reckon on an
additional twelve per cent. for it?

BARSSEGH. What kind of grace? Have you anything to show for it?

OSSEP. Isn't your word enough? Why do we need a paper in addition?

BARSSEGH. I didn't give you my word.

OSSEP. What? You did not give it? You admitted it just a few minutes
ago.

BARSSEGH. No, I said nothing about it.

OSSEP [_standing_]. My God! what do I see and hear? You are a merchant
and tread your word under foot. Shame on you! [_Takes him by the arm and
leads him to the mirror_.] Look! look at your face! Why do you turn
pale?

BARSSEGH. Let me go!

OSSEP [_holding him fast by the sleeve_]. How can you be so
unscrupulous? Look! How pale your lips are!

BARSSEGH. Let me go! [_Freeing himself_.] You act exactly as though you
were the creditor.

OSSEP. No, you are the creditor. I would rather be swallowed up alive
by the earth than be such a creditor as you are. What do you think you
will be in my eyes after this?

BARSSEGH. I tell you, hand out my money or I will lay your note before
the court immediately! I would only like to know where you are going to
get the dowry for you