t purpose? She could have come another time
just as well.

SALOME. How useless it is to talk so! You understand nothing at all
about the matter. Your relatives would take offence in every possible
way if I did not invite them. They would not speak to me for a year!

OSSEP. Great heaven! I wish they were struck blind! [_Sits down and
pulls at the end of the table-cloth_.] I would take pleasure in throwing
them all out!

SALOME. I have no time to dispute with you.
[_Exit at left, angry_.

OSSEP. Great heaven! have women been created only to bleed the men?

CHACHO. Don't excite yourself so, dear Ossep. What you say is in every
way pure facts. But you must overlook something now and then. It can't
be helped now; they are all here; you cannot chase them out of the
house. The whole city would be stirred up about it.

OSSEP. And what will people say when to-morrow or the day after my
creditors come and chase me out of my house?

CHACHO. Oh, don't talk about such things!

OSSEP [_sitting down at the card-table_]. That's easily said. But let me
tell you, I feel as though the house was going to fall down on top of
me.

CHACHO. What has happened, Ossep?

OSSEP. They say Barssegh Leproink has brought action against me.

CHACHO. What? Brought action against you?

OSSEP. I owe him money, and on that account he holds the knife at my
throat.

CHACHO. God bless me!

OSSEP. The wicked fellow has my note, and another security beside, and
yet he will not wait.

CHACHO. His match for wickedness cannot be found in the whole world.

OSSEP. No, not another such miserable scoundrel! I expect every moment
to be notified, and have no idea where I can get the money. Everyone I
have asked to help me has refused me. I can borrow no more on my note,
and I cannot sell my goods at half price. That everyone must understand.
They all show their claws as soon as they find out the position I am in.
Salome is to blame for all this; the 7,000 rubles she promised is the
cause of it all. I would like to know who will pay them to him now.

CHACHO. You talk nonsense! You will make your daughter unhappy forever,
Ossep.

OSSEP. I am still more unhappy myself. But let us see what the coming
day brings forth. I still have hope of one. Perhaps he will supply me
with money.

CHACHO. How could you trust the scamp so blindly? Is such want of
thought consistent with reason?

OSSEP. What is the use of reason in this? I have a