and he, sat down to
a game of cards. I led a----

LVOFF [Interrupting him] Is he a good man?

KOSICH. He? Yes, he's a good one! He and the Count are a pair of trumps.
They have keen noses for a good game. First, Ivanoff set his heart on
the Jewess, then, when his schemes failed in that quarter, he turned his
thoughts toward Zuzu's money-bags. I'll wager you he'll ruin Zuzu in
a year. He will ruin Zuzu, and the Count will ruin Martha. They will
gather up all the money they can lay hands on, and live happily ever
after! But, doctor, why are you so pale to-day? You look like a ghost.

LVOFF. Oh, it's nothing. I drank a little too much yesterday.

Enter LEBEDIEFF with SASHA.

LEBEDIEFF. We can have our talk here. [To LVOFF and KOSICH] Go into the
ball-room, you two old fogies, and talk to the girls. Sasha and I want
to talk alone here.

KOSICH. [Snapping his fingers enthusiastically as he goes by SASHA] What
a picture! A queen of trumps!

LEBEDIEFF. Go along, you old cave-dweller; go along.

KOSICH and LVOFF go out.

LEBEDIEFF. Sit down, Sasha, there--[He sits down and looks about him]
Listen to me attentively and with proper respect. The fact is, your
mother has asked me to say this, do you understand? I am not speaking
for myself. Your mother told me to speak to you.

SASHA. Papa, do say it briefly!

LEBEDIEFF. When you are married we mean to give you fifteen thousand
roubles. Please don't let us have any discussion about it afterward.
Wait, now! Be quiet! That is only the beginning. The best is yet
to come. We have allotted you fifteen thousand roubles, but in
consideration of the fact that Nicholas owes your mother nine thousand,
that sum will have to be deducted from the amount we mean to give you.
Very well. Now, beside that----

SASHA. Why do you tell me all this?

LEBEDIEFF. Your mother told me to.

SASHA. Leave me in peace! If you had any respect for yourself or me you
could not permit yourself to speak to me in this way. I don't want your
money! I have not asked for it, and never shall.

LEBEDIEFF. What are you attacking me for? The two rats in Gogol's fable
sniffed first and then ran away, but you attack without even sniffing.

SASHA. Leave me in peace, and do not offend my ears with your two-penny
calculations.

LEBEDIEFF. [Losing his temper] Bah! You all, every one of you, do all
you can to make me cut my throat or kill somebody. One of you screeches
and fusses all day and counts every pe