OSSEP. I have depended on him so much. What do you say, Gewo? He owes me 10,000 rubles! I was going to satisfy my creditors with this sum. To-morrow his payment was due, and the next day mine. How can I satisfy them now? Can I say that I cannot pay them because Santurian has given me nothing? Am I to be a bankrupt as well as he? May the earth swallow me rather! GEWO. I wish the earth would swallow him, or rather that he had never come into the world! I have just 2,000 rubles on hand; if you wish I will give them to you to-morrow. OSSEP. Good; I will be very thankful for them. But what do you say to that shameless fellow? Have you seen him? Have you spoken with him? GEWO. Of course. I have just come from him. OSSEP. What did he say? Will he really give nothing? GEWO. If he does not lie, he will settle with you alone. Let the others kick, he said. Go to him right off, dear Ossep. Before the thing becomes known perhaps you can still get something out of him. OSSEP. Come with me, Gewo. Yes, we must do something, or else I am lost. GEWO. The devil take the scoundrel! SCENE XI SALOME [_coming in from the left_]. May I lose my sight if he is not coming already. He is already on the walk. [_Looking out of the window and then walking toward the entry_.] How my heart beats! [_Goes into the ante-room. Alexander appears at the window and then at the door of the ante-room_.] _Alexander enters_. SALOME [_at the door_]. Come; pray come in. [_Offers her hand_.] May your coming into our house bring blessings! ALEXANDER [_making a bow_]. Madame Salome [_kisses her hand_], I am happy that from now on I dare call myself your son. SALOME [_kissing him on the brow_]. May God make you as happy as your mother wishes. Please, please sit down! Nato will be here immediately. [_They sit down_. ALEXANDER. How are you, Madame Salome? What is Miss Natalie doing? Since that evening I have not had the pleasure of seeing her. SALOME. Thank you, she is very well. The concert that evening pleased me exceedingly. Thank heaven that so good a fashion has found entrance among us. In this way we have a perfect bazaar for the marriageable girls, for had not this concert taken place where would you two have found an opportunity to make each other's acquaintance? Where else could you have caught sight of each other? ALEXANDER. Dear lady, Miss Natalie must please everybody without concerts, and awaken love in them. Oh, how I bless my fate that it is my happy lot to win her love! SALOME. And my Nato pleases you, dear son-in-law? ALEXANDER. Oh, I love her with all my heart, dear madame! SALOME. If you love her so much, dear son, why did you exact so much money? For the sake of 1,000 rubles this affair almost went to pieces. Your sister Champera swore to me that if we did not give 1,000 rubles more you would this very day betroth yourself to the daughter of Barssegh Leproink.