MRS. POPOV. You told him that since my husband's death I receive no one? LUKA. I said so, but he won't listen, he says that it is a pressing matter. MRS. POPOV. I--re--ceive--no--one! LUKA. I told him that, but he's a wild-man, he swore and pushed himself into the room--he's in the dining room now. MRS. POPOV [_excitedly_]. Good. Show him in. What an intruder! [_Luka goes out center._] MRS. POPOV. What a bore people are! What can they want with me? Why do they disturb my peace? [_She sighs._] Yes, it is clear I must go to a cloister. [_Meditatively._] Yes, in a cloister-- [_Smirnov enters followed by Luka._] SMIRNOV [_to Luka_]. Fool, you make too much noise! You're an ass! [_Discovering Mrs. Popov--politely._] Madam, I have the honor to introduce myself; Lieutenant in the Artillery, retired, country gentleman, Grigorji Stepanovitch Smirnov! I'm forced to bother you about an exceedingly important matter. MRS. POPOV [_without offering her hand_]. What is it you wish? SMIRNOV. Your deceased husband, with whom I had the honor to be acquainted, left me two notes amounting to about twelve hundred rubles. Inasmuch as I have to meet the interest to-morrow on a loan from the Agrarian Bank, I should like to request, madam, that you pay me the money to-day. MRS. POPOV. Twelve hundred--and for what was my husband indebted to you? SMIRNOV. He had bought oats from me. MRS. POPOV [_with a sigh to Luka_]. Don't forget to have Tobby given an extra measure of oats. [_Luka goes out._] MRS. POPOV [_to Smirnov_]. If Nikolai Michailovitch is indebted to you, I will of course pay you, but, I am sorry, I haven't the money to-day. To-morrow my manager will be back from the city and I shall notify him to pay you what is due you, but until then I cannot satisfy your request. Furthermore to-day it is just seven months since the death of my husband and I am not in the mood to discuss money matters. SMIRNOV. And I am in the mood to fly up the chimney with my feet in the air if I can't lay hands on that interest to-morrow. They'll sequestrate my estate! MRS. POPOV. Day after to-morrow you will receive the money. SMIRNOV. I don't need the money day after to-morrow, I need it to-day. MRS. POPOV. I'm sorry I can't pay you to-day. SMIRNOV. And I can't wait until day after to-morrow. MRS. POPOV. But what can I do if I haven't it? SMIRNOV. So you can't pay? MRS. POPOV. I cannot. SMIRNOV. Hm.--Is that your last word? MRS. POPOV. My last. SMIRNOV. Absolutely? MRS. POPOV. Absolutely.