FIRST PEASANT. And that man, for example, is he also in the musitional line? GREGORY [mimicking him] "Musitional" indeed! You don't understand anything! FIRST PEASANT. That's just so. And stupidity, one might say, is our ignorance. THIRD PEASANT. Oh Lord! [Gipsy songs and guitar accompaniment are heard from Vasíly Leoníditch's room]. Enter Simon, followed by Tánya, who watches the meeting between father and son. GREGORY [to Simon] What do you want? SIMON. I have been to Mr. Kaptchítch. GREGORY. Well, and what's the answer? SIMON. He sent word he couldn't possibly come to-night. GREGORY. All right, I'll let them know. [Exit]. SIMON [to his father] How d'you do, father! My respects to Daddy Efím and Daddy Mítry! How are all at home? SECOND PEASANT. Very well, Simon. FIRST PEASANT. How d'you do, lad? THIRD PEASANT. How d'you do, sonny? SIMON [smiles] Well, come along, father, and have some tea. SECOND PEASANT. Wait till we've finished our business. Don't you see we are not ready yet? SIMON. Well, I'll wait for you by the porch. [Wishes to go away]. TÁNYA [running after him] I say, why didn't you tell him anything? SIMON. How could I before all those people? Give me time, I'll tell him over our tea. [Exit]. Theodore Ivánitch enters and sits down by the window. FIRST PEASANT. Respected sir, how's our business proceeding? THEODORE IVÁNITCH. Wait a bit, he'll be out presently, he's just finishing. TÁNYA [to Theodore Ivánitch] And how do you know, Theodore Ivánitch, he is finishing? THEODORE IVÁNITCH. I know that when he has finished questioning, he reads the question and answer aloud. TÁNYA. Can one really talk with spirits by means of a saucer? THEODORE IVÁNITCH. It seems so. TÁNYA. But supposing they tell him to sign, will he sign? THEODORE IVÁNITCH. Of course he will. TÁNYA. But they do not speak with words? THEODORE IVÁNITCH. Oh, yes. By means of the alphabet. He notices at which letter the saucer stops. TÁNYA. Yes, but at a si-ance?... Enter Leoníd Fyódoritch. LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Well, friends, I can't do it! I should be very glad to, but it is quite impossible. If it were for ready money it would be a different matter. FIRST PEASANT. That's just so. What more could any one desire? But the people are so inpennycuous--it is quite impossible! LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Well, I can't do it, I really can't. Here is your document; I can't sign it. THIRD PEASANT. Show some pity, master; be merciful! SECOND PEASANT. How can you act so? It is doing us a wrong. LEONÍD FYÓDORITCH. Nothing wrong about it, friends. I offered it you in summer, but then you did not agree; and now I can't agree to it. THIRD PEASANT. Master, be merciful! How are we to get along? We have so little land. We'll say nothing about the cattle; a hen, let's say, there's no room to let a hen run about.