The drawing-room of LEBEDIEFFÕS house. In the centre is a door leading into a garden. Doors open out of the room to the right and left. The room is furnished with valuable old furniture, which is carefully protected by linen covers. The walls are hung with pictures. The room is lighted by candelabra. ZINAIDA is sitting on a sofa; the elderly guests are sitting in arm-chairs on either hand. The young guests are sitting about the room on small chairs. KOSICH, AVDOTIA NAZAROVNA, GEORGE, and others are playing cards in the background. GABRIEL is standing near the door on the right. The maid is passing sweetmeats about on a tray. During the entire act guests come and go from the garden, through the room, out of the door on the left, and back again. Enter MARTHA through the door on the right. She goes toward ZINAIDA. ZINAIDA. [Gaily] My dearest Martha! MARTHA. How do you do, Zinaida? Let me congratulate you on your daughter's birthday. ZINAIDA. Thank you, my dear; I am delighted to see you. How are you? MARTHA. Very well indeed, thank you. [She sits down on the sofa] Good evening, young people! The younger guests get up and bow. FIRST GUEST. [Laughing] Young people indeed! Do you call yourself an old person? MARTHA. [Sighing] How can I make any pretense to youth now? FIRST GUEST. What nonsense! The fact that you are a widow means nothing. You could beat any pretty girl you chose at a canter. GABRIEL brings MARTHA some tea. ZINAIDA. Why do you bring the tea in like that? Go and fetch some jam to eat with it! MARTHA. No thank you; none for me, don't trouble yourself. [A pause.] FIRST GUEST. [To MARTHA] Did you come through Mushkine on your way here? MARTHA. No, I came by way of Spassk. The road is better that way. FIRST GUEST. Yes, so it is. KOSICH. Two in spades. GEORGE. Pass. AVDOTIA. Pass. SECOND GUEST. Pass. MARTHA. The price of lottery tickets has gone up again, my dear. I have never known such a state of affairs. The first issue is already worth two hundred and seventy and the second nearly two hundred and fifty. This has never happened before. ZINAIDA. How fortunate for those who have a great many tickets! MARTHA. Don't say that, dear; even when the price of tickets is high it does not pay to put one's capital into them. ZINAIDA. Quite true, and yet, my dear, one never can tell what may happen. Providence is sometimes kind. THIRD GUEST. My impression is, ladies, that at present capital is exceedingly unproductive. Shares pay very small dividends, and speculating is exceedingly dangerous. As I understand it, the capitalist now finds himself in a more critical position than the man who---- MARTHA. Quite right. FIRST GUEST yawns. MARTHA. How dare you yawn in the presence of ladies? FIRST GUEST. I beg your pardon! It was quite an accident. ZINAIDA gets up and goes out through the door on the right. GEORGE. Two in hearts. SECOND GUEST. Pass. KOSICH. Pass. MARTHA. [Aside] Heavens! This is deadly! I shall die of ennui.