LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. And here's another question for you. Are you an honest merchant, or not? If you are honest, don't associate with a dishonest one. You can't touch soot and not be defiled. KÓRSHUNOV. Joke away--but don't forget yourself, my dear fellow! Turn him out, or make him keep quiet. LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. That meant you! One can see you are as clean as a chimney-sweep! GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. Brother, go away quietly, or it will be the worse for you. LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA. [_Starting up in a fright_] Uncle, stop! LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. I won't be quiet! Now blood has begun to talk! _All the domestics and guests enter._ SCENE XII _The same with PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA, ANNA IVÁNOVNA, GÚSLIN, guests, and servants._ LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. Listen, good people! They are insulting Lyubím Tortsóv, they are driving him away. But am I not a guest too? Why should they drive me away? My clothes are not clean, but I have a clean conscience! I'm not Kórshunov; I didn't rob the poor, I didn't ruin another's life, I didn't torment my wife with jealousy. Me they drive away, but he's their most esteemed guest, and he's put in the place of honor. Well, never mind! They'll give him another wife. My brother is marrying his daughter to him! Ha, ha, ha! [_Laughs tragically_] KÓRSHUNOV. [_Jumps up_] Don't believe him; he lies! He says this out of spite to me. He's drunk! LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. How out of spite? I pardoned you long ago. I'm a man of small account, a crawling worm, the lowest of the low! But don't you do evil to others. GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. [_To the servants_] Take him away! LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. [_Holding up one finger_] Sh, don't touch me! It's an easy life in this world for a man whose eyes are shameless! Oh, men, men! Lyubím Tortsóv is a drunkard, but he's better than you! Here, now, I'll go away of my own accord. [_Turning to the crowd_] Make way--Lyubím Tortsóv is going! [_Goes, and suddenly turns round_] Unnatural monster! [_Goes out_] KÓRSHUNOV. [_Laughing in a forced way_] So that's the way you keep order in your house! That's how you follow the fashions! At your house drunkards insult the guests! He, he, he! "I," says he, "shall go to Moscow; here they don't understand me!" Such fools are almost extinct in Moscow! They laugh at 'em there! "Son-in-law, son-in-law!" He, he, he! "Dear father-in-law!" No, humbug, I won't let myself be insulted for nothing. No, you come along and bow down to me! Beg me to take your daughter! GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. You think I'll bow down to you? KÓRSHUNOV. Yes, you will; I know you! You want a fine wedding. You'd hang yourself if only to astonish the town! But nobody wants her! How unlucky for you! He, he he! GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. After you've said such words as these I won't have anything more to do with you! I never bowed down to any one in my life! If it comes to this, I'll marry her to any man I choose. With the money that I shall give as her dowry any man will---- _MÍTYA comes in, and stops in the doorway._ SCENE XIII _The same and MÍTYA_