BABÁYEV. Why, certainly. Yet I can't imagine you belonging to any one else. Do what you will, I can hardly control my desire to call you Tánya, as I used to. TATYÁNA. Why control yourself? Call me Tánya. BABÁYEV. But what's the use, my dear! You don't love me any more! TATYÁNA. Who told you that? I love you as much, even more than before. BABÁYEV. [_Bending towards her_] Is it possible, Tanechka, that that is the truth? TATYÁNA. [_Kissing him_] Well, here's my evidence! _Now_ do you believe? But, darling Valentin Pávlich, if you don't wish me unhappiness for the rest of my life, we must love one another as we are doing now; but you mustn't think of more than that. Otherwise, good-by to you--away from temptation! BABÁYEV. Set your mind at rest, darling, about that. TATYÁNA. No, you swear to me! Swear, so that I may not fear you. BABÁYEV. How foolish you are! TATYÁNA. Yes, I am foolish, certainly. If I should listen to the opinions of older people, then I am committing a great wrong. According to the old law, I must love no one other than my husband. But since I can't love him--and loved you before my marriage, and can't change my heart, so I--only God preserve you from--and I won't in any respect--because I wish to live right. BABÁYEV. Calm yourself. TATYÁNA. That's the way, my dear Valentin Pávlich. It means that we shall now have a very pleasant love-affair, without sinning against God, or feeling shame before men. BABÁYEV. Yes, yes, that'll be splendid! TATYÁNA. Now I'll give you a kiss because you're so clever! [_Kisses him_] So you will come to-morrow evening? BABÁYEV. And then you'll visit me? TATYÁNA. Be sure to come! Then we'll visit you. Now I'm not afraid of you. BABÁYEV. How beautiful you are! You're even lovelier than you used to be. TATYÁNA. Let that be a secret. Good-by. Come on, Lusha! LUKÉRYA. [_Approaching_] Good-by! Good night, pleasant dreams--of plucking roses, of watering jasmine! [_Going_] But what a man you are! Oh, oh, oh! He's clever, I must say! I just looked and wondered. [_They go out_. BABÁYEV. Now the novel is beginning; I wonder how it'll end! ACT II TABLEAU I _A room in_ KRASNÓV'_s house; directly in front a door leading to a vestibule; to the right a window and a bed with chintz curtains; to the left a stove-couch and a door into the kitchen; in the foreground a plain board table and several chairs; along the back wall and window benches; along the left wall a cupboard with cups, a small mirror, and a wall clock_. SCENE I TATYÁNA _stands before the mirror putting on a kerchief_; AFÓNYA _is lying on the stove-couch_; LUKÉRYA _comes in with a figured table-cloth_. LUKÉRYA. There, Tánya, I've borrowed a cloth from the neighbor to cover our table. Ours is awfully poor. [_Lays the cloth on the table_. TATYÁNA. Have you started the samovar?