MATRYONA (rolls up her sleeves). Is there any water in the copper? But I daresay the samovar is still hot. I'll also go and help a bit. CURTAIN ACT III The same hut. Winter. Nine months have passed since Act II. ANISYA, plainly dressed, sits before a loom weaving. NAN is on the oven. MITRITCH (an old laborer, enters and slowly takes off his outdoor things). Oh Lord, have mercy! Well, hasn't the master come home yet? ANISYA. What? MITRITCH. Nikita isn't back from town, is he? ANISYA. No. MITRITCH. Must have been on the spree. Oh Lord! ANISYA. Have you finished in the stackyard? MITRITCH. What d'you think? Got it all as it should be, and covered everything with straw! I don't like doing things by halves! Oh Lord! holy Nicholas! (Picks at the corns on his hands.) But it's time he was back. ANISYA. What need has he to hurry? He's got money. Merry-making with that girl, I daresay.... MITRITCH. Why shouldn't one make merry if one has the money? And why did Akoulina go to town? ANISYA. You'd better ask her. How do I know what the devil took her there! MITRITCH. What! to town? There's all sorts of things to be got in town if one's got the means. Oh Lord! NAN. Mother, I heard myself. "I'll get you a little shawl," he says, blest if he didn't; "you shall choose it yourself," he says. And she got herself up so fine; she put on her velveteen coat and the French shawl. ANISYA. Really, a girl's modesty reaches only to the door. Step over the threshold and it's forgotten. She is a shameless creature. MITRITCH. Oh my! What's the use of being ashamed? While there's plenty of money make merry. Oh Lord! It is too soon to have supper, eh? (ANISYA does not answer.) I'll go and get warm meanwhile. (Climbs on the stove.) Oh, Lord! Blessed Virgin Mother! Holy Nicholas! NEIGHBOR (enters). Seems your good man's not back yet? ANISYA. No. NEIGHBOR. It's time he was. Hasn't he perhaps stopped at our inn? My sister, Thekla, says there's heaps of sledges standing there as have come from the town. ANISYA. Nan! Nan, I say! NAN. Yes? ANISYA. You run to the inn and see! Mayhap, being drunk, he's gone there. NAN (jumps down from the oven and dresses). All right. NEIGHBOR. And he's taken Akoulina with him? ANISYA. Else he'd not have had any need of going. It's because of her he's unearthed all the business there. "Must go to the bank," he says; "it's time to receive the payments," he says. But it's all her fooling. NEIGHBOR (shakes her head). It's a bad look-out. [Silence. NAN (at the door). And if he's there, what am I to say? ANISYA. You only see if he's there. NAN. All right. I'll be back in a winking. [Long silence. MITRITCH (roars). Oh Lord! merciful Nicholas! NEIGHBOR (starting). Oh, how he scared me! Who is it? ANISYA. Why, Mitritch, our laborer. NEIGHBOR. Oh dear, oh dear, what a fright he did give me! I had quite forgotten. But tell me, dear, I've heard some one's been wooing Akoulina?