Autumn. Evening. The moon is shining. The stage represents the interior of courtyard. The scenery at the back shows, in the middle, the back porch of the hut. To the right the winter half of the hut and the gate; to the left the summer half and the cellar. To the right of the stage is a shed. The sound of tipsy voices and shouts are heard from the hut.[5] SECOND NEIGHBOR WOMAN comes out of the hut and beckons to FIRST NEIGHBOR WOMAN. SECOND NEIGHBOR. How's it Akoulina has not shown herself? FIRST NEIGHBOR. Why hasn't she shown herself? She'd have been glad to; but she's too ill, you know. The suitor's relatives have come, and want to see the girl; and she, my dear, she's lying in the cold hut and can't come out, poor thing! SECOND NEIGHBOR. But how's that? FIRST NEIGHBOR. They say she's been bewitched by an evil eye! She's got pains in the stomach! SECOND NEIGHBOR. You don't say so? FIRST NEIGHBOR. What else could it be? [Whispers. SECOND NEIGHBOR. Dear me! There's a go! But his relatives will surely find it out? FIRST NEIGHBOR. They find it out! They're all drunk! Besides, they are chiefly after her dowry. Just think what they give with the girl! Two furs, my dear, six dresses, a French shawl, and I don't know how many pieces of linen, and money as well,--two hundred roubles, it's said! SECOND NEIGHBOR. That's all very well, but even money can't give much pleasure in the face of such a disgrace. FIRST NEIGHBOR. Hush!... There's his father, I think. [They cease talking and go into the hut. [The SUITOR'S FATHER comes out of the hut hiccoughing. THE FATHER. Oh, I'm all in a sweat. It's awfully hot! Will just cool myself a bit. (Stands puffing.) The Lord only knows what--something is not right. I can't feel happy.--Well, it's the old woman's affair. [Enter MATRYONA from hut. MATRYONA. And I was just thinking, where's the father? Where's the father? And here you are, dear friend.... Well, dear friend, the Lord be thanked! Everything is as honorable as can be! When one's arranging a match one should not boast. And I have never learnt to boast. But as you've come about the right business, so with the Lord's help, you'll be grateful to me all your life! She's a wonderful girl! There's no other like her in all the district! THE FATHER. That's true enough, but how about the money? MATRYONA. Don't you trouble about the money! All she had from her father goes with her. And it's more than one gets easily, as things are nowadays. Three times fifty roubles! THE FATHER. We don't complain, but it's for our own child. Naturally we want to get the best we can.