FEDYA. Look at this strange creature. When she sings she rushes me into the sky and all she asks for is money, little presents of money for throwing open the Gates of Paradise. You don't know yourself, at all, do you? MASHA. What's the use of me wondering about myself? I know when I'm in love, and I know that I sing best when my love is singing. FEDYA. Do you love me? MASHA (murmuring). I love you. FEDYA. But I am a married man, and you belong to this gypsy troupe. They wouldn't let you leave it, and-- MASHA (interrupting). The troupe's one thing, and my heart's another. I love those I love, and I hate those I hate. FEDYA. Oh, you must be happy to be like that. MASHA. I'm always happy when handsome gentlemen come and say nice things to me. (Gypsies stop singing.) [A GYPSY entering speaks to FEDYA. GYPSY. Some one asking for you. FEDYA. Who? Gypsy. Don't know. He's rich, though. Fur coat. FEDYA. Fur coat? O my God, show him in. AFREMOV. Who the devil wants to see you here? FEDYA (carelessly). God knows, I don't. (Begins to hum a song.) [KARENIN comes in, looking around the room. (Exclaiming). Ha! Victor! You're the last man in the world I expected to break into this enchanting milieu. Take off your coat, and they'll sing for you. KARENIN. Je voudrais vous parler sans temoins. [MASHA rises and joins the group R. FEDYA. Oh.... What about? KARENIN. Je viens de chez vous. Votre femme ma charge de cette lettre, et puis-- [FEDYA takes the letter, opens it, reads. He frowns, then smiles affectionately at KARENIN. FEDYA. You know what's in this letter, Victor? [He is smiling gently all the time. KARENIN (looking at FEDYA rather severely). Yes, I know. But really, Fedya, you're in no-- FEDYA (interrupting). Please, please don't think I'm drunk and don't realize what I'm saying. Of course I'm drunk, but I see everything very clearly. Now go ahead. What were you told to tell me? KARENIN (is standing L. C. Shrugging his shoulders). Your wife asked me to find you and to tell you she's waiting for you. She wants you to forget everything and come back. [Pause. KARENIN (stiffly). Elizaveta Protosova sent for me and suggested that I-- FEDYA (as he hesitates). Yes. KARENIN (finishing rather lamely). But I ask you not so much for her as for myself--Fedya, come home. FEDYA (looking up at him, smiling rather whimsically). You're a much finer person than I am, Victor. Of course that's not saying much. I'm not very much good, am I? (Laughing gently.) But that's exactly why I'm not going to do what you want me to. It's not the only reason, though. The real reason is that I just simply can't. How could I? KARENIN (persuasively). Come along to my rooms, Fedya, and I'll tell her you'll be back to-morrow.