It. _(He yawns and crosses himself)_ If mother were to rise from her grave now and see her children, she would be delighted. Fine children, she would say. I have nursed you, and brought you up, and what's the result? Regular good-for-nothing scamps. Tony'll soon begin to drink again. I can see it on his face. Who's ever heard of such a thing? People will soon be coming here for the feast-day, and I'll have to work alone for the whole bunch. Polya, hand me that match from the floor--there. No, not there, you blind goose. There, you stupid. PELAGUEYA _(hunting for the match)_ I don't see it. YEGOR I'll take you by the back of your neck and give you such a shaking that you'll see mighty quick. There it is, damn you! LIPA _(faint)_ Oh, God, what a blistering heat! YEGOR There it is. Where are you crawling? Under the chair. There, damn you! SAVVA _(enters gayly, the pocket of his blouse full of jackstones)_ I won six pair. YEGOR Well, the idea! SAVVA I finished that rascal Misha, cleared him all up. What are you mumbling about there? YEGOR Nothing. Only I wish you'd address me a little more politely. SAVVA _(paying no attention to him)_ Lipa, I won six pair. LIPA How can you play in such heat? SAVVA Wait, I am going to put the jackstones away. I have eighteen pair now. Misha, the little rascal, plays well. _(He goes out)_ YEGOR _(rising)_ I don't want to see him any more. Tell him to get out of here at once. LIPA All right, I will. YEGOR Don't say "all right," but do what your father tells you. A fine lot of brats--that's a sure thing! Yes, yes. _(Goes)_ If mother saw them-- PELAGUEYA He speaks of mother as if he weren't the one that drove her to an early grave. He talked her to death, the old scold! He just talks and talks, and nags and nags, and he doesn't know himself what he wants. LIPA To be with you is like being caught in the wheel of a machine. My head is spinning round and round. PELAGUEYA Then why don't you go away with your Savva? What are you waiting for? LIPA Look here, why are you angry with me? PELAGUEYA I am not angry. I am telling the truth. You don't want to marry. You are disgusted with all your beaux. Why don't you go into a convent? LIPA I won't go into a convent, but I will go away from here, soon enough, I think. PELAGUEYA Well, go! No one is keeping you. The road is wide open. LIPA Ah, Polya, you are angry and sulky with me. You don't know how I spend my nights thinking about you. At night I lie awake and think and think about you, and about all the people that are unhappy--all of them. PELAGUEYA What do you want to think about me for? You had better think about yourself. LIPA And no one knows it. Well, what's the use of talking? You couldn't understand anyhow. I am sorry for you, Polya. _(Pelagueya laughs)_ What's the matter? PELAGUEYA