"O Lord, my God!"--went on the shoemaker, hotly:--"when will the end come? When, O Lord! I 'm a miserable wretch, a hopeless wretch. 'T is fate, my fate, when you come to think of it! In my younger years I was thrashed by a German master; in the best period of my life I was beaten by my own brother; and at last, in my riper years, to what have I come?..." "Ekh, limp linden-bast soul!"--said Gavríla.--"Why dost thou dilate on the matter, really, now?" "What do you mean by 'why,' Gavríla Andréitch? I 'm not afraid of blows, Gavríla Andréitch. Let the master thrash me within doors, but give me a greeting before folks, and still I 'm numbered among men; but in this case, from whom must I ...." "Come, now, begone!"--Gavríla interrupted him, impatiently. Kapíton turned and took himself off. "And supposing there were no question of him,"--shouted the major-domo after him;--"dost thou consent?" "I announce my assent,"--replied Kapíton, and lurched out of the room. His eloquence did not abandon him even in extremities. The major-domo paced the length of the room several times. "Well, now summon Tatyána,"--he said at last. In a few moments Tatyána entered almost inaudibly, and halted on the threshold. "What is your command, Gavríla Andréitch?"--she said in a quiet voice. The major-domo gazed fixedly at her. "Come,"--said he,--"Tániusha, wouldst thou like to marry? The mistress has hunted up a bridegroom for thee." "I obey, Gavríla Andréitch. But who has been appointed as my bridegroom?"--she added with hesitation. "Kapíton, the shoemaker." "I obey, sir." "He is a reckless man--that 's a fact. But the mistress pins her hopes on thee in that respect." "I obey, sir." "It 's a pity about one thing:.... there 's that deaf man, Garáska, who 's paying court to thee. And how hast thou bewitched that bear? I do believe he 'll kill thee, the bear that he is...." "He will, Gavríla Andréitch, he 'll infallibly kill me." "He will.... Well, we 'll see about that. What makes thee say, 'He 'll kill me'? Has he the right to kill thee, pray? Judge for thyself." "Why, I don't know, Gavríla Andréitch, whether he has a right or not." "What a girl! I suppose thou hast not made him any promise...." "What do you mean, sir?" The major-domo paused for a while, and thought: "Thou art a meek soul!"--"Well, very good,"--he added; "we will have another talk about it, and now, go thy way, Tatyána; I see that thou really art an obedient girl." Tatyána turned, leaned lightly against the door-jamb, and left the room. "But perhaps the mistress will have forgotten about this wedding by to-morrow,"--meditated the major-domo. "Why have I been alarmed? We 'll pinion that insolent fellow if he makes any trouble--we 'll send word to the police.... Ustínya Feódorovna!"--he shouted in a loud voice to his wife, "prepare the samovár, my good woman...."