_Yaìch._ (_aside_). Oh! now they’re going to begin with cups of tea! That’s what I hate about all this match-making business—it’s such a worry. To-day won’t do; and come again to-morrow; and the day after to-morrow a cup of tea; and then they have to think it over, and can’t make up their minds! But dear me! the matter’s simple enough; there’s nothing to rack one’s brains over! Confound it all! I’m a busy man, I’ve no time for this sort of thing! _Koch._ (_to_ PODKOLYÒSSIN). She’s a nice-looking girl, isn’t she? _Pod._ Yes, she’s nice-looking. _Zhev._ I think the young lady is pretty. _Koch._ (_aside_). The deuce take it, if that idiot hasn’t fallen in love! He’ll be getting in the way! (_Aloud._) I don’t think she’s pretty at all, not at all. _Yaìch._ Her nose is too big. _Zhev._ Now, there I don’t agree with you: she’s a regular rosebud. _Anoùch._ I quite agree with you. The only thing is, she’s not quite—I am inclined to doubt whether she is acquainted with the manners of high-class society. Do you think she knows French? _Zhev._ If I may take the liberty of asking, why didn’t you speak French to her yourself, and try?—very likely she knows it. _Anoùch._ You think I speak French? No, I did not enjoy such educational advantages. My father was an eccentric personage, he never even thought of having me taught French. I was a child in those days; it would have been easy to teach me—a few good whippings were all that was needed, and I should have known it perfectly well. _Zhev._ Well, but as you don’t know French, why do you particularly want—— _Anoùch._ Ah! no, no; it’s quite another matter with a woman. It’s quite necessary that she should know it; otherwise, one thing and another—(_helps himself out with gestures_)—nothing is as it should be. _Yaìch._ (_aside_). Well, those that like can care about that. For my part, I shall go round the house and look at the wings from the courtyard; if everything’s all right, I’ll settle the matter this very evening. I’m not afraid of all these suitors; they’re nothing but milksops, all the lot of them. Girls don’t like that sort of men. _Zhev._ I think I’ll go and have a smoke. Perhaps our way lies in the same direction. May I ask where you live? _Anoùch._ At Peskì; in the Petròvski Row. _Zhev._ Yes; it’s a bit out of my way; I live on the Island,[12] in the Eighteenth Line. But all the same I’ll walk with you. _Star._ No no; they’re getting too proud for me here. Ah! you’ll remember your own folk some day, Agàfia Tikhònovna! Your servant, gentlemen. (_Bows and exit. Exeunt all but_ PODKOLYÒSSIN _and_ KOCHKARYÒV.) _Pod._ What are we waiting for? _Koch._ Well, what do you think? She’s a charming girl, isn’t she? _Pod._ Do you think so? I’m bound to confess that she doesn’t take my fancy. _Koch._ Come now, that’s too much! You agreed with me yourself a minute ago that she was pretty. _Pod._ Yes; but, you see ... her nose is too long; and she doesn’t know French.