_Koch._ What next? What do you want with French? _Pod._ After all, a girl ought to know French. _Koch._ What for? _Pod._ Why, because ... really I don’t know why. But it isn’t the same if she doesn’t know French. _Koch._ Well, you’re a simpleton! Somebody makes a remark, and you get it into your head, and there it sticks! She’s a beauty; she’s a downright beauty; you won’t find another such a girl anywhere. _Pod._ Well, I thought she was very pretty. But afterwards, when they began to talk so much about her nose being long, I thought it over, and I see she really has a long nose. _Koch._ Oh, you blind bat! Can’t you see through that trick? They talked like that on purpose to get rid of you; and I abused her too; one always does that. My lad, she’s a splendid girl! Just you look at her eyes! There’s the very devil in eyes like that; they can talk, and breathe, and anything. And as for her nose, it’s an exquisite nose; it’s as white as alabaster; there’s plenty of alabaster that wouldn’t come up to it. You should look with your own eyes, my man. _Pod._ Yes; when I think of it, she really is pretty. _Koch._ Of course she’s pretty. Look here—they’ve all gone away now; let’s go to her and propose, and settle it all up. _Pod._ That I certainly sha’n’t do. _Koch._ Why not? _Pod._ It would be downright effrontery. There are a lot of us; it’s for her to choose. _Koch._ What’s the use of taking any notice of them? You’re not afraid of rivals, surely; if you like, I’ll get rid of them all in one minute. _Pod._ How can you get rid of them? _Koch._ That’s my business. Only give me your word that you won’t wriggle out of it afterwards. _Pod._ I’ve no objection to that; I’m willing. _Koch._ Your hand on it! _Pod._ (_gives hand_). My hand on it! _Koch._ That’s all I ask of you. (_Exeunt._) ACT II. SCENE I. (_Agàfia Tikhònovna alone._)