_Karp._ If one didn’t manage one’s women by fear, there’d be no doing anything with them at all. They’ve got their own business; and yet nothing will satisfy them but to interfere in other people’s. And to see the way a woman will get round her husband, to make him tell her all his affairs and secrets, and work on him with her beauty and her cunning ways, and make eyes at him; and it’s all nothing but ruin and destruction. And if you tell them your affairs, they interfere, and lead you astray, and make you do everything their way instead of your own. Many men have gone to ruin through women. Of course, a young, inexperienced man can be led away by their beauty; but when a man has reached years of discretion, and grown serious and wise, a woman’s beauty is nothing to him at all, it only disgusts him. SCENE III. IN THE COURTYARD. (_Enter_ FIRST _and_ SECOND COACHMAN.) _Second C._ Why, there’s no comparing it; you’re a thousand times better off. If you knew what my mistress is like! She’s more of a Jew than a lady; she measures the very oats out herself. (_Exeunt into stable. Enter on gallery_ OULÌTA, SERAFÌMA, _and_ MATRYÒNA.) SCENE IV. ON GALLERY. (KARP KÀRPYCH. OULÌTA _sits down at her place and pours out tea_. SERAFÌMA, _in hat and cloak, with parasol and green gloves_. MATRYÒNA _places on table a figured china cup which she has brought from the room, and stands a little way off_.) [Illustration: SERAFIMA: “GOOD EVENING, PAPA.” ] _Serafima._ Good evening, papa. (_Goes up to him. They kiss._) _Karp._ Good evening. Sit down, my girl. _Serafima_ (_sits down_). And where’s my brother, Onesìme? _Karp._ Where’s Onesìme? Off on the spree. He’s been playing the devil for five days. _Serafima._ And Anna Vlàsyevna? _Karp._ Well, you see, whatever we do, we can’t make Onesìme leave off drinking. So your mother has sent your sister round to the prisons to give out white bread; so perhaps God will forgive us. _Oulìta._ Yes, yes; I sent her to take round white rolls to the prisoners.... You know they’ve most of them got into trouble for nothing.... _Karp._ Oho! For nothing? They’re to rob and murder to their heart’s content, and not get locked up for it! _Oulìta._ Well, but the robbers and murderers are in the great prison; what do people get put into the jail for? _Karp._ For debt. _Oulìta._ It’s all very well to talk about debt; they say Kòn Kònych is in jail for interest. _Karp._ For what—interest? _Oulìta._ Yes, indeed; for interest. And it’s not right! What a man borrows, he should give back; but interest is a sin. _Karp._ Going to begin your chattering again, now! (OULÌTA _pours out tea_; MATRYÒNA _carries cup on tray to_ SERAFÌMA; _she takes it with her gloves on_.) _Oulìta._ Serafimoushka, you’d better take off your hat and cloak; and you might as well unlace your dress at the back; there are no strangers here. Matryòna will do it for you.