_Shiryàlov._ Ah! little mother! last week I was taken bad all on a sudden. Good Lord I how sharply it did catch me; I was downright frightened, I can tell you. First of all, ma’am, I got a pain in my bones; I assure you, every little bone and joint ached of itself; just ached as if it would all go to pieces, ma’am. The Lord sends us these trials, little mother, as a chastisement for our sins. And then, ma’am, it went into the middle of my back. _Stepanìda._ You and I are getting old, little father. _Shiryàlov._ I turned this way and that, on one side and the other; no use, ma’am; it would just leave off a minute, and then catch me again. It seemed to go right to my heart. _Stepanìda._ Dear! dear! _Antìp._ I say, Paramòn Ferapòntych, haven’t you been going it rather too much with your chums? _Shiryàlov._ No indeed, sir; I haven’t had a drop of liquor in my mouth; not for over a month, Stepanìda Trofimovna! That is, I don’t say that I’ve given it up for altogether; only for a little while. I won’t say I’ll never touch it again; the flesh is weak, as the Holy Scripture says. _Stepanìda._ Very true, little father! _Shiryàlov._ I’ll tell you what I think, neighbours; I must have caught cold, somehow; maybe going out in the street without buttoning my coat, or standing out in the garden in my shirt after dark. _Stepanìda._ Yes, yes; it’s so easy to go wrong, little father! Let me give you some tea, Paramòn Ferapòntych. _Shiryàlov (bows)._ Thank you, ma’am, thank you; I’ve just had tea. _Stepanìda._ Never mind, little father, have some more. _Antìp._ With us, for company’s sake. _Shiryàlov._ Just one cup, then. (STEPANÌDA _pours out tea. He takes his cup and drinks._) So this is what I did, ma’am. I thought to myself—“All this doctor’s stuff is just rubbish! it’s nothing but stealing people’s money.” And I never have taken doctor’s stuff, little mother; it’s a sin that I’ve never taken on my soul. So I thought to myself—“I’ll go to the bath; that’s what I’ll do.” Well, I went to the bath, neighbour; and then I sent out for a bottle of wine, and two or three red peppers, ma’am; and I had them mixed in properly; then I drank one half and made the bath-man rub me down with the other half; and when I got home I had some punch; and at night, ma’am, I came out all in a sweat; and that threw it off. _Stepanìda._ Yes, yes, little father! My Antìpoushka always takes punch if he’s not well. _Antìp._ That’s good stuff for every sort of illness, friend; you remember my words. (SHIRYÀLOV _puts down cup._) _Stepanìda._ Take another cup. _Shiryàlov (bows)._ Thank you, no more. Very grateful, Stepanìda Trofimovna. _Stepanìda._ Without ceremony, little father. (_Pours out tea._) How’s your business getting on? _Shiryàlov_ (_takes cup_). Thanks be to God, Stepanìda Trofimovna, fairly well. I’ve only one trouble: my Sènka’s gone to the bad altogether. I can’t think what I’m to do about it: it’s a real trial and affliction.