NAN. She wants you to come out. She says, "I only want to say a word to Nikíta." I began asking, but she won't tell, but only says, "Is it true he's leaving you?" And I say, "No, only his father wanted to take him away and get him to marry, but he won't, and is going to stay with us another year." And she says, "For goodness' sake send him out to me. I must see him," she says, "I must say a word to him somehow." She's been waiting a long time. Why don't you go? NIKÍTA. Bother her! What should I go for? NAN. She says, "If he don't come, I'll go into the hut to him." Blest if she didn't say she'd come in! NIKÍTA. Not likely. She'll wait a bit and then go away. NAN. "Or is it," she says, "that they want him to marry Akoulína?" Re-enter Akoulína, passing near Nikíta to take her distaff. AKOULÍNA. Marry whom to Akoulína? NAN. Why, Nikíta. AKOULÍNA. A likely thing! Who says it? NIKÍTA [looks at her and laughs] It seems people do say it. Would you marry me, Akoulína? AKOULÍNA. Who, you? Perhaps I might have afore, but I won't now. NIKÍTA. And why not now? AKOULÍNA. 'Cos you wouldn't love me. NIKÍTA. Why not? AKOULÍNA. 'Cos you'd be forbidden to. [Laughs]. NIKÍTA. Who'd forbid it? AKOULÍNA. Who? My step-mother. She does nothing but grumble, and is always staring at you. NIKÍTA [laughing] Just hear her! Ain't she cute? AKOULÍNA. Who? Me? What's there to be cute about? Am I blind? She's been rowing and rowing at dad all day. The fat-muzzled witch! [Goes into closet]. NAN [looking out of the window] Look, Nikíta, she's coming! I'm blest if she isn't! I'll go away. [Exit]. MARÍNA [enters] What are you doing with me? NIKÍTA. Doing? I'm not doing anything. MARÍNA. You mean to desert me. NIKÍTA [gets up angrily] What does this look like, your coming here? MARÍNA. Oh, Nikíta! NIKÍTA. Well, you are strange! What have you come for? MARÍNA. Nikíta! NIKÍTA. That's my name. What do you want with Nikíta? Well, what next? Go away, I tell you! MARÍNA. I see, you do want to throw me over. NIKÍTA. Well, and what's there to remember? You yourself don't know. When you stood out there round the corner and sent Nan for me, and I didn't come, wasn't it plain enough that you're not wanted? It seems pretty simple. So there--go! MARÍNA. Not wanted! So now I'm not wanted! I believed you when you said you would love me. And now that you've ruined me, I'm not wanted. NIKÍTA. Where's the good of talking? This is quite improper. You've been telling tales to father. Now, do go away, will you? MARÍNA. You know yourself I never loved any one but you. Whether you married me or not, I'd not have been angry. I've done you no wrong, then why have you left off caring for me? Why? NIKÍTA. Where's the use of baying at the moon? You go away. Goodness me! what a duffer!