NAN [goes to the oven] Well, it _is_ cold. My hands are quite numb. [Akím takes off his leg-bands and bast-shoes. Anísya washes up]. ANÍSYA. Father! AKÍM. Well, what is it? ANÍSYA. And is Marína living well? AKÍM. Yes, she's living all right. The little woman is what d'ye call it, clever and steady; she's living, and what d'ye call it, doing her best. She's all right; the little woman's of the right sort I mean; painstaking and what d'ye call it, submissive; the little woman's all right I mean, all right, you know. ANÍSYA. And is there no talk in your village that a relative of Marína's husband thinks of marrying our Akoulína? Have you heard nothing of it? AKÍM. Ah; that's Mirónof. Yes, the women did chatter something. But I didn't pay heed, you know. It don't interest me I mean, I don't know anything. Yes, the old women did say something, but I've a bad memory, bad memory, I mean. But the Mirónofs are what d'ye call it, they're all right, I mean they're all right. ANÍSYA. I'm that impatient to get her settled. AKÍM. And why? NAN [listens] They've come! ANÍSYA. Well, don't you go bothering them. [Goes on washing the spoons without turning her head]. NIKÍTA [enters] Anísya! Wife! who has come? [Anísya looks up and turns away in silence]. NIKÍTA [severely] Who has come? Have you forgotten? ANÍSYA. Now don't humbug. Come in! NIKÍTA [still more severely] Who's come? ANÍSYA [goes up and takes him by the arm] Well then, husband has come. Now then, come in! NIKÍTA [holds back] Ah, that's it! Husband! And what's husband called? Speak properly. ANÍSYA. Oh bother you! Nikíta! NIKÍTA. Where have you learnt manners? The full name. ANÍSYA. Nikíta Akímitch! Now then! NIKÍTA [still in the doorway] Ah, that's it! But now--the surname? ANÍSYA [laughs and pulls him by the arm] Tchilíkin. Dear me, what airs! NIKÍTA. Ah, that's it. [Holds on to the door-post] No, now say with which foot Tchilíkin steps into this house! ANÍSYA. That's enough! You're letting the cold in! NIKÍTA. Say with which foot he steps? You've got to say it,--that's flat. ANÍSYA [aside] He'll go on worrying. [To Nikíta] Well then, with the left. Come in! NIKÍTA. Ah, that's it. ANÍSYA. You look who's in the hut! NIKÍTA. Ah, my parent! Well, what of that? I'm not ashamed of my parent. I can pay my respects to my parent. How d'you do, father? [Bows and puts out his hand] My respects to you. [Illustration: THE POWER OF DARKNESS. ACT III. ANÍSYA. Come in! NIKÍTA. Ah, that's it. ANÍSYA. You look who's in the hut! NIKÍTA. Ah, my parent! Well, what of that? I'm not ashamed of my parent.] AKÍM [does not answer] Drink, I mean drink, what it does! It's filthy! NIKÍTA. Drink, what's that? I've been drinking? I'm to blame, that's flat! I've had a glass with a friend, drank his health. ANÍSYA. Go and lie down, I say. NIKÍTA. Wife, say where am I standing? ANÍSYA. Now then, it's all right, lie down!