MATRYÓNA. Go, go, honey, and I'll set to work! I'll go down myself and dig! Where has he thrown the spade to? [Finds the spade, and goes down into the cellar] Anísya, come here! Hold the light, will you? ANÍSYA. And what of him? MATRYÓNA. He's so frightened! You've been too hard with him. Leave him alone, he'll come to his senses. God help him! I'll set to work myself. Put the lantern down here. I can see. Matryóna disappears into the cellar. ANÍSYA [looking towards the door by which Nikíta entered the hut] Well, have you had enough spree? You've been puffing yourself up, but now you'll know how it feels! You'll lose some of your bluster! NIKÍTA [rushes out of the hut towards the cellar] Mother! mother, I say! MATRYÓNA [puts out her head] What is it, sonnie? NIKÍTA [listening] Don't bury it, it's alive! Don't you hear? Alive! There--it's whimpering! There ... quite plain! MATRYÓNA. How can it whimper? Why, you've flattened it into a pancake! The whole head is smashed to bits! NIKÍTA. What is it then? [Stops his ears] It's still whimpering! I am lost! Lost! What have they done with me?... Where shall I go? [Sits down on the step]. Curtain. VARIATION Instead of the end of Act IV. (from the words, "ANÍSYA. I'll find one. I know how to do it. [Exit]") the following variation may be read, and is the one usually acted. SCENE 2. The interior of the hut as in Act I. Nan lies on the bench, and is covered with a coat. Mítritch is sitting on the oven smoking. MÍTRITCH. Dear me! How they've made the place smell! Drat 'em! They've been spilling the fine stuff. Even tobacco don't get rid of the smell! It keeps tickling one's nose so. Oh Lord! But it's bedtime, I guess. [Approaches the lamp to put it out]. NAN [jumps up, and remains sitting up] Daddy dear,[7] don't put it out! [7] Nan calls Mítritch "daddy" merely as a term of endearment. MÍTRITCH. Not put it out? Why? NAN. Didn't you hear them making a row in the yard? [Listens] D'you hear, there in the barn again now? MÍTRITCH. What's that to you? I guess no one's asked you to mind! Lie down and sleep! And I'll turn down the light. [Turns down lamp]. NAN. Daddy darling! Don't put it right out; leave a little bit if only as big as a mouse's eye, else it's so frightening! MÍTRITCH [laughs] All right, all right. [Sits down by her] What's there to be afraid of? NAN. How can one help being frightened, daddy! Sister did go on so! She was beating her head against the box! [Whispers] You know, I know ... a little baby is going to be born.... It's already born, I think.... MÍTRITCH. Eh, what a little busybody it is! May the frogs kick her! Must needs know everything. Lie down and sleep! [Nan lies down] That's right! [Tucks her up] That's right! There now, if you know too much you'll grow old too soon. NAN. And you are going to lie on the oven?