Silence. The cricket chirps. NAN [jumps up] Daddy! Some one's screaming awfully! Blest if some one isn't screaming! Daddy darling, it's coming here! MÍTRITCH. Cover up your head, I tell you! Enter Nikíta, followed by Matryóna. NIKÍTA. What have they done with me? What have they done with me? MATRYÓNA. Have a drop, honey; have a drop of drink! What's the matter? [Fetches the spirits and sets the bottle before him]. NIKÍTA. Give it here! Perhaps the drink will help me! MATRYÓNA. Mind! They're not asleep! Here you are, have a drop! NIKÍTA. What does it all mean? Why did you plan it? You might have taken it somewhere! MATRYÓNA [whispers] Sit still a bit and drink a little more, or have a smoke. It will ease your thoughts! NIKÍTA. My own mother! My turn seems to have come! How it began to whimper, and how the little bones crunched ... krr ... I'm not a man now! MATRYÓNA. Eh, now, what's the use of talking so silly! Of course it does seem fearsome at night, but wait till the daylight comes, and a day or two passes, and you'll forget to think of it! [Goes up to Nikíta and puts her hand on his shoulder]. NIKÍTA. Go away from me! What have you done with me? MATRYÓNA. Come, come, sonnie! Now really, what's the matter with you? [Takes his hand]. NIKÍTA. Go away from me! I'll kill you! It's all one to me now! I'll kill you! MATRYÓNA. Oh, oh, how frightened he's got! You should go and have a sleep now! NIKÍTA. I have nowhere to go; I'm lost! MATRYÓNA [shaking her head] Oh, oh, I'd better go and tidy things up. He'll sit and rest a bit, and it will pass! [Exit]. Nikíta sits with his face in his hands. Mítritch and Nan seem stunned. NIKÍTA. It's whining! It's whining! It is really--there, there, quite plain! She'll bury it, really she will! [Runs to the door] Mother, don't bury it, it's alive.... Enter Matryóna. MATRYÓNA [whispers] Now then, what is it? Heaven help you! Why won't you get to rest? How can it be alive? All its bones are crushed! NIKÍTA. Give me more drink! [Drinks]. MATRYÓNA. Now go, sonnie. You'll fall asleep now all right. NIKÍTA [stands listening] Still alive ... there ... it's whining! Don't you hear?... There! MATRYÓNA [whispers] No! I tell you! NIKÍTA. Mother! My own mother! I've ruined my life! What have you done with me? Where am I to go? [Runs out of the hut; Matryóna follows him]. NAN. Daddy dear, darling, they've smothered it! MÍTRITCH [angrily] Go to sleep, I tell you! Oh dear, may the frogs kick you! I'll give it to you with the broom! Go to sleep, I tell you! NAN. Daddy, my treasure! Something is catching hold of my shoulders, something is catching hold with its paws! Daddy dear ... really, really ... I must go! Daddy, darling! let me get up on the oven with you! Let me, for Heaven's sake! Catching hold ... catching hold! Oh! [Runs to the stove]. MÍTRITCH. See how they've frightened the girl.... What vile creatures they are! May the frogs kick them! Well then, climb up.