NAN [climbs on oven] But don't you go away! MÍTRITCH. Where should I go to? Climb up, climb up! Oh Lord! Gracious Nicholas! Holy Mother!... How they have frighted the girl. [Covers her up] There's a little fool--really a little fool! How they've frighted her; really, they are vile creatures! The deuce take 'em! Curtain. ACT V SCENE 1. In front of scene a stack-stand, to the left a thrashing ground, to the right a barn. The barn doors are open. Straw is strewn about in the doorway. The hut with yard and out-buildings is seen in the background, whence proceed sounds of singing and of a tambourine. Two Girls are walking past the barn towards the hut. FIRST GIRL. There, you see we've managed to pass without so much as getting our boots dirty! But to come by the street is terribly muddy! [Stop and wipe their boots on the straw. First Girl looks at the straw and sees something] What's that? SECOND GIRL [looks where the straw lies and sees some one] It's Mítritch, their labourer. Just look how drunk he is! FIRST GIRL. Why, I thought he didn't drink. SECOND GIRL. It seems he didn't, until it was going around. FIRST GIRL. Just see! He must have come to fetch some straw. Look! he's got a rope in his hand, and he's fallen asleep. SECOND GIRL [listening] They're still singing the praises.[9] So I s'pose the bride and bridegroom have not yet been blessed! They say Akoulína didn't even lament![10] [9] This refers to the songs customary at the wedding of Russian peasants, praising the bride and bridegroom. [10] It is etiquette for a bride to bewail the approaching loss of her maidenhood. FIRST GIRL. Mammie says she is marrying against her will. Her stepfather threatened her, or else she'd not have done it for the world! Why, you know what they've been saying about her? MARÍNA [catching up the Girls] How d'you do, lassies? GIRLS. How d'you do? MARÍNA. Going to the wedding, my dears? FIRST GIRL. It's nearly over! We've come just to have a look. MARÍNA. Would you call my old man for me? Simon, from Zoúevo; but surely you know him? FIRST GIRL. To be sure we do; he's a relative of the bridegroom's, I think? MARÍNA. Of course; he's my old man's nephew, the bridegroom is. SECOND GIRL. Why don't you go yourself? Fancy not going to a wedding! MARÍNA. I have no mind for it, and no time either. It's time for us to be going home. We didn't mean to come to the wedding. We were taking oats to town. We only stopped to feed the horse, and they made my old man go in. FIRST GIRL. Where did you put up then? At Fyódoritch's? MARÍNA. Yes. Well then, I'll stay here and you go and call him, my dear--my old man. Call him, my pet, and say "Your missis, Marína, says you must go now!" His mates are harnessing. FIRST GIRL. Well, all right--if you won't go in yourself. The Girls go away towards the house along a footpath. Sounds of songs and tambourine.