MME. KABANOVA. What do you want to hang on his neck like that for, shameless hussy! It's not a lover you're parting from! He's your husband--your head! Don't you know how to behave? Bow down at his feet! [_Katerina bows down to his feet_. KABANOV. Good-bye, sister (_kisses Varvara_). Good-bye! Glasha (_kisses Glasha_). Good-bye, mamma! (_bows down to the ground_). MME. KABANOVA. Good-bye! Long farewells mean foolish tears. [_Kabanov goes out, after him Katerina, Varvara, and Glasha_. SCENE VI MME. KABANOVA (_alone_). MME. KABANOVA. The way young folks behave! It makes one laugh really to see them! If they weren't my own, I could laugh till I split. They don't know the way to do anything properly. Can't even take leave with decorum. A lucky thing it is for them that they have elder folk, who will keep their house together as long as they're living. And yet, the silly fools, they long to be their own masters, though when they do have their own way, they get in a mess directly to the scandal and amusement of all worthy folk. One here and there, to be sure, will be sorry for them, but for the most part they'll all laugh. No one can help laughing either; they'll invite guests, and not know how they should sit, and what's more, as likely as not, they leave out some one of their relations. It's simply comical. But the old order's passing away. There are some houses one doesn't care to go into. If you do cross the threshold, all you can do is to spit, and get away as quick as may be. What will happen when the old people are dead, how the world will go on, I really can't think. I'm thankful anyway, that I shall see nothing of it. [_Enter Katerina and Varvara._ SCENE VII MME. KABANOVA, KATERINA, and VARVARA. You make a boast of loving your husband so much; I see now how much your love's worth. Any other good wife, on seeing her husband off, would wail for a good hour and a half, lying on the steps; but one can see you're not much upset. KATERINA. There's no reason to be! Besides, I don't know how to wail. Why make the people laugh! MME. KABANOVA. No great art is needed. If you loved him you would have learnt to do it. If you can't wail properly, you should wail a little, if only for example. It is always more decorous; or else one sees it is all words with you. Well, I'm going to pray to God; do not interrupt me. VARVARA. I'm going out. MME. KABANOVA (_caressingly_). I've nothing against it! Go and enjoy yourself till your time comes. You'll have sitting indoors enough later on! [_Exeunt Mme. Kabanova and Varvara._ SCENE VIII