BORIS (_puts his arms about Katerina_). My life! KATERINA. Ah, if death would come quickly now! BORIS. Why die when life is so sweet for us? KATERINA. No, life is not for me! I know it is not for me! BORIS. Don't say such things, please, don't torture me. KATERINA. Yes, you are happy, you are free as the air, but I! ... BORIS. No one shall know of our love. Do you think I have no feeling for you? KATERINA. Ah! Why feel for me, it's no one's fault. I have come to this of myself. Don't think of me! Anyone may know, anyone may see what I do! (_Takes Boris in her arms_.) Since I have not feared to do wrong for you, am I likely to fear the judgment of men? They do say, it will be better for one, if one has to suffer here on earth for any sin. BORIS. Come, why think of that, when we are happy now! KATERINA. Why, truly! I shall have long years to weep enough hereafter. BORIS. And I was so frightened, I thought you would send me away. KATERINA (_smiling_). Send you away! How could I? Not with my heart. If you had not come, think I should have gone to you myself. BORIS. I never even guessed you loved me. KATERINA. I have loved you for so long. It's as though, for my sins, you came here to torment me. Directly I saw you I ceased to belong to myself. From the first moment, I believe, if you had beckoned to me, I would have followed you; to the ends of the earth I would have followed you, and never looked back. BORIS. Has your husband gone away for long? KATERINA. For a fortnight. BORIS. O, then we will be happy! that is a long time. KATERINA. We will be happy. And then ... (_sinks into dreamy musing_). If they lock me up, that will be my death! And if they don't lock me up, I will find some way to see you again! [_Enter Kudriash and Varvara_. SCENE VIII The Same, with KUDRIASH and VARVARA. VARVARA. Well, have you made friends? (_Katerina hides her face on Boris's breast_). BORIS. Yes. VARVARA. You might go and walk about a bit and let us rest. When it's time to go in, Vania will shout. (_Boris and Katerina go away, Kudriash and Varvara sit down on the stone_.) KUDRIASH. This is a first-rate plan, getting out at the garden gate. It's fine and convenient for us. VARVARA. It's all my doing. KUDRIASH. There's no one like you for such things. But what if your mother catches you? VARVARA. Oh! How could she? It would never enter her head! KUDRIASH. But if by ill luck, it were to? VARVARA. Her first sleep is sound; in the early morning now, there is more chance of her being awake. KUDRIASH. But there's never any knowing! Some evil spirit might rouse her up.