FEKLUSHA. De-lightful, my clear, de-lightful! Divinely beautiful! But what's the use of talking! You live in the Promised Land, simply! And the merchant gentry are all a devout people, and famed for many a virtue! liberality and much almsgiving! I am well content, my good soul, full to the brim of content! For their liberality to us will their abundance be greatly increased, especially in the house of Kabanova. [_Exeunt_. BORIS. Kabanova? KULIGIN. A fanatical hypocrite, sir. She gives to the poor, but her own household she worries to death. (_Silence_.) All I want, sir, is to find out the secret of perpetual motion! BORIS. Why, what would you do? KULIGIN. How can you ask, sir! Why, the English offer millions for it. I should use all the money for public purposes,--we want to provide work for the working people. Here they have hands to work, and no work to do. BORIS. And you hope to discover perpetual motion? KULIGIN. Not a doubt, I shall, sir! I have only to scrape up enough money for models. Good-bye, sir! [_Exit_. SCENE IV BORIS (_alone_). I haven't the heart to disillusion him! What a good fellow! He dreams and is happy. But I, it seems, must waste my youth in this wretched hole. I was utterly crushed before, and now this madness creeping into my mind! So suitable! Me give myself up to tender sentiments! Trampled upon, broken-spirited, and as if that's not enough, in my idiocy I must needs fall in love! And of all people in the world! With a woman, whom I may never have the luck to speak a word to. (_Silence_.) But for all that, I can't get her out of my head, try as I will. Here she is! Coming with her husband, oh! and the mother-in-law with them! Ah, what a fool I am! I must snatch a look at her round the corner, and then home again. [_Exit. From the opposite side, enter Mme. Kabanova, Kabanov, Katerina and Varvara_.] SCENE V MADAME KABANOVA, KABANOV, KATERINA and VARVARA. MME. KABANOVA. If you care to listen to your mother, you'll do as I have told you, directly you get there. KABANOV. How could I possibly disobey you, mother! MME. KABANOVA. Young folks show little respect to their elders, nowadays. VARVARA (_to herself_). Not respect you, my dear? That's likely! KABANOV. I think, mamma, I never depart a hairsbreadth from your will. MME. KABANOVA. I might believe you, my son, if I hadn't seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears how little reverence parents receive nowadays from children! They might at least remember all the sufferings a mother has to put up with for her children. KABANOV. Mamma, I.... MME. KABANOVA. If the mother that bore you does at times say a word that wounds your pride surely you might put up with it! Hey, what do you think? KABANOV. But, mamma, when have I not put up with anything from you? MME. KABANOVA. The mother's old, and foolish, to be sure; you young people must not be too exacting with us old fools.