[Puts the money on the table.] Swallow your pride and look on me as a friend ... I’d take it from you, I promise ...

[A pause.]

There it is on the table, one thousand one hundred. Go to her today and give it to her yourself. There you are, Zinaida Savishna, you’ll say, now choke on it! Only, God alive, be careful not to give any hint that you borrowed from me! Otherwise I’ll really get it from old Gooseberry Jam! [Looks closely at Ivanov’s expression.] Well, well, you don’t have to! [Quickly takes the money from the table and hides it in his pocket.] You don’t have to! I was joking ... For Christ’s sake, I’m sorry!

[A pause.]

Do you feel sick at heart?

 

[IVAN0V gestures with his hand.]

Yes, things ... [Sighs.] A time has come of sorrow and sadness for you. Man, my dear friend, is like a samovar. It doesn’t always stand on a shelf in the chill but sometimes they put hot coals in it and it goes psh ... psh! This comparison is worthless but you won’t think up a cleverer one ... [Sighs.] Misfortunes harden the soul. I’m not sorry for you. You’ll come out of this trouble, Nikolasha, it’ll all be all right in the end, but I’m offended, old chap, and saddened by people ... Tell me, please do, where this gossip comes from. There is so much gossip about you going round the district that any minute you’ll have a visit from the Deputy Public Prosecutor ... You’re a murderer and a vampire and a thief and an adulterer ...

IVANOV: That’s all nonsense, now I’ve got a headache.

LEBEDEV : All because you think a lot.

IVAN0V: I don’t think at all.

LEBEDEV: Nikolasha, spit on it all and come and see us. Shurochka loves you, understands you and appreciates you. Nikolasha, she’s an honest, good person. She doesn’t take after either her father or her mother, but it must be after the proverbial knight passing by ... I sometimes look, my friend, and do not believe that such a treasure can belong to me, to this bloated-nosed drunk. Come and visit, talk to her about intelligent things and - relax. She is a loyal, sincere human being.

 

[A pause.]

 

IVAN0V: Pasha, dear chap, leave me on my own ...

LEBEDEV: I understand, I understand ... [ Quickly looks at his watch.] I do understand. [Kisses Ivanov.] Goodbye. I still have to go to the consecration of a school. [Goes to the door and stops.] She is clever ... Yesterday Shurochka and I started talking about the gossip. [Laughs.] And she fired off an aphorism: ‘Papa,’ she said, ‘fireflies only shine at night so that the night birds can see them more clearly and eat them, and good people exist so that slander and gossip have something to eat.’ What do you think of that? A genius! A George Sand!9 ...

IVANOV : Pasha! [Stops him.] What’s the matter with me?

LEBEDEV: I wanted to ask you that myself but I confess I held back. I don’t know, old friend. On the one hand I thought you were being overwhelmed by various misfortunes, on the other you’re not the kind of man to let that ... Trouble won’t bring you down.