He passes. Two clubs. He passes. I say two diamonds ... three clubs ... and imagine, just imagine: I declare a slam and he doesn’t show his ace. If the wretched creature had shown his ace, I’d have declared a grand slam in no-trumps ...

LVOV: Forgive me, I don’t play cards and so I can’t share your excitement. Will the blessing be soon?

KOSYKH: It must be soon. They’ve just brought Zyuzyushka round. She’s bawling her head off, she’s upset about the dowry.

LVOV: Not about her daughter?

KOSYKH: The dowry. And it is a problem. He’s getting married, it means he won’t repay the debt. You can’t call in your son-in-law’s promissory notes.

III

[The same and BABAKINA.]

BABAKINA [all dressed up, sweeps across the stage past Lvov and Kosykh; the latter snorts with laughter into his hand; she looks round]: Stupid!

[KOSYKH touches her waist with a ftnger and laughs loudly.]

Peasant! [Goes out.]

KOSYKH [laughing]: The woman’s gone quite off her head. Until she had ideas about being a countess, she was just an ordinary woman, but now you can’t get near her. [Imitating her.] Peasant!

LVOV [getting worked up]: Listen, tell me frankly: what’s your opinion of Ivanov?

KOSYKH: He’s no good. He plays like a cobbler. Last year during Lent we had this. We sit down to play — the Count, Borkin, him and me. I’m dealing ...

LVOV [interrupting]: Is he a good man?

KOSYKH: Him? He’s a terrible rogue! An old fox who’s seen everything. He and the Count are two of a kind. They sniff out where there’s a weak spot. He got hold of his Jewess, was swindled, and now he’s trying to get into Zyuzyushka’s coffers. I’ll lay a bet, may I be three times cursed, that in a year’s time he’ll have reduced Zyuzyushka to beggary. He’ll do that to Zyuzyushka, and the Count the same to Babakina. They’ll make off with the money and live happily ever after. Doctor, why are you so pale today? You look awful.

LVOV: It’s nothing, just one of those things. Yesterday I drank too much.

IV

[The same, LEBEDEV and SASHA.]

LEBEDEV [entering with Sasha] : Let’s talk here. [ To Lvov and Kosykh] Out, wild men, into the ballroom to the young ladies. We need to talk privately.

KOSYKH [going past Sasha, enthusiastically snaps hisfingers]: What a picture! The queen of trumps!

LEBEDEV: Get out, caveman, get out!

[LVOV and KOSYKH go out.]

Sit down, Shurochka, so ... [Sits down and looks round.] Do listen attentively and with proper respect.