SCENE XII
The same with PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA, ANNA IVÁNOVNA, GÚSLIN, guests, and servants.
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. Listen, good people! They are insulting Lyubím Tortsóv, they are driving him away. But am I not a guest too? Why should they drive me away? My clothes are not clean, but I have a clean conscience! I'm not Kórshunov; I didn't rob the poor, I didn't ruin another's life, I didn't torment my wife with jealousy. Me they drive away, but he's their most esteemed guest, and he's put in the place of honor. Well, never mind! They'll give him another wife. My brother is marrying his daughter to him! Ha, ha, ha! [Laughs tragically]
KÓRSHUNOV. [Jumps up] Don't believe him; he lies! He says this out of spite to me. He's drunk!
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. How out of spite? I pardoned you long ago. I'm a man of small account, a crawling worm, the lowest of the low! But don't you do evil to others.
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. [To the servants] Take him away!
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. [Holding up one finger] Sh, don't touch me! It's an easy life in this world for a man whose eyes are shameless! Oh, men, men! Lyubím Tortsóv is a drunkard, but he's better than you! Here, now, I'll go away of my own accord. [Turning to the crowd] Make way—Lyubím Tortsóv is going! [Goes, and suddenly turns round] Unnatural monster! [Goes out]
KÓRSHUNOV. [Laughing in a forced way] So that's the way you keep order in your house! That's how you follow the fashions! At your house drunkards insult the guests! He, he, he! "I," says he, "shall go to Moscow; here they don't understand me!" Such fools are almost extinct in Moscow! They laugh at 'em there! "Son-in-law, son-in-law!" He, he, he! "Dear father-in-law!" No, humbug, I won't let myself be insulted for nothing. No, you come along and bow down to me! Beg me to take your daughter!
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. You think I'll bow down to you?
KÓRSHUNOV. Yes, you will; I know you! You want a fine wedding. You'd hang yourself if only to astonish the town! But nobody wants her! How unlucky for you! He, he he!
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. After you've said such words as these I won't have anything more to do with you! I never bowed down to any one in my life! If it comes to this, I'll marry her to any man I choose. With the money that I shall give as her dowry any man will—— MÍTYA comes in, and stops in the doorway.
SCENE XIII
The same and MÍTYA
MÍTYA. [Turning towards the crowd] What's all this noise?
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. Here, I'll marry her to Mítya!
MÍTYA. What, sir?
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. Silence! Yes—I'll marry her to Mítya—to-morrow! And I'll give her such a wedding as you never saw! I'll get musicians from Moscow! I'll ride alone in four coaches!
KÓRSHUNOV. We'll see, we'll see! You'll come to ask my pardon, you will! [Goes out.
SCENE XIV
The same without KÓRSHUNOV
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. To whom, Gordéy Kárpych, did you say?
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. To Mítya—Yes! What airs he put on! As if I were worse than he! "You'll come and bow down!" He lies! I won't go and bow down! Just to spite him I'll marry her to Dmitry. [All are astonished. MÍTYA. [Takes LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA by the hand and goes to GORDÉY KÁRPYCH] Why out of spite, Gordéy Kárpych? One does not do such things out of spite. I don't want you to do it out of spite. I'd rather suffer torment all my life. If you are kind enough, then give us your blessing as is proper, in a fatherly fashion, with love. Because we love each other, and even before this happened, we wanted to confess our guilt to you. And now I'll be a true son to you forever, with all my heart.
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. What, what, "with all your heart"? You're glad of the chance! But how did you ever dare to think of it? Is she your equal? Remember to whom you're talking.
MÍTYA. I know very well that you are my master, and that I, because of my poverty, cannot be her equal; but however, think as you please. Here I am; I've fallen in love with your daughter with all my heart and soul.
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH comes in and takes his stand in the crowd.
SCENE XV
The same and LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. Well, how could you help loving her? Your taste isn't bad! And you'll get plenty of money with her, which is fine for a penniless fellow like you—without a rag to your back!
MÍTYA. It is so insulting for me to hear this from you, that I have no words. Better keep silent. [Walks away] If you please, Lyubóv Gordéyevna, you speak.
LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA. Father, I have never gone against your will! If you wish for my happiness, then give me to Mítya.
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. Why, why, really, Gordéy Kárpych, why do you keep changing your mind so? Why do you? I was beginning to feel happy; my heart was just beginning to feel easy, and now you begin again. Do stick to something; otherwise what does all this mean? Really! First you say to one man, and then to the other! Was she born your daughter just to be a martyr?
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. [From the crowd] Brother, give Lyubóv to Mítya!
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. You here again! Do you understand what you've done to me to-day? You've put me to shame before the whole town! If you felt this you wouldn't dare to show yourself in my sight—and then you slink in and give me advice! If it were only a man talking and not you.
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. You'd better bow down to Lyubím Tortsóv's feet, just because he has put you to shame.
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. That's it, dear Lyubím! We ought to bow down to your feet; that's just it! You have taken a great sin from our souls; all our prayers could never have freed us from this sin.
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. What, am I a monster to my own family?
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. You're no monster, but you would have ruined your daughter through your own folly; I tell you this straight out! They marry girls to old men who are a lot better than Afrikán Savvich, and even so they live miserable lives.
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. Permit me! [Sings] Tum-ty-tum, tum-ty-tum! [Dances] Look at me, here's an example for you! Lyubím Kárpych stands before you large as life! He went along that road, he knows what it is! And I was rich and respected, I drove about in coaches, I played such pranks as would never come into your head; and then head over heels down. Just see what a dandy I am!
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. No matter what you say to me, I don't want to listen; you are my enemy for the rest of my life.
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. Are you a man, or a wild beast? Have pity on Lyubím Tortsóv! [Kneels down] Brother, give Lyubóv to Mítya—he will give me a corner. I was chilled and hungry. I was growing old, and it was hard for me to play the fool in the cold for a piece of bread; at least in one's old age one wants to live decently. You see I've been cheating people, I've been begging alms, and have spent it in drink. They'll give me work, and then I'll have my kettle of soup. Then I'll thank God, brother; even my tears will reach to heaven. What if he is poor, eh? If I had been poor, I should have been a man. Poverty is no crime.
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. Gordéy Kárpych, haven't you any feelings?
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. [Wiping away a tear] And you really thought that I hadn't? [Lifts up his brother] Well, brother, thank you for bringing me back to reason; I almost went out of my mind completely. I don't know how such a rotten notion got into my head. [Embraces MÍTYA and LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA] Now, children, say thank you to your Uncle Lyubím Kárpych, and live in happiness.
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA embraces the children.
GÚSLIN. Uncle, may I speak now?
GORDÉY KÁRPYCH. You may, you may! Ask for whatever you want, every one of you! Now I have become another man.
GÚSLIN. Well, Annushka, it's our turn now!
ANNA IVÁNOVNA. Well, now, we'll have a dance; only hold your hat on!
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. Yes, let's dance, let's dance!
RAZLYULYÁYEV. [Goes to MÍTYA and slaps him on the shoulder] Mítya! For a friend I give up everything! I loved her myself, but for you—I give her up. Give me your hand. [Clasps his hand] That's all—take her; I give her up to you! For a friend I don't regret anything! That's the way we do it when it comes to the point! [Wipes away his tears with the lappet of his coat and kisses MÍTYA] He told the truth then; drunkenness is no crime—well, I mean—poverty is no crime. I always make slips!
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. Oh, yes, here they all are! [To the girls] Now, then, girls, a jolly song! Yes, a jolly one! Now we'll celebrate the wedding with all our hearts! With all our hearts! [The girls begin to sing.
LYUBÍM KÁRPYCH. Sh! Obey orders! He sings; the girls join in.
"We have done the business;
All the trade is driven.
The betrothal we will plight,
And upon the wedding night
A fine feast shall be given."