PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. And a snack for the young men.

ARÍNA. Everything, everything will be all right. Don't you worry yourself; you join the guests. I'll do everything with pleasure. [Goes out.

PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. [Going to the door] Girls, boys, come here! There's more room here and it's lighter.

Enter LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA, MÁSHA, LÍZA, ANNA IVÁNOVNA, RAZLYULYÁYEV, MÍTYA, GÚSLIN, and two GUESTS.

SCENE V

PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA, LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA, MÁSHA, LÍZA, ANNA IVÁNOVNA,
RAZLYULYÁYEV, MÍTYA, GÚSLIN, and two GUESTS (old women).

PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. [To the old women] We'll sit here. [Seats herself on the sofa, with the old women near her; ANNA IVÁNOVNA and GÚSLIN take chairs and talk quietly; MÍTYA stands near them; MÁSHA, LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA, and LÍZA walk about the room with their arms round each other; RAZLYULYÁYEV follows them] We'll watch them while they play.

LÍZA. "Just imagine, mother!" I said, "he doesn't know how to talk properly, and he even uses such words that it's absolutely impolite."

RAZLYULYÁYEV. Do you mean me?

LÍZA. We aren't talking about you; it's no business of yours. [She continues] "But why, mother, must I love him?" [Speaks in a whisper.