[NÁDYA goes out.]
LEONÍD. Well, I know why: you want to marry her off.
MADAM ULANBÉKOV. Whether I do or not, my dear, is my own business.
Furthermore, I do not like to have any one meddle in my arrangements.
VASILÍSA PEREGRÍNOVNA. What a clever young man you are; you know everything, you get into everything!
LEONÍD. Indeed, mamma dear, I don't mean to meddle in your arrangements.
Only he's a drunkard.
MADAM ULANBÉKOV. And that, again, is none of your business. Leave that to your mother's judgment.
LEONÍD. I'm only sorry for her, mamma.
MADAM ULANBÉKOV. All very fine, my dear; but I should like to know from whom you heard that I'm going to marry NÁDYA. If one of the housemaids has….
LEONÍD. No, mamma, no.
MADAM ULANBÉKOV. How could you find out otherwise? How did that get out? [To GAVRÍLOVNA] Find out without fail!