PODKHALYÚZIN. Olimpiáda Samsónovna, ma'am! Olimpiáda Samsónovna! I suppose you abominate me? Say only one word, ma'am! Just let me kiss your little hand!
LÍPOCHKA. You blockhead, you ignorant lout!
PODKHALYÚZIN. But why, Olimpiáda Samsónovna, do you want to insult me, ma'am?
LÍPOCHKA. I'll tell you once, now and forever, that I won't marry you, and
I won't!
PODKHALYÚZIN. That's just as you please, ma'am! Love can't be forced. Only here's what I want to announce to you, ma'am——
LÍPOCHKA. I won't listen to you; go away from me! As if you were an educated gentleman! You see that I wouldn't marry you for anything in the world—you ought to break off yourself!
PODKHALYÚZIN. Now, Olimpiáda Samsónovna, you were pleased to say "break off." Only, if I should break off, what would happen then, ma'am?
LÍPOCHKA. Why, the thing that would happen would be that I'd marry an aristocrat.
PODKHALYÚZIN. An aristocrat, ma'am! But an aristocrat won't take you without a dowry!
LÍPOCHKA. What do you mean, without dowry? What are you talking about? Just take a look and see what kind of a dowry I have; it fairly hits you in the face!