Tánya. Sometimes I lace her up so that her eyes are ready to start from her head, and she says, "Tighter," till my hands tingle. And you say I'm not strong!
[PEASANTS laugh and shake their heads.
Tánya. But here, I've been jabbering.
[Runs away, laughing.
Third Peasant. Ah, the lassie has made us laugh!
First Peasant. She's a tidy one!
Second Peasant. She's not bad.
[Enter SAHÁTOF and VASÍLY LEONÍDITCH. SAHÁTOF holds a teaspoon in his hand.
Vasíly Leoníditch. Not exactly a dinner, but a déjeuner dinatoire. And first-rate it was, I tell you. Ham of sucking-pig, delicious! Roulier feeds one splendidly! I've only just returned. (Sees PEASANTS.) Ah, the peasants are here again!
Sahátof. Yes, yes, that's all very well, but we came here to hide this article. Where shall we hide it?