STYÓPA. I expected to see you at the Italian opera last night.
TÓNYA. We were at my Aunt's, sewing for the charity-bazaar.
Enter Students, Ladies, Mary Ivánovna and a Countess.
COUNTESS. Shan't we see Nicholas Ivánovich?
MARY IVÁNOVNA. No, he never leaves his study to come to our gathering.
STARKÓVSKY. Quadrille, please! [Claps his hands. The dancers take their places and dance].
ALEXÁNDRA IVÁNOVNA [approaches Mary Ivánovna] He is terribly agitated. He has been to see Borís, and he came back and saw there was a ball, and now he wants to go away! I went up to his door and overheard him talking to Alexander Petróvich.
MARY IVÁNOVNA. Well?
STARKÓVSKY. Rond des dames. Les cavaliers en avant![38]
ALEXÁNDRA IVÁNOVNA. He has made up his mind that it is impossible for him to live so, and he is going away.