NIKÍTA [shakes his head] Don't touch me! Forgive me my sin towards you, Marína! Forgive me, for Christ's sake!
Marína covers her face with her hands in silence.
ANÍSYA. Get up, I tell you! Don't be so impudent! What are you thinking about—to recall it? Enough humbug! It's shameful! Oh my poor head! He's quite crazy!
NIKÍTA [pushes his wife away and turns to Akoulína] Akoulína, now I'll speak to you! Listen, Christian Commune! I'm a fiend, Akoulína! I have sinned against you! Your father died no natural death! He was poisoned!
ANÍSYA [screams] Oh my head! What's he about?
MATRYÓNA. The man's beside himself! Lead him away!
The folk come up and try to seize him.
AKÍM [motions them back with his arms] Wait! You lads, what d'ye call it, wait, I mean!
NIKÍTA. Akoulína, I poisoned him! Forgive me, in Christ's name!
AKOULÍNA [jumps up] He's telling lies! I know who did it!