The fancy bites them, and they straight go mad.
She. Your father’s friend, the metropolitan—
A word from him....
He. Alas, he too is bitten!
Gray-haired, gray-hearted, worldly-wise, he sees
This marriage makes me the Tsar’s protégé
And opens every door to preference.
She. Think while I think. There surely is some key
Unlocks the labyrinth, could we but find it.
Nastasia!