Karp (laughs). Life Guards, no doubt! (Silence.)
Oulìta. They say it’s sinful to drink tea.
Karp. What do you mean by that?
Oulìta. Because it comes from a heathen country.
Karp. Heaps of things come from heathen countries.
Oulìta. No; it’s quite true; now, bread grows on Christian soil, and we eat it at the proper time; but when do we drink tea? People go to mass, and we sit drinking tea; now its vesper-time, and here we are drinking tea. So you see it’s a sin.
Karp. Well, then, drink it at the proper time.
Oulìta. Yes; but still——
Karp. Yes; but still, hold your tongue. You haven’t much of a headpiece, but you’re very fond of talking. Just hold your tongue! (Silence.)
Oulìta. How lucky our Serafimochka is! She married a gentleman, and that made her a lady; and now that she’s a widow, she’s still a lady. Supposing she should marry a prince now, perhaps she’ll be a princess.