(Karp Kàrpych. Oulìta sits down at her place and pours out tea. Serafìma, in hat and cloak, with parasol and green gloves. Matryòna places on table a figured china cup which she has brought from the room, and stands a little way off.)
SERAFIMA: “GOOD EVENING, PAPA.”
Serafima. Good evening, papa. (Goes up to him. They kiss.)
Karp. Good evening. Sit down, my girl.
Serafima (sits down). And where’s my brother, Onesìme?
Karp. Where’s Onesìme? Off on the spree. He’s been playing the devil for five days.
Serafima. And Anna Vlàsyevna?
Karp. Well, you see, whatever we do, we can’t make Onesìme leave off drinking. So your mother has sent your sister round to the prisons to give out white bread; so perhaps God will forgive us.
Oulìta. Yes, yes; I sent her to take round white rolls to the prisoners.... You know they’ve most of them got into trouble for nothing....