PODKOLYÒSSIN: “DO YOU KNOW—I CONFESS IT TO YOU—I DO LIKE TO HAVE A PRETTY WOMAN BESIDE ME.”
KOCHKARYÒV: “THERE NOW! THERE YOU SEE! THEN ALL THAT’S WANTED IS TO MAKE THE ARRANGEMENTS.”
Pod. But my dear fellow! you set about the business as if I were going to be married at once!
Koch. And why not? What’s the use of putting it off? You’ve decided?
Pod. Me? Oh, dear no! I haven’t decided at all!
Koch. Well I never did! But you just said you wanted to marry.
Pod. I only said it wouldn’t be a bad idea.
Koch. Well now, really! And we were just settling up everything.... What’s come to you? Don’t you like the idea of a married life?
Pod. Oh, yes, I like it.
Koch. Well then, what’s it all about? Where’s the difficulty?
Pod. There isn’t any difficulty; only it seems so strange....