USTÍNYA NAÚMOVNA. It's a little scary at first, my jewel, but afterwards
you'll get used to things, you'll manage somehow or other. But, here, we
must talk a bit with Samsón Sílych; he may even know him, this man of ours.



SCENE VIII

_The same and_ RISPOLÓZHENSKY


RISPOLÓZHENSKY. [_Entering_] I've come to you, my dear Agraféna
Kondrátyevna. I was going to have a talk with Samsón Sílych, but he was
busy, I saw, so I thought: now, I'll go to Agraféna Kondrátyevna. By
the way, is that vodka, near you? I'll just take a thimbleful, Agraféna
Kondrátyevna. [_Drinks._

AGRAFÉNA KONDRÁTYEVNA. With my compliments, my dear sir. Please sit down,
won't you? How are you getting along?

RISPOLÓZHENSKY. What a life I live! Well, I'm just loafing, Agraféna
Kondrátyevna; you know yourself, my family's large, business is dull. But I
don't grumble; it's a sin to grumble, Agraféna Kondrátyevna.

AGRAFÉNA KONDRÁTYEVNA. That's the last thing in the world to do, my dear
sir.

RISPOLÓZHENSKY. Whoever grumbles, I think, offends against God, Agraféna
Kondrátyevna. This is the way it happened--