MARTHA. Very well, thank you.

LEBEDIEFF. Splendid, splendid! [He sits down in an armchair]
Quite right--Oh, Gabriel!

GABRIEL brings him a glass of vodka and a tumbler of water. He
empties the glass of vodka and sips the water.

FIRST GUEST. Good health to you!

LEBEDIEFF. Good health is too much to ask. I am content to keep
death from the door. [To his wife] Where is the heroine of this
occasion, Zuzu?

KOSICH. [In a plaintive voice] Look here, why haven't we taken
any tricks yet? [He jumps up] Yes, why have we lost this game
entirely, confound it?

AVDOTIA. [Jumps up angrily] Because, friend, you don't know how
to play it, and have no right to be sitting here at all. What
right had you to lead from another suit? Haven't you the ace
left? [They both leave the table and run forward.]

KOSICH. [In a tearful voice] Ladies and gentlemen, let me
explain! I had the ace, king, queen, and eight of diamonds, the
ace of spades and one, just one, little heart, do you understand?
Well, she, bad luck to her, she couldn't make a little slam. I
said one in no-trumps--- *

*The game played is vint, the national card-game of Russia and