Enter the Police Captain.

GOVERNOR. Hello, Stepan Ilyich, where the dickens
have you been keeping yourself? What do you mean by
acting that way?

CAPTAIN. Why, I was just outside the gate.

GOVERNOR. Well, listen, Stepan Ilyich. An official
has come from St. Petersburg. What have you done
about it?

CAPTAIN. What you told me to. I sent Sergeant
Pugovichyn with policemen to clean the street.

GOVERNOR. Where is Derzhimorda?

CAPTAIN. He has gone off on the fire engine.

GOVERNOR. And Prokhorov is drunk?

CAPTAIN. Yes.

GOVERNOR. How could you allow him to get drunk?

CAPTAIN. God knows. Yesterday there was a fight
outside the town. He went to restore order and was
brought back drunk.

GOVERNOR. Well, then, this is what you are to do.--