[_Goes._




SCENE IX

KATERINA and VARVARA.


KATERINA.
Ah, how she frightened me! I'm trembling all over, as if she were
foretelling something for me.

VARVARA.
Her curse fall on her own head, the old witch!

KATERINA.
What was it she said, eh? what did she say?

VARVARA.
It was all rubbish. It's silly to listen to her raving. She foretells evil
like that to everyone. She was a sinner all her life from her youth up.
You should hear the stories they tell about her. So now she's afraid of
death. And she must try and frighten others with what she dreads herself.
Why even the little street boys hide away from her; she shakes her stick
at them and growls (_mimicking_) "you'll all burn in fire unquenchable!"

KATERINA (_shrinking_).
Ah, ah, stop! I can't bear it!