LIZAVETA

What can I say, Ignaty Ilyich . . . If you’ve blackened yourself for some reason . . .

SHPIGELSKY

How have I blackened myself? Don’t forget that another man in my place would quite calmly have said nothing about his shortcomings, seeing that you hadn’t noticed anything, and after the wedding, tut-tut, it’s too late. But I have too much pride for that.

Lizaveta Bogdanovna glances up at him.

Yes, too much pride . . . look at me all you want. I have no intention of pretending and lying before my future wife, not only for fifteen, but even for a hundred thousand. But I’ll grovel before a stranger for a sack of flour. That’s my character . . . With a stranger I’m all smiles, but I think to myself: what an imbecile you are, brother, to swallow such bait. But with you I say what I think. That is, allow me, I don’t say all I think with you either, but at least I don’t deceive you. I must seem like a great eccentric to you, but just wait, some day I’ll tell you my life story: you’ll be amazed that I’m still more or less in one piece. I don’t suppose you ate off of gold dishes as a child either, but even so, my dove, you can’t imagine what real, hardened poverty is . . . I’ll tell you all about it some other time. Now you’d better think over what I’ve had the honor of laying out before you . . . Consider the little matter carefully, on your own, and tell me your decision. You are, as far as I’ve been able to see, a sensible woman. You . . . By the way, how old are you?

LIZAVETA

I’m . . . I’m . . . thirty.

SHPIGELSKY

(Calmly) That’s not true: you’re all of forty.

LIZAVETA

(Flaring up) Not forty at all. I’m thirty-six.

SHPIGELSKY

Still, that’s not thirty. That’s something you ought to give up, Lizaveta Bogdanovna . . . the more so as a married woman is not old at all at thirty-six. And you also shouldn’t take snuff. (Gets up) The rain seems to have stopped.

LIZAVETA

(Also getting up) Yes, it has.

SHPIGELSKY

So, you’ll give me an answer one of these days?

LIZAVETA

I’ll tell you my decision tomorrow.

SHPIGELSKY

That I like! . . . That’s really smart! There’s my Lizaveta Bogdanovna! Well, give me your arm. Let’s go back.

LIZAVETA

(Giving him her arm) Yes, let’s.

SHPIGELSKY

By the way, I haven’t kissed your hand . . . and it seems to be called for . . . Well, why not this once!

He kisses her hand. Lizaveta Bogdanovna blushes.

There.

They go toward the door to the garden.

LIZAVETA

(Stopping) So you think Mikhail Alexandrych is not a dangerous man?

SHPIGELSKY

So I think.

LIZAVETA

Do you know what, Ignaty Ilyich? It seems to me that for a while now, Natalya Petrovna . . . it seems to me that Mr. Belyaev . . . She’s been paying attention to him . . . eh? And Verochka, too, don’t you think? That’s why today . . .