Without a dowry / Бесприданница. Книга для чтения на английском языке

Really, I can’t find the words to thank you.

Knurov. To tell the truth, that was why I came. (He gets up.)

Mme Ogudalov. All the same, I’d still like to give my daughter a surprise tomorrow. A mother’s heart, you know.

Knurov (takes the box). Well now, what do we have here? How much does it cost?

Mme Ogudalov. You set a price on it, Moky Parmenych!

Knurov. Why price it, why bother! Let’s say it costs three hundred rubles. (He takes money from his wallet and gives it to Mme Ogudalov.

) Good-bye. I’m going to walk a bit more, I expect to have a good dinner tonight. We’ll see each other at dinner. (He goes to the door.)

Mme Ogudalov. I’m very grateful, very grateful to you for everything, Moky Parmenych, everything!

Knurov goes off. Larisa enters with a basket in her hand.

Larisa (places the basket on the table and examines the things in the box). Are these what Vasya gave me? Not bad. How nice of him!

Mme Ogudalov. “Not bad.” They’re very expensive.

Aren’t you glad to get them?

Larisa. I don’t feel especially glad about it.

Mme Ogudalov. You thank Vasya, just whisper in his ear, “Thank you.” And Knurov too.

Larisa. Why Knurov?

Mme Ogudalov. It’s something necessary, I know why.

Larisa. Oh, Mama, you always have your secrets and tricks.

Mme Ogudalov. Tricks! You can’t live in this world without tricks.

Larisa (takes the guitar, sits next to the window, and starts to sing).

Mother mine, so dear to me, sun so warm and mild, Mother mine, caress your own tiny baby child.

[4 - From a romance by A. L. Gurilev, words by Nirkomsky (pseudonym).]Yuly Kapitonych wants to enter the election for Justice of Peace.

Mme Ogudalov. That’s very nice. For what district?

Larisa. For Zabolotye.

Mme Ogudalov. Aie, isn’t that off in the sticks somewhere? Where did he get the idea of going so far?

Larisa. There aren’t so many candidates there; he’d probably get elected.

Mme Ogudalov. Well, all right, even there people can live.

Larisa. I don’t mind going even to the sticks, just so long as I can get away from here first.

Mme Ogudalov. It could be a good thing living in the sticks for a while. Your Karandyshov will look good there, he might be the first man in the district, and little by little you’ll get used to him.

Larisa. But he’s a good man here too. I don’t see anything bad in him.

Mme Ogudalov.