The stage represents the hall of a wealthy house in Moscow. Three doors : the outer door, the door of Leonid Federovitch's study, and the door of Vassili Leoniditch's room. A stairway leads to the sitting rooms; back of the stairs a passage to the buffet.
Scene I.
Gregori (a young, handsome lackey; views himself in the glass and makes himself fine).
Gregori. Too bad about that moustache. A lackey, their highnesses say, must not have a moustache. And why? That everybody may know you are a lackey. One might easily cut out their darling son. Hm, bah! even without a moustache I can challenge him. (Views him self smiling in the glass.) And how many girls run after me ! But I like none so well as this Tania. Only a chambermaid! Well—yes! But still, prettier than the gracious young lady. (Smiles.) And comely she is! (Listens.) I hear her coming (Smiles.) And how she, clatters with her heels. . .Ha!
