went wrong, and so she was immediately sent away. She had a child, then grew ill, and last spring she died in the hospital. What a fine girl she was!
Third Peasant. O Lord! They are weak creatures, and ought to be pitied.
Old Cook. Yes, you wait for the devils to pity them! (Dangles his legs over the oven.) I had been roasting at the stove for thirty years. When I became useless to them, they left me to die like a dog. Yes, they will pity a soul!
First Peasant. This, in rivality, is a well-known sitivation.
Second Peasant. While eating and drinking they call you curly-head; through eating and drinking, goodbye, scald-head!
Third Peasant. O Lord!
Old Cook. You don't know much. What means sauté à la Beaumont? What means bavasari? That's what I was able to do! Think of it! The emperor used to eat my dishes. And now I am of no use to the devils. But I will not submit!
Cook. Don't talk so much! Look out! Crawl back into your corner so that you can't be seen, or else Fédor Iványch will come in, or somebody else, and then they will drive me away with you.
(Silence.)
Yákov. Do you know my village, Voznesénskoe
Second Peasant. Certainly I do. It is about seventeen versts, not more than that, from us, and by crossroads it is even less. Do you have any land there?
Yákov. My brother has, and I send him money. Although I am staying here, I am dying to be at home.
First Peasant. In rivality!
Second Peasant. Anísim, then, is your brother?
