Martha. Quite right.
First Guest yawns.
Martha. How dare you yawn in the presence of ladies?
First Guest. I beg your pardon! It was quite an accident.
Zinaida gets up and goes out through the door on the right.
George. Two in hearts.
Second Guest. Pass.
Kosich. Pass.
Martha. [Aside] Heavens! This is deadly! I shall die of ennui.
Enter Zinaida and Lebedieff through the door on the right.
Zinaida. Why do you go off by yourself like a prima donna? Come and sit with our guests!
Lebedieff. [Yawning] Oh, dear, our sins are heavy! [He catches sight of Martha] Why, there is my little sugar-plum! How is your most esteemed highness?
Martha. Very well, thank you.
Lebedieff. Splendid, splendid! [He sits down in an arm-chair] Quite right—Oh, Gabriel!
Gabriel brings him a glass of vodka and a tumbler of water. He empties the glass of vodka and sips the water.
First Guest. Good health to you!
Lebedieff. Good health is too much to ask. I am content to keep death from the door. [To his wife] Where is the heroine of this occasion, Zuzu?
Kosich. [In a plaintive voice] Look here, why haven’t we taken any tricks yet? [He jumps up] Yes, why have we lost this game entirely, confound it?
Avdotia. [Jumps up angrily] Because, friend, you don’t know how to play it, and have no right to be sitting here at
