Before she fixed her eye on a title she was like any other woman, but there is no coming near her now! [Angrily] A boor, indeed!
Lvoff. [Excitedly] Listen to me; tell me honestly, what do you think of Ivanoff?
Kosich. He’s no good at all. He plays cards like a lunatic. This is what happened last year during Lent: I, the Count, Borkin and he, sat down to a game of cards. I led a———
Lvoff [Interrupting him] Is he a good man?
Kosich. He? Yes, he’s a good one! He and the Count are a pair of trumps. They have keen noses for a good game. First, Ivanoff set his heart on the Jewess, then, when his schemes failed in that quarter, he turned his thoughts toward Zuzu’s money-bags. I’ll wager you he’ll ruin Zuzu in a year. He will ruin Zuzu, and the Count will ruin Martha. They will gather up all the money they can lay hands on, and live happily ever after! But, doctor, why are you so pale to-day? You look like a ghost.
Lvoff. Oh, it’s nothing. I drank a little too much yesterday.
Enter Lebedieff with Sasha.
Lebedieff. We can have our talk here. [To Lvoff and Kosich] Go into the ball-room, you two old fogies, and talk to the girls. Sasha and I want to talk alone here.
Kosich. [Snapping his fingers enthusiastically as he goes by Sasha] What a picture! A queen of trumps!
Lebedieff. Go along, you old cave-dweller; go along.
Kosich and Lvoff go out.
Lebedieff. Sit down, Sasha, there— [He sits down and looks about him] Listen to me attentively and with proper respect. The fact is, your mother has asked me to say this, do you understand? I am not speaking for myself. Your mother told me to speak to you.
