Act IV

The same scene as in Act I. The next day. Two liveried footmen,
THEODORE IVÁNITCH and GREGORY.

FIRST FOOTMAN (with grey whiskers). Yours is the third house to-day.
Thank goodness that all the at-homes are in this direction. Yours used
to be on Thursdays.

THEODORE IVÁNITCH. Yes, we changed to Saturday so as to be on the same
day as the Golóvkins and Grade von Grabes....

SECOND FOOTMAN. The Stcherbákofs do the thing well. There's
refreshments for the footmen every time they've a ball.

[The two PRINCESSES, mother and daughter, come down the stairs
accompanied by BETSY. The old PRINCESS looks in her note-book
and at her watch, and sits down on the settle. GREGORY puts on
her overshoes.

YOUNG PRINCESS. Now, do come. Because, if you refuse, and Dodo
refuses, the whole thing will be spoilt.

BETSY. I don't know. I must certainly go to the Shoúbins. And then
there is the rehearsal.

YOUNG PRINCESS. You'll have plenty of time. Do, please. Ne nous fais
pas faux bond.[13] Fédya and Koko will come.

BETSY. J'en ai par-dessus la tête de votre Koko.[14]

YOUNG PRINCESS. I thought I should see him here. Ordinairement il est
d'une exactitude....[15]

BETSY. He is sure to come.

YOUNG PRINCESS. When I see you together, it always seems to me that he
has either just proposed or is just going to propose.

BETSY. Yes, I don't suppose it can be avoided. I shall have to go
through with it. And it is so unpleasant!

YOUNG PRINCESS. Poor Koko! He is head over ears in love.

BETSY. Cessez, les gens![16]

[YOUNG PRINCESS sits down, talking in whispers. GREGORY puts on
her overshoes.

YOUNG PRINCESS. Well then, good-bye till this evening.

BETSY. I'll try to come.

OLD PRINCESS. Then tell your papa that I don't believe in anything of
the kind, but will come to see his new medium. Only he must let me
know when. Good afternoon, ma toute belle.

[Kisses BETSY, and exit, followed by her daughter. BETSY goes
upstairs.

GREGORY. I don't like putting on an old woman's overshoes for her; she
can't stoop, can't see her shoe for her stomach, and keeps poking her
foot in the wrong place. It's different with a young one; it's
pleasant to take her foot in one's hand.

SECOND FOOTMAN. Hear him! Making distinctions!

FIRST FOOTMAN. It's not for us footmen to make such distinctions.

GREGORY. Why shouldn't one make distinctions; are we not men? It's
they think we don't understand! Just now they were deep in their talk,
then they look at me, and at once it's "lay zhon!"

SECOND FOOTMAN. And what's that?

GREGORY. Oh, that means, "Don't talk,