Scene I—Ossep's House
NATO [
stands before the mirror elegantly dressed, and, while she prinks, hums a European melody. Then she draws out of her pocket a little photograph and speaks to herself while looking in the mirror
]. O my treasure! my treasure! [
Presses the photo to her breast and kisses it.
]
Mon chèr!
Come; we will dance. [
Dances around the table
.] Tra-la-la, Tra-la-la. [
Sits down at the right
.] Alexander; my Alexander; dear Alexander! Yes, you are really an angel. Why are you so handsome? You have black eyes and I also have black. Then arched eyebrows just like me. [
Touches her eyebrows
.] A pretty little mustache, which I lack. Which of us is more beautiful, I or you? You are handsomest; no, I am handsomest [
springing up
]. We will see at once.
[Looks at herself in the mirror and then at the photograph. Enter Alexander at the middle door.
NATO [
without noticing Alexander
]. No, you are the more beautiful!
[Kisses the photograph.
[Alexander approaches softly and kisses Nato.
NATO [
frightened
]. Oh!
ALEXANDER. No, you are the more beautiful, Natalie, dear.
Ma chère Nathalie!
NATO.
O mon chèr Alexandre!
How you frightened me!
ALEXANDER [
putting his arm around her
]. Let me kiss you again, and your fright will pass away. [
Kisses her
.] Give me a kiss just once!
NATO [
kissing him
]. There, you have one.
ALEXANDER. Well, I ought to allow you to kiss me. Am I not worth more than that piece of paper?
[Takes her by the hand; they sit down on sofa at the right.
NATO. They have come to congratulate us.
ALEXANDER. Yes, your grandmother, your aunts, and your cousins. Nato, shall you give evening parties like this?
NATO [
smiling
]. Ha! ha! ha! No such
soirées
as this, my dear Alexander. Two evenings every month we will give little dances, either on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Which is better? Do you not think, Alexander, that Thursday will be best?
ALEXANDER [
with a grimace
]. As you wish,
chère Nathalie
. If you like, you can give a
soirée
every week.
NATO. No, twice a month is better. Sophie, who is now Madame Jarinskaja, gives only two
soirées
in a month.
ALEXANDER. Very well, Nato dear.
NATO. That is agreed, then. And every Thursday we will dance at the Casino. [
Alexander makes another grimace
.] Mind, now! every Thursday.
ALEXANDER. Do you like to visit the Casino?
NATO [
laying her hand on his shoulder
]. Who doesn't like to visit it? Is there another place where one can amuse one's self better? The beautiful long
salon
! the
boudoir
! the beautiful music and the rich costumes! How beautiful they all are! [
Embracing Alexander
.] We will dance together, and when we are tired, we will go into the mirror-room and rest ourselves and talk and laugh.
ALEXANDER. And then we will dance again and rest ourselves, and talk and laugh again.
NATO. It will be splendid! [
Kisses him
.] I will dress beautifully
à la mode
, so that everyone will say, "Look! look! what a charming woman Madame Marmarow is!" And then, dear Alexander, we will subscribe for a box at the theatre for Fridays.
ALEXANDER [
making another grimace aside
]. She's piling it on.
NATO. And do you know where? In the upper tier at the left, near the foyer.
ALEXANDER. Wouldn't it be better to subscribe for two evenings a week?
NATO. Wouldn't it cost too much?
ALEXANDER. What has that to do with it? Do you think I could deny you any pleasure? No! no! you shall have everything.
NATO [
embracing him
].
Chèr Alexandre
! do you really love me so much?
ALEXANDER. I cannot tell you at all how much I love you. Right at our first meeting I fell in love with you!
NATO. I don't believe it! I don't believe it! All young men talk so!
ALEXANDER. Ha! ha! ha! Do you think I am like them? With them the tongues have nothing to do with the heart; but my tongue speaks what is here!
[Strikes himself on the breast.
NATO [
ironically
]. I know! I know! If I had no dowry you would not marry me.
ALEXANDER. Nato dear, you wrong me!
ma chère
! As if the dowry made any difference!
Fi donc
!
NATO. Then you really love me so much?
ALEXANDER. Very, very much, Nato dear. You can put me to the test if you will.
NATO. Do you know, my piano is not fit to use!
ALEXANDER [
smoothing his hair
—
aside
]. Something new again.
NATO. Buy me a new piano. To-day I saw one at a store; it cost 500 rubles.
ALEXANDER. Five hundred rubles! You cannot buy a decent piano for that!
NATO. Dear Alexander!
ALEXANDER. Be patient awhile, Nato dear. One of my friends brought a piano from abroad that cost 1,000; yes, even 1,500 rubles.
NATO. My sweetheart; my dear sweetheart! [
Kissing him
.] I will come right back. [
Rises
.] I must go and prepare for our reception or mamma will be angry. Tra-la-la.
[Exit at left.
ALEXANDER [
alone, springing up
]. Ha! ha! ha!
soirées
, balls at the club, box at the theatre, dresses and ornaments after the latest fashion! Am I a millionaire? I would have nothing against it if I had the money to do it. She acts as though she was going to bring 50,000 rubles dowry into the house. No, Natalie, that will all come later. In ten or twenty years, perhaps, I will set up a carriage; but it is not even to be thought of now. Indeed, I don't know, where it will lead to if she makes such demands on me every day. It will lead to quarrels and unpleasantness, and it will be all up with my economizing. No, indeed, Natalie, it will be no easy thing to satisfy you. Why did I not think of this sooner? Let her talk, and demand what she will. I will do what pleases me.
NATO [
enter right; speaks to someone behind the scenes
]. I will come at once. I am coming. Come, Alexander, let us go into the garden. Mamma must go upstairs, and the guests will be all alone in the garden.
ALEXANDER. I am waiting for your father, Nato dear, I have something important to discuss with him.
NATO. Why, we will soon return, and by that time father will be home. Do you want to sit here alone?
ALEXANDER. Well, we will go.
NATO. Come! come! I want to introduce you to my coquettish aunt.
[Mimics her while making a courtesy, and makes faces. Alexander, shaking his head, goes out with Nato noisily through middle door.
