Anísya. Good day, father! Are you from the farm?
Akím. I thought, so to speak, I would come down to see my son, so to speak. I started late, after dinner, so to speak; as I walked, it was snowing, and it was hard to walk, so to speak, and so I am late. Is my son at home? Is he at home?
Anísya. No. He is in town.
Akím (sits down on the bench). I have some business, so to speak, some business with him. I told him the other day, so to speak, about my need, so to speak; the horse has died, so to speak. I must get me another horse, so to speak, any kind of a horse, so to speak. So I have come, so to speak.
Anísya. Nikíta told me about it. You will talk with him when he comes home. (Walks toward the oven.) You eat supper, and by that time he will be here. Mítrich, oh, Mítrich, come to supper!
Mítrich. O Lord, merciful St. Nicholas!
Anísya. Come to supper!
Sponsor. I will go now. Good-bye! (Exit.)
Scene V. Akím, Anísya, and Mítrich.
Mítrich (climbing down). I do not know how I came to fall asleep. O Lord, St. Nicholas! Good evening, Uncle Akím!
Akím. Oh, Mítrich! What are you doing here, so to speak?—
Mítrich. I am working for Nikíta, your son.
Akím. I say! So you are working for my son, so to speak? I say!
Mítrich. I was staying with a merchant in town, but I took to drinking there; so I came back to the village. I have no place to go to, so I hired out at your son's. (Yawning.) O Lord!
Akím. Well, so to speak, how is Nikíta doing, so to
