BORIS (not seeing Katerina). My God! It's her voice! Where is she? (Looks round.)

KATERINA (runs to him and falls on his neck). At last I see you again! (Weeps on his bosom. Silence.)

BORIS. We are weeping together, God has brought us together.

KATERINA. You have not forgotten me?

BORIS. Me forget you? Don't!

KATERINA. Oh no, oh no! You're not angry?

BORIS. How could I be angry?

KATERINA. Forgive me, anyway! I did not mean to harm you; but I was not free myself. I did not know what I was doing, what I was saying.

BORIS. Oh don't! how can you! how can you!

KATERINA. Well, how is it with you? how are you now?

BORIS. I am going away.

KATERINA. Where are you going?

BORIS. Far away, Katia, to Siberia.

KATERINA. Take me with you, away from here!

BORIS. I cannot, Katia. I am not going of my own free will; my uncle is sending me, he has the horses waiting for me already; I only begged for a minute, I wanted to take a last farewell of the spot where we used to see each other.

KATERINA. Go and God be with you! Don't grieve over me. At first your heart will be heavy perhaps, poor boy, and then you will begin to forget.

BORIS. Why talk of me! I am free at least; how about you? what of your husband's mother?

KATERINA. She tortures me, she locks me up. She tells everyone and tells my husband: "don't trust her, she's sly and deceitful." They all follow me about all day long and laugh at me before my face. At every word they reproach me with you.

BORIS. And your husband?

KATERINA. One minute he's kind, one minute he's angry, but he's drinking all the while. He is loathsome to me, loathsome; his kindness is worse than his blows.

BORIS. You are wretched, Katia?

KATERINA. So wretched, so wretched, that it were better to die!

BORIS. Who could have dreamed that we should have to suffer such anguish for our love! I'd better have run away then!

KATERINA. It was an evil day for me when I saw you. Joy I have known little of, but of sorrow, of sorrow, how much! And how much is still before me! But why think of what is to be! I am seeing you now, that they cannot take away from me; and I care for nothing more. All I wanted was to see you. Now my heart is much easier; as though a load had been taken off me. I kept thinking you were angry with me, that you were cursing me....

BORIS. How can you! How can you!

KATERINA. No, that's not what I mean; that's not what I wanted to say! I was sick with longing for you, that's it; and now, I have seen you....

BORIS. They must not come upon us here!

KATERINA. Stay a minute! Stay a minute! Something I meant to say to you! I've forgotten! Something I had to say! Everything is in confusion in my head, I can remember nothing.

BORIS. It's time I went, Katia!

KATERINA. Wait a minute, a minute!

BORIS. Come, what did you want to say?

KATERINA. I will tell you directly. (Thinking a moment.) Yes! As you travel along the highroads, do not miss over one beggar, give to everyone, and bid them pray for my sinful soul.

BORIS. Ah, if these people knew what it is to me to part from you! My God! God grant they may one day know such bitterness as I know now. Farewell, Katia! (embraces her and tries to go away). Miscreants! monsters! Ah, if I were strong!

KATERINA. Stay, stay! Let me look at you for the last time (gazes into his face). Now all's over with me. The end is come for me. Now, God be with thee. Go, go quickly!

BORIS (moves away a few steps and stands still). Katia, I feel a dread of something! You have something fearful in your mind? I shall be in torture as I go, thinking of you.

KATERINA. No, no! Go in God's name! (Boris is about to go up to her.) No, no, enough.

BORIS (sobbing). God be with thee! There's only one thing to pray God for, that she may soon be dead, that she may not be tortured long! Farewell!

KATERINA. Farewell!

[Boris goes out. Katerina follows him with her eyes and stands for some time, lost in thought.