VARVARA and various persons, and later, MME. KABANOVA, KABANOV, KATERINA and KULIGIN.

FIRST. The good lady seems awfully frightened by the way she's hurrying for shelter.

A WOMAN. No use seeking shelter! If it's written in the book of fate, there's no escaping!

KATERINA (running in). Ah, Varvara! (Seizes her hand and holds it tight.)

VARVARA. Come, be quiet!

KATERINA. It will be my death!

VARVARA. Come, come! Pull yourself together!

KATERINA. No! I can't. I can do nothing. My heart aches so.

MME. KABANOVA (entering). Let me tell you, one should live so as to be always ready for anything. You would not be in such terror then.

KABANOV. But what sins in special has she to frighten her, mamma? Her sins are no more than all of us have to repent; being afraid of storms is a matter of temperament.

MME. KABANOVA. How do you know, pray? The heart of another is darkness.

KABANOV (jestingly). Oh well, maybe, something very wicked while I was away; certainly when I've been here she never did anything bad.

MME. KABANOVA. Maybe, when you were away, then.

KABANOV (jesting). Katia, my girl, you'd better repent, if you've been sinful in any way. You can't have secrets from me, you know; no, you naughty girl, I know all about it.

KATERINA (looks him straight in the face). Dear Tihon!

VARVARA. Come, why do you keep teazing her? Can't you see she's not well?

[Boris steps out of the crowd and bows to the Kabanovs.

KATERINA (shrieks). Ah!

KABANOV. What are you frightened of? Did you think it was a stranger? This is a friend! Is your uncle quite well?

BORIS. Quite, thank you.

KATERINA (to Varvara). What more does he want of me? ... Isn't it enough that I am in torture like this.

[Leans against Varvara, sobs.

VARVARA (aloud, so that her mother should hear). We're simply tired out, and don't know what to do with her; and now outsiders must come up too!

[Gives Boris a sign and he walks away to the entrance of the arcade.

KULIGIN (coming into the middle of the scene and addressing the crowd). Why, what are you afraid of, I should like to know! every blade of grass, every flower is rejoicing now, while we try to get away and are as frightened as if it were a disaster! The storm kill us indeed! It's not a storm to be dreaded, it's a blessing! Yes, a blessing! Everything's dreadful to you. If the Northern Lights shine in the heavens—you ought to admire and marvel at "the dawn breaking in the land of midnight!" But you are in terror, and imagine it means war or flood. If a comet comes—I can't take my eyes from it! a thing so beautiful! the stars we have looked upon to our hearts' content, they are always with us, but that is something new; well, one must gaze and admire! But you're afraid even to look at the sky, and all in a tremble! You make a bogey out of everything. Ah, what a people! I'm not afraid, you see. Come, sir, let's go on!

BORIS. Yes, let us go! it's more terrible here! [Goes.