MME. KABANOVA. Well, that's a pretty sermon he gave us! Something worth hearing, and no mistake! What have the times come to, when such as he turn teacher! If an old man talks so, what can we expect from the young ones!

A WOMAN. The whole sky's overcast. It's covered up all over, as it were, with a cap.

FIRST. Eh, mate, see how the storm cloud is rolling into a ball, as though there were something alive turning round in it. And see how it's creeping up towards us, creeping like a live thing!

SECOND. Mark my words, that storm's not coming up for nothing. It's the truth I tell you; I know. It'll strike someone dead, or set fire to a house; you'll see, look what an extraordinary colour!

KATERINA (listening). What are they saying? They say someone will be struck dead.

KABANOV. You know what stuff they talk, any nonsense that comes into their heads.

MME. KABANOVA. Don't you criticise your elders! They know better than you. Old people have forewarnings of all sorts. Old people don't talk at random.

KATERINA (to her husband). Dear Tihon, I know who will be struck dead.

VARVARA (to Katerina, softly). If only you would hold your tongue!

KABANOV. How do you know?

KATERINA. It will strike me. Pray for me, then.

[Enter Old Lady with footmen. Katerina with a shriek hides her face.