THE OLD LADY. Why hide your face? It's no use hiding! One can see you're afraid. You've no wish to die! She wants to live! To be sure she does!—look what a beauty! Ha, ha, ha! Beauty! Better pray to God to take away your beauty! It's beauty that is our ruin! Ruin to yourself, a snare to others, so rejoice in your beauty if you will! Many, many, you lead into sin! Giddy fellows fight duels over you, slash each other with swords for your sake. And you are glad! Old men, honourable men, forget that they must die, tempted by beauty! And who has to answer for all. Better go down into the abyss with your beauty! Yes, quick, quick. (Katerina hides herself.) Where will you hide away, foolish one! There's no escaping God! (A clap of thunder.) All of you will burn in fire unquenchable! [Exit.

KATERINA. Ah, I am dying!

VARVARA. Why do you torture yourself like this! Stand on one side and pray; you will feel better.

KATERINA (goes to the wall and drops on her knees, then jumps up quickly, seeing the picture on the wall). Ah! Hell! Hell! The fire unquenchable! (Mme. Kabanova, Kabanov, and Varvara surround her.) My heart is torn! I can bear it no longer! Mother! Tihon! I have sinned against God and against you! Did I not swear to you I would not set eyes on anyone when you were away! You remember! you remember! And do you know what I have done in my sinfulness? The first night I went out of the house....

KABANOV (in despair, in tears, pulls at her sleeve). You mustn't, you mustn't! don't! What are you saying? Mother is here!

MME. KABANOVA (severely). Come, come, speak, now you have begun.

KATERINA. And every night the same.... (Sobs, Kabanov tries to embrace her).

MME. KABANOVA. Let her be! With whom?

VARVARA. She's raving, she doesn't know what she is saying.

MME. KABANOVA. You be quiet! So this is the meaning of it! Well, with whom?

KATERINA. With Boris Grigoritch. (A clap of thunder.) Ah!

[Falls unconscious in her husband's arms.

MME. KABANOVA. Well, son! You see what freedom leads to! I told you so, but you wouldn't heed me. See what you've brought on yourself!