Woe from wit - A.S.Griboedov

ACT II

Scene 1

Famusov, Footman.

F a m u s o v

Petrushka, you have always new clothes on.

Look at yourself! Your sleeve is torn.

Now, take the calendar and try to make it best.

Read it expressively, don't mumble like obsessed !

No, wait, just take the pad and write: The next week column. Tuesday night -

A trout party. What a temptation ! -

It's Praskovya Fyodorovna's invitation.

Why is the world so strange ? - I ask myself the question.

And when I do, it makes my mind just reel:

A fast is followed by a hearty meal,

And then three days of indigestion.

Write, on that same day , no, Thursday morning

There is a burial ceremony.

The human race, they all forget

That some day all of them shall get

Into the box, so small and tight !

The one who'll leave blessed memory behind,

A noble chamberlain the late man was,

He had the key and let his son have one.

He took a wealthy woman, being a wealthy man

And married off his children, I suppose,

People are mourning now that he has passed away

Kuzma Petrovich! May he rest with peace!

There are bigwigs in Moscow, I should say!

Write down: Thursday, on top of this,

Or perhaps on Friday, or on Saturday,

I must attend a christening day.

The widow hasn't given birth as yet

Though she may, any day, as I expect.

Scene 2

Famusov, Footman, Chatsky.

F a m u s o v

Oh, Alexander Andreyevitch! , come, sit down !

C h a t s k y

I see you are engaged.

F a m u s o v

(to the footman)

You go.

(The footman goes out)

It's next week's plan that we're putting down,

Something may slip my mind, you know.

C h a t s k y

I see, you do not look quite happy,

Is it inopportunely that I arrived ?

Or maybe something wrong has happened

To Sofia Pavlovna? Is she all right ?

F a m u s o v

Oh, what a thing to puzzle brains about !

I'm sad ! Well, do you expect an aged man like me

To cry for joy and dance around ?

C h a t s k y