GREGORY. And is it far to the Luyov mountains?

HOSTESS. Not far; you might get there by evening, but for

the tsar's frontier barriers, and the captains of the

guard.

GREGORY. What say you? Barriers! What means this?

HOSTESS. Someone has escaped from Moscow, and orders

have been given to detain and search everyone.

GREGORY. (Aside.) Here's a pretty mess!

VARLAAM. Hallo, comrade! You've been making up to

mine hostess. To be sure you don't want vodka, but

you want a young woman. All right, brother, all right!

Everyone has his own ways, and Father Missail and I

have only one thing which we care for - we drink to the

bottom, we drink; turn it upside down, and knock at

the bottom.

MISSAIL. Well said, Father Varlaam.

GREGORY. (To Hostess.) Whom do they want? Who

escaped from Moscow?

HOSTESS. God knows; a thief perhaps, a robber. But here

even good folk are worried now. And what will come of

it? Nothing. They will not catch the old devil; as if

there were no other road into Lithuania than the highway!

Just turn to the left from here, then by the pinewood

or by the footpath as far as the chapel on the

Chekansky brook, and then straight across the marsh to

Khlopin, and thence to Zakhariev, and then any child

will guide you to the Luyov mountains. The only good

of these inspectors is to worry passers-by and rob us poor

folk. (A noise is heard.) What's that? Ah, there

they are, curse them! They are going their rounds.

GREGORY. Hostess! Is there another room in the cottage?

HOSTESS. No, my dear; I should be glad myself to hide.

But they are only pretending to go their rounds; but

give them wine and bread, and Heaven knows what -

May perdition take them, the accursed ones! May -

(Enter OFFICERS.) OFFICERS. Good health to you, mine hostess!

HOSTESS. You are kindly welcome, dear guests.

AN OFFICER. (To another.) Ha, there's drinking going on