she worries to death. (_Silence_.) All I want, sir, is to find out the
secret of perpetual motion!

BORIS.
Why, what would you do?

KULIGIN.
How can you ask, sir! Why, the English offer millions for it. I should use
all the money for public purposes,--we want to provide work for the
working people. Here they have hands to work, and no work to do.

BORIS.
And you hope to discover perpetual motion?

KULIGIN.
Not a doubt, I shall, sir! I have only to scrape up enough money for
models. Good-bye, sir!

[_Exit_.




SCENE IV


BORIS (_alone_).
I haven't the heart to disillusion him! What a good fellow! He dreams and
is happy. But I, it seems, must waste my youth in this wretched hole. I
was utterly crushed before, and now this madness creeping into my mind! So