Nikolai Gogol - The Inspector-General (Act 4 Scene 12) lyrics

Khlestakov and Marya Antonovna. MARYA Oh! KHLESTAKOV What frightened you so, mademoiselle? MARYA I wasn't frightened. KHLESTAKOV [showing off]. Please, miss. It's a great pleasure to me that you took me for a man who—May I venture to ask you where you were going? MARYA I really wasn't going anywhere. KHLESTAKOV But why weren't you going anywhere? MARYA I was wondering whether mamma was here. KHLESTAKOV No. I'd like to know why you weren't going anywhere. MARYA I should have been in your way. You were occupied with important matters. KHLESTAKOV [showing off]. Your eyes are better than important matters. You cannot possibly disturb me. No, indeed, by no means. On the contrary, you afford me great pleasure. MARYA You speak like a man from the capital. KHLESTAKOV For such a beautiful lady as you. May I give myself the pleasure of offering you a chair? But no, you should have, not a chair, but a throne. MARYA I really don't know—I really must go [She sits down.] KHLESTAKOV What a beautiful scarf that is. MARYA You are making fun of me. You're only ridiculing the provincials. KHLESTAKOV Oh, mademoiselle, how I long to be your scarf, so that I might embrace your lily neck. MARYA I haven't the least idea what you are talking about—scarf!—Peculiar weather today, isn't it? KHLESTAKOV Your lips, mademoiselle, are better than any weather. MARYA You are just saying that—I should like to ask you—I'd rather you would write some verses in my album for a souvenir. You must know very many. KHLESTAKOV Anything you desire, mademoiselle. Ask! What verses will you have? MARYA Any at all. Pretty, new verses. KHLESTAKOV Oh, what are verses! I know a lot of them. MARYA Well, tell me. What verses will you write for me? KHLESTAKOV What's the use? I know them anyway. MARYA I love them so. KHLESTAKOV I have lots of them—of every sort. If you like, for example, I'll give you this: "Oh, thou, mortal man, who in thy anguish murmurest against God—" and others. I can't remember them now. Besides, it's all bosh. I'd rather offer you my love instead, which ever since your first glance— [Moves his chair nearer.] MARYA Love? I don't understand love. I never knew what love is. [Moves her chair away.] KHLESTAKOV Why do you move your chair away? It is better for us to sit near each other. MARYA [moving away]. Why near? It's all the same if it's far away. KHLESTAKOV [moving nearer]. Why far? It's all the same if it's near. MARYA [moving away]. But what for? KHLESTAKOV [moving nearer]. It only seems near to you. Imagine it's far. How happy I would be, mademoiselle, if I could clasp you in my embrace. MARYA [looking through the window]. What is that? It looked as if something had flown by. Was it a magpie or some other bird? KHLESTAKOV [kisses her shoulder and looks through the window]. It's a magpie. MARYA [rises indignantly]. No, that's too much—Such rudeness, such impertinence. KHLESTAKOV [holding her back]. Forgive me, mademoiselle. I did it only out of love—only out of love, nothing else. MARYA You take me for a silly provincial wench. [Struggles to go away.] KHLESTAKOV [still holding her back]. It's out of love, really—out of love. It was just a little fun. Marya Antonovna, don't be angry. I'm ready to beg your forgiveness on my knees. [Falls on his knees.] Forgive me, do forgive me! You see, I am on my knees.