Why cannot you see that you are in the world just like other people, and give up all these ridiculous dreams and all this chatter about counts and princes and such like people, of whom you never spoke to one in your life, for all you may say ?" The Count glanced at the back of Akulina's head, which was decently covered by a flattened twist of very shining black hair, and then he looked at Fischelowitz as though to inquire whether the latter would suffer a gentleman to be thus insulted in his presence and on his premises.

Fischelowitz seemed embarrassed, and coloured a little.
"You might choose your language a little more carefully, wife," he observed in a rather timid tone.
"And you might choose your friends with a better view to your own interests," she answered without hesitation.

"If you allow this sort of thing to go on, and four children growing up, and you expecting to open another shop this summer--why, you had better turn count yourself," she concluded, triumphantly, and with that nice logical perception peculiar to her kind.
"If you mean to say that the Count's valuable help has not been to our advantage--" began Fischelowitz, making a desperate effort to give a more pleasant look to things.
"Oh, I know that," laughed Akulina, scornfully.

"I know that the Count, as you call him, can make his two thousand a day as well as any one.

I am not blind.