ith
her ticket and declare, that Liubka So-and-so has hired herself to you
as chambermaid, and that you desire to exchange her blank for a real
passport. Well, Liubka, lively! Take the money and march. And, look
out, be as quick as possible with the housekeeper, or else she, the
bitch, will read it in your eyes. And also don't forget," she cried,
now after Liuba, "wipe the rouge off your puss, now. Or else the
drivers will be pointing their fingers at you."

After half an hour Liuba and Lichonin were getting on a cab at the
entrance. Jennie and the reporter were standing on the sidewalk.

"You're committing a great folly, Lichonin," Platonov was saying
listlessly, "but I honour and respect the fine impulse within you.
Here's the thought--and here's the deed. You're a brave and a splendid
fellow."

"Here's to your commencement!" laughed Jennie. "Look out, don't forget
to send for me to the christening."

"You won't see it, no matter how long you wait for it!" laughed
Lichonin, waving his cap about.

They rode off. The reporter looked at Jennie, and with astonishment saw
tears in her softened eyes.

"God grant it, God grant it," she was whispering.

"What has been the matter with you to-day, Jennie?" he asked kindly.
"What? Are you oppressed? Can't I do anything?"

She turned her back to him and leaned over the bent balustrade of the
stoop.

"How shall I write to you, if need be?" she asked in a stifled voice.

"Why, it's simple. Editorial rooms of Echoes. So-and-so. They'll pass
it on to me pretty fast."

"I ... I ... I ..." Jennie just began, but suddenly burst into loud,
passionate sobs and covered her face with her hands, "I'll write you
..."

And without taking her hands away from her face, her shoulders
quivering, she ran up the stoop and disappeared in the house, loudly
banging the door after her.

PART TWO

CHAPTER I.

Even to this day, after a lapse of ten years, the erstwhile inhabitants
of the Yamkas recall that year, abounding in unhappy, foul, bloody
events, which began with a series of trifling, small affrays, but
terminated in the administration's, one fine day, taking and destroying
completely the ancient, long-warmed nest of legalized prostitution,
which nest it had itself created--scattering its remains over the
hospitals, jails and streets of the big city. Even to this day a few of
the former proprietresses who have remained alive and have reached the
limit of decre