or them to talk over. Madam
Barsukova brought out a promissory note, whereon she with difficulty
wrote her name, her father's name, and her last name. The promissory
note, of course, was fantastic; but there is a tie, a welding, an
honour among thieves. In such deals people do not deceive. Death
threatens otherwise. It is all the same, whether in prison, or on the
street, or in a brothel.

Right after that, just like an apparition out of a trapdoor, appeared
the friend of her heart, the master of the cabaret, a young little
Pole, with moustaches twirled high. They drank some wine, talked a bit
about the fair, about the exposition, complained a little about bad
business. After that Horizon telephoned to his room in the hotel, and
called out his wife. He introduced her to his aunt and his aunt's
second cousin, and said that mysterious political reasons were calling
him out of town. He tenderly kissed Sarah, shed a tear, and rode away.

CHAPTER V.

With the arrival of Horizon (however, God knows how he was called:
Gogolevich, Gidalevich, Okunev, Rosmitalsky), in a word, with the
arrival of this man everything changed on Yamskaya Street. Enormous
shufflings commenced. From Treppel girls were transferred to Anna
Markovna, from Anna Markovna into a rouble establishment, and from the
rouble establishment into a half-rouble one. There were no promotions:
only demotions. At each change of place Horizon earned from five to a
hundred roubles. Verily, he was possessed of an energy equal,
approximately, to the waterfall of Imatra! Sitting in the daytime at
Anna Markovna's, he was saying, squinting from the smoke of the
cigarette, and swinging one leg crossed over the other:

"The question is ... What do you need this same Sonka for? It's no
place for her in a decent establishment. If we'll float her down the
stream, then you'll make a hundred roubles for yourself, I twenty-five
for myself. Tell me frankly, she isn't in demand, is she, now?"

"Ah, Mr. Shatzky! You can always talk a person over! But just imagine,
I'm sorry for her. Such a nice girl ..."

Horizon pondered for a moment. He was seeking an appropriate citation
and suddenly let out:

"'Give the falling a shove!'[11] And I'm convinced, Madam Shaibes, that
there's no demand of any sort for her."

[11] Horizon is quoting a Nietzscheism of Gorky's.--TRANS.

Isaiah Savvich, a little, sickly, touchy old man, but in moments of
need very determined, supporte