ooled down. "I popped out
with a stupidity and I regret it. But now I willingly admit that
Lichonin is a fine fellow and a splendid man; and I'm ready to do
everything, for my part. And I repeat, that knowledge of reading and
writing is a secondary matter. It is easy to attain it in play. For
such an untouched mind to learn reading, writing, counting, and
especially without school, of one's free will, is like biting a nut in
two. And as far as a manual trade is concerned, through which it would
be possible to live and earn one's keep, then there are hundreds of
trades, which can be easily mastered in two weeks."

"For instance?" asked the prince.

"Well, for instance ... for instance ... well, now, for instance,
making artificial flowers. Yes, and still better, to get a place as a
flower clerk. A charming business, clean and nice."

"Taste is necessary," Simanovsky dropped carelessly.

"There are no inborn tastes, as well as abilities. Otherwise talents
would be born only in refined, highly educated society; while artists
would be born only to artists, and singers to singers; but we don't see
this. However, I won't argue. Well, if not a flower girl, then
something else. I, for instance, saw not long ago in a store show
window a miss sitting, and some sort of a little machine with
foot-power before her."

"V-VA! Again a little machine!" said the prince, smiling and looking at
Lichonin.

"Stop it, Nijeradze," answered Lichonin, quietly but sternly. "You
ought to be ashamed."

"Blockhead!" Soloviev threw at him, and continued.

"So, then, the machine moves back and forth, while upon it, on a square
frame, is stretched a thin canvas, and really, I don't know how it's
contrived, I didn't grasp it; only the miss guides some metallic
thingamajig over the screen, and there comes out a fine drawing in
vari-coloured silks. Just imagine, a lake, all grown over with
pond-lilies with their white corollas and yellow stamens, and great
green leaves all around. And on the water two white swans are floating
toward each other, and in the background is a dark park with an alley;
and all this shows finely, distinctly, as on a picture from life. And I
became so interested that I went in on purpose to find out how much it
costs. It proved to be just the least bit dearer than an ordinary
sewing machine, and it's sold on terms. And any one who can sew a
little on a common machine can learn this art in an hour. And there's a
great nu