ou see, my dear, I
will be but ill help to you in this business. They are as like as not
to beat me up if I come near a housekeeper or a porter. But here's what
you do. You'd best send the maid for the housekeeper; tell her to say
that a certain guest, now, a steady one, has come on business; that
it's very urgent to see her personally. But you must excuse me--I'm
going to back out, and don't you be angry, please. You know
yourself--charity begins at home. But why should you hang around by
yourself in this here darkness? You'd better go into the cabinet. If
you want to, I'll send you beer there. Or, perhaps you want coffee? Or
else," and her eyes sparkled slyly, "or else a girlie, perhaps? Tamara
is busy, but may be Niura or Verka will do?"

"Stop it, Jennie! I came about a serious and important matter, but you
..."

"Well, well, I won't, I won't! I said it just so. I see that you
observe faithfulness. That's very noble on your part. Let's go, then."

She led him into the cabinet, and, opening the inner bolt of the
shutter, threw it wide open. The daylight softly and sadly splashed
against the red and gold walls, over the candelabra, over the soft red
velveteen furniture.

"Right here it began," reflected Lichonin with sad regret.

"I am going," said Jennka. "Don't you knuckle down too much before her,
and Simeon too. Abuse them for all you're worth. It's daytime now, and
they won't dare do anything to you. If anything happens, tell them
straight that, now, you're going to the governor immediately and are
going to tell on them. Tell 'em, that they'll be closed up and put out
of town in twenty-four hours. Bawl 'em out and they get like silk.
Well, now, I wish you success."

She went away. After ten minutes had passed, into the cabinet floated
Emma Edwardovna, the housekeeper, in a blue satin PEGNOIR; corpulent,
with an important face, broadening from the forehead down to the
cheeks, just like a monstrous squash; with all her massive chins and
breasts; with small, keen eyes, without eyelashes; with thin,
malicious, compressed lips. Lichonin, arising, pressed the puffy hand
extended to him, studded with rings, and suddenly thought with aversion:

"The devil take it! If this vermin had a soul, if it were possible to
read this soul--then how many direct and indirect murders are lurking
hidden within it!"

It must be said, that in starting out for the Yamkas, Lichonin, besides
money, had fetched a revolver along wit