d end." She
took out of the slit of her PEGNOIR--showing Lichonin for just a minute
her fat, full-fleshed, yellow, enormous breast--a little book in a
black cover, with the heading: ACCOUNT OF MISS IRENE VOSCHHENKOVA IN
THE HOUSE OF ILL-FAME, MAINTAINED BY ANNA MARKOVNA SHAIBES, ON
YAM-SKAYA STREET, NO. SO-AND-SO, and extended it to him across the
table. Lichonin turned over the first page and read through four or
five paragraphs of the printed rules. There dryly and briefly it was
stated that the account book consists of two copies, of which one is
kept by the proprietress while the other remains with the prostitute;
that all income and expense were entered into both books; that by
agreement the prostitute receives board, quarters, heat, light, bed
linen, baths and so forth, and for this pays out to the proprietress in
no case more than two-thirds of her earnings; while out of the
remaining money she is bound to dress neatly and decently, having no
less than two dresses for going out. Further, mention was made of the
fact that payment was made with the help of stamps, which the
proprietress gives out to the prostitute upon receipt of money from
her; while the account is drawn up at the end of every month. And,
finally, that the prostitute can at any time leave the house of
prostitution, even if there does remain a debt of hers, which, however,
she binds herself to cancel on the basis of general civil laws.

Lichonin prodded the last point with his finger, and, having turned the
face of the book to the housekeeper, said triumphantly:

"Aha! There, you see: she has the right to leave the house at any time.
Consequently, she can at any time quit your abominable dive of
violence, baseness, and depravity, in which you ..." Lichonin began
rattling off, but the housekeeper calmly cut him short:

"O! I have no doubt of this. Let her go away. Let her only pay the
money."

"What about promissory notes? She can give promissory notes."

"Pst! Promissory notes! In the first place, she's illiterate; while in
the second, what are her promissory notes worth? A spit and no more.
Let her find a surety who would be worthy of trust, and then I have
nothing against it."

"But, then, there's nothing said in the rules about sureties."

"There's many a thing not said! In the rules it also does not say that
it's permitted to carry a girlie out of the house, without giving
warning to the owners."

"But in any case you'll have to give