; and on the
other side, concise extracts from the paragraphs of that placard which
he had just read through--infamous, hypocritical rules about behaviour
and external and internal cleanliness. "Every visitor." he read, "has
the right to demand from the prostitute the written certificate of the
doctor who has inspected her the last time." And again sentimental pity
overcame the heart of Lichonin.

"Poor women!" he reflected with grief. "What only don't they do with
you, how don't they abuse you, until you grow accustomed to everything,
just like blind horses on a treadmill!" In the station house he was
received by the district inspector, Kerbesh. He had spent the night on
duty, had not slept his fill, and was angry. His luxurious, fan-shaped
red beard was crumpled. The right half of the ruddy face was still
crimsonly glowing from lying long on the uncomfortable oilcloth pillow.
But the amazing, vividly blue eyes, cold and luminous, looked clear and
hard, like blue porcelain. Having ended interrogating, recording, and
cursing out with obscenities the throng of ragamuffins, taken in during
the night for sobering up and now being sent out over their own
districts, he threw himself against the back of the divan, put his
hands behind his neck, and stretched with all his enormous, heroic body
so hard that all his ligaments and joints cracked. He looked at
Lichonin just as at a thing, and asked:

"And what will you have, Mr. Student?"

Lichonin stated his business briefly.

"And so I want," he concluded, "to take her to me ... how is this
supposed to be done with you? ... in the capacity of a servant, or, if
you want, a relative, in a word ... how is it done? ..."

"Well, in the capacity of a kept mistress or a wife, let's say,"
indifferently retorted Kerbesh and twirled in his hands a silver cigar
case with monograms and little figures. "I can do absolutely nothing
for you ... at least right now. If you desire to marry her, present a
suitable permit from your university authorities. But if you're taking
her on maintenance--then just think, where's the logic in that? You're
taking a girl out of a house of depravity, in order to live with her in
depraved cohabitation."

"A servant, finally," Lichonin put in.

"And even a servant. I'd trouble you to present an affidavit from your
landlord--for, I hope, you're not a houseowner? Very well, then, an
affidavit from your landlord, as to your being in a position to keep a
ser