ther good-naturedly retorted Kerbesh. "A
wife, children ... You know yourself what our salary is ... Receive the
little passport, young man. Sign your receipt. Best wishes."

A queer thing! The consciousness that the passport was, finally, in his
pocket, for some reason suddenly calmed and again braced up and
elevated Lichonin's nerves.

"Oh, well!" he thought, walking quickly along the street, "the very
beginning has been laid down, the most difficult part has been done.
Hold fast, now, Lichonin, and don't fall in spirit! What you've done is
splendid and lofty. Let me be even a victim of this deed--it's all one!
It's a shame, having done a good deed, to expect rewards for it right
away. I'm not a little circus dog, and not a trained camel, and not the
first pupil of a young ladies' genteel institute. Only it was useless
for me to let loose yesterday before these bearers of enlightenment. It
all turned out to be silly, tactless, and, in any case, premature. But
everything in life is reparable. A person will sustain the heaviest,
most disgraceful things; but, time passes, and they are recalled as
trifles ..."

To his amazement, Liubka was not especially struck, and did not at all
become overjoyed when he triumphantly showed her the passport. She was
only glad to see Lichonin again. Perhaps, this primitive, naive soul
had already contrived to cleave to its protector? She did throw herself
upon his neck, but he stopped her, and quietly, almost in her ear,
asked her:

"Liubka, tell me ... don't be afraid to tell the truth, no matter what
it may be ... They told me just now, there in the house, that you're
sick with a certain disease ... you know, that which is called the evil
sickness. If you believe in me even to some extent, tell me, my
darling, tell me, is that so or not?"

She turned red, covered her face with her hands, fell down on the divan
and burst into tears.

"My dearie! Vassil Vassilich! Vasinka! Honest to God! Honest to God,
now, there never was anything of the kind! I always was so careful! I
was awfully afraid of this. I love you so! I would have told you
without fail." She caught his hands, pressed them to her wet face and
continued to assure him with the absurd and touching sincerity of an
unjustly accused child.

And he at once believed her in his soul.

"I believe you, my child," he said quietly, stroking her hair. "Don't
excite yourself, don't cry. Only let us not again give in to our
weakness