folded together, to the young ladies in coloured blouses and
in leather belts; regaled them with tea and jam; promptly helped them
with lights for cigarettes; but, despite all invitations, did not want
to sit down for anything. She would say: "Yes-ss, n-no, as you wish."
And when one of the young ladies dropped a handkerchief on the floor,
she hurriedly made a dash to pick it up.

One of the maidens, red, stout, and with a bass voice, whose face, all
in all, consisted of only a pair of red cheeks, out of which
mirth-provokingly peeped out a hint at an upturned nose, and with a
pair of little black eyes, like tiny raisins, sparkling out of their
depths, was inspecting Liubka from head to feet, as though through an
imaginary lorgnette; directing over her a glance which said nothing,
but was contemptuous. "Why, I haven't been getting anybody away from
her," thought Liubka guiltily. But another was so tactless, that
she--perhaps for the first time for her, but the hundredth for
Liubka--began a conversation about: how had she happened upon the path
of prostitution? This was a bustling young lady, pale, very pretty,
ethereal; all in little light curls, with the air of a spoiled kitten
and even a little pink cat's bow on her neck.

"But tell me, who was this scoundrel, now ... who was the first to ...
well, you understand? ..."

In the mind of Liubka quickly flashed the images of her former mates,
Jennka and Tamara, so proud, so brave and resourceful--oh, far brainier
than these maidens--and she, almost unexpectedly for herself, suddenly
said sharply:

"There was a lot of them. I've already forgotten. Kolka, Mitka,
Volodka, Serejka, Jorjik, Troshka, Petka, and also Kuzka and Guska with
a party. But why are you interested?"

"Why... no... that is, I ask as a person who fully sympathizes with
you."

"But have you a lover?"

"Pardon me, I don't understand what you're saying. People, it's time we
were going."

"That is, what don't you understand? Have you ever slept with a man?"

"Comrade Simanovsky, I had not presupposed that you would bring us to
such a person. Thank you. It was exceedingly charming of you!"

It was difficult for Liubka to surmount the first step. She was of
those natures which endure long, but tear loose rapidly; and she,
usually so timorous, was unrecognizable at this moment.

"But I know!" she was screaming in wrath. "I know, that you're the very
same as I! But you have a papa, a mamma; you're