“You see, your Excellency,” the petitioner in question began, speaking rapidly, “my husband Shtchukin, a collegiate assessor, was ill for five months, and while he, if you will excuse my saying so, was laid up at home, he was for no sort of reason dismissed, your Excellency; and when I went for his salary they deducted, if you please, your Excellency, twenty-four roubles thirty-six kopecks from his salary.  ‘What for?’ I asked.  ’He borrowed from the club fund,’ they told me, ’and the other clerks had stood security for him.’  How was that?  How could he have borrowed it without my consent?  It’s impossible, your Excellency.  What’s the reason of it?  I am a poor woman, I earn my bread by taking in lodgers.  I am a weak, defenceless woman . . .  I have to put up with ill-usage from everyone and never hear a kind word. . .”

The petitioner was blinking, and dived into her mantle for her handkerchief.  Kistunov took her petition from her and began reading it.

“Excuse me, what’s this?” he asked, shrugging his shoulders.  “I can make nothing of it.  Evidently you have come to the wrong place, madam.  Your petition has nothing to do with us at all.  You will have to apply to the department in which your husband was employed.”

“Why, my dear sir, I have been to five places already, and they would not even take the petition anywhere,” said Madame Shtchukin.  “I’d quite lost my head, but, thank goodness—­God bless him for it—­my son-in-law, Boris Matveyitch, advised me to come to you.  ’You go to Mr. Kistunov, mamma:  he is an influential man, he can do anything for you. . . .’  Help me, your Excellency!”

“We can do nothing for you, Madame Shtchukin.  You must understand:  your husband served in the Army Medical Department, and our establishment is a purely private commercial undertaking, a bank.  Surely you must understand that!”

Kistunov shrugged his shoulders again and turned to a gentleman in a military uniform, with a swollen face.

“Your Excellency,” piped Madame Shtchukin in a pitiful voice, “I have the doctor’s certificate that my husband was ill!  Here it is, if you will kindly look at it.”

“Very good, I believe you,” Kistunov said irritably, “but I repeat it has nothing to do with us.  It’s queer and positively absurd!  Surely your husband must know where you are to apply?”

“He knows nothing, your Excellency.  He keeps on:  ’It’s not your business!  Get away!’—­that’s all I can get out of him. . . .  Whose business is it, then?  It’s I have to keep them all!”

Kistunov again turned to Madame Shtchukin and began explaining to her the difference between the Army Medical Department and a private bank.  She listened attentively, nodded in token of assent, and said: 

“Yes . . . yes . . . yes . . .  I understand, sir.  In that case, your Excellency, tell them to pay me fifteen roubles at least!  I agree to take part on account!