He spoke not exactly so, perhaps; but in any case, approximately in that manner.  Liubka turned red, extended her hand, with all the fingers clumsily 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 provided for, and if you have to, then you’ll even commit abortion—­many do so.  But if you were in my place, when there’s nothing to stuff your mouth with, and a girlie doesn’t understand anything yet, because she can’t read or write; while all around the men are shoving like he-dogs—­then you’d be in a sporting house too.  It’s a shame to put on airs before a poor girl—­that’s what!”