To be sure, in the very end that happened which had to happen.  Seeing in perspective a whole series of hungry days, and in the very depth of them the dark horror of an unknown future, Liubka consented to a very civil invitation of some respectable little old man; important, grayish, well-dressed and correct.  For this ignominy Liubka received a rouble, but did not dare to protest:  the previous life in the house had entirely eaten away her personal initiative, mobility and energy.  Later, several times running, he even did not pay her anything at all.

One young man, easy of manner and handsome, in a cap with a flattened brim, put on at a brave slant over one ear, in a silk blouse, girdled by a cord with tassels, also led her with him into a hotel, asked for wine and a snack; for a long time lied to Liubka about his being an earl’s son on the wrong side of the blanket, and that he was the first billiardist in the whole city; that all the wenches like him and that he would make a swell Jane out of Liubka as well.  Then he went out of the room for just one minute, as though on business of his own, and vanished forever.  The stern, cross-eyed porter beat her with contentment, long, in silence, with a business-like air; breathing hard and covering up Liubka’s mouth with his hand.  But in the end, having become convinced, probably, that the fault was not hers, but the guest’s, he took her purse, in which was a rouble with some small change, away from her; and took as security her rather cheap little hat and small outer jacket.

Another man of forty-five years, not at all badly dressed, having tortured the girl for some two hours, paid for the room and gave her 80 kopecks; but when she started to complain, he with a ferocious face put an enormous red-haired fist up to her very nose, the first thing, and said decisively: 

“You just snivel a bit more to me...  I’ll snivel you...  I’ll yell for the police, now, and say that you robbed me when I was sleeping.  Want me to?  Is it long since you’ve been in a station house?”

And went away.

And of such cases there were many.

On that day, when her landlords—­a boatman and his wife—­had refused to let her have a room and just simply threw her things out into the yard; and when she had wandered the night through on the streets, without sleep, under the rain, hiding from the policemen—­only then, with aversion and shame, did she resolve to turn to Lichonin’s aid.  But Lichonin was no longer in town pusillanimously, he had gone away the very same day when the unjustly wronged and disgraced Liubka had run away from the flat.  And it was in the morning that there came into her head the desperate thought of returning into the brothel and begging forgiveness there.

“Jennechka, you’re so clever, so brave, so kind; beg Emma Edwardovna for me—­the little housekeeper will listen to you,” she implored Jennka and kissed her bare shoulders and wetted them with tears.