abusing　you；　as　though　you　had　not　sacrificed　your　health　for
  her；　had　not　thrown　away　your　youth　and　your　soul　for　her
  benefit；　but　as　though　you　had　ruined　her；　beggared　her；　robbed
  her。　　And　don't　expect　anyone　to　take　your　part：　the　others；　your
  companions；　will　attack　you；　too；　win　her　favour；　for　all　are　in
  slavery　here；　and　have　lost　all　conscience　and　pity　here　long
  ago。　　They　have　become　utterly　vile；　and　nothing　on　earth　is
  viler；　more　loathsome；　and　more　insulting　than　their　abuse。　　And
  you　are　laying　down　everything　here；　unconditionally；　youth　and
  health　and　beauty　and　hope；　and　at　twenty…two　you　will　look　like
  a　woman　of　five…and…thirty；　and　you　will　be　lucky　if　you　are　not
  diseased；　pray　to　God　for　that！　　No　doubt　you　are　thinking　now
  that　you　have　a　gay　time　and　no　work　to　do！　　Yet　there　is　no　work
  harder　or　more　dreadful　in　the　world　or　ever　has　been。　　One　would
  think　that　the　heart　alone　would　be　worn　out　with　tears。　　And　you
  won't　dare　to　say　a　word；　not　half　a　word　when　they　drive　you
  away　from　here；　you　will　go　away　as　though　you　were　to　blame。
  You　will　change　to　another　house；　then　to　a　third；　then　somewhere
  else；　till　you　come　down　at　last　to　the　Haymarket。　　There　you
  will　be　beaten　at　every　turn；　that　is　good　manners　there；　the
  visitors　don't　know　how　to　be　friendly　without　beating　you。　　You
  don't　believe　that　it　is　so　hateful　there？　　Go　and　look　for
  yourself　some　time；　you　can　see　with　your　own　eyes。　　Once；　one
  New　Year's　Day；　I　saw　a　woman　at　a　door。　　They　had　turned　her　out
  as　a　joke；　to　give　her　a　taste　of　the　frost　because　she　had　been
  crying　so　much；　and　they　shut　the　door　behind　her。　　At　nine
  o'clock　in　the　morning　she　was　already　quite　drunk；　dishevelled；
  half…naked；　covered　with　bruises；　her　face　was　powdered；　but　she
  had　a　black…eye；　blood　was　trickling　from　her　nose　and　her　teeth；
  some　cabman　had　just　given　her　a　drubbing。　　She　was　sitting　on
  the　stone　steps；　a　salt　fish　of　some　sort　was　in　her　hand；　she
  was　crying；　wailing　something　about　her　luck　and　beating　with　the
  fish　on　the　steps；　and　cabmen　and　drunken　soldiers　were　crowding
  in　the　doorway　taunting　her。　　You　don't　believe　that　you　will
  ever　be　like　　that？　　I　should　be　sorry　to　believe　it；　too；　but
  how　do　you　know；　maybe　ten　years；　eight　years　ago　that　very　woman
  with　the　salt　fish　came　here　fresh　as　a　cherub；　innocent；　pure；
  knowing　no　evil；　blushing　at　every　word。　　Perhaps　she　was　like
  you；　proud；　ready　to　take　offence；　not　like　the　others；　perhaps
  she　looked　like　a　queen；　and　knew　what　happiness　was　in　store　for
  the　man　who　should　love　her　and　whom　she　should　love。　　Do　you　see
  how　it　ended？　　And　what　if　at　that　very　minute　when　she　was
  beating　on　the　filthy　steps　with　that　fish；　drunken　and
  dishevelledwhat　if　at　that　very　minute　she　recalled　the　pure
  early　days　in　her　father's　house；　when　she　used　to　go　to　school
  and　the　neighbour's　son　watched　for　her　on　the　way；　declaring
  that　he　would　love　her　as　long　as　he　lived；　that　he　would　devote
  his　life　to　her；　and　when　they　vowed　to　love　one　another　for　ever
  and　be　married　as　soon　as　they　were　grown　up！　　No；　Liza；　it　would
  be　happy　for　you　if　you　were　to　die　soon　of　consumption　in　some
  corner；　in　some　cellar　like　that　woman　just　now。　　In　the
  hospital；　do　you　say？　　You　will　be　lucky　if　they　take　you；　but
  what　if　you　are　still　of　use　to　the　madam　here？　　Consumption　is　a
  queer　disease；　it　is　not　like　fever。　　The　patient　goes　on　hoping
  till　the　last　minute　and　says　he　is　all　right。　　He　deludes
  himself。　　And　that　just　suits　your　madam。　　Don't　doubt　it；　that's
  how　it　is；　you　have　sold　your　soul；　and　what　is　more　you　owe
  money；　so　you　daren't　say　a　word。　　But　when　you　are　dying；　all
  will　abandon　you；　all　will　turn　away　from　you；　for　then　there
  will　be　nothing　to　get　from　you。　　What's　more；　they　will　reproach
  you　for　cumbering　the　place；　for　being　so　long　over　dying。
  However　you　beg　you　won't　get　a　drink　of　water　without　abuse：
  'Whenever　are　you　going　off；　you　nasty　hussy；　you　won't　let　us
  sleep　with　your　moaning；　you　make　the　gentlemen　sick。'　That's
  true；　I　have　heard　such　things　said　myself。　　They　will　thrust　you
  dying　into　the　filthiest　corner　in　the　cellarin　the　damp　and
  darkness；　what　will　your　thoughts　be；　lying　there　alone？　　When
  you　die；　strange　hands　will　lay　you　out；　with　grumbling　and
  impatience；　no　one　will　bless　you；　no　one　will　sigh　for　you；　they
  only　want　to　get　rid　of　you　as　soon　as　may　be；　they　will　buy　a
  coffin；　take　you　to　the　grave　as　they　did　that　poor　woman　today；
  and　celebrate　your　memory　at　the　tavern。　　In　the　grave；　sleet；
  filth；　wet　snowno　need　to　put　themselves　out　for　you'Let　her
  down；　Vanuha；　it's　just　like　her　luckeven　here；　she　is
  head…foremost；　the　hussy。　　Shorten　the　cord；　you　rascal。'　'It's
  all　right　as　it　is。'　'All　right；　is　it？　　Why；　she's　on　her　side！
  She　was　a　fellow…creature；　after　all！　　But；　never　mind；　throw　the
  earth　on　her。'　And　they　won't　care　to　waste　much　time　quarrelling
  over　you。　　They　will　scatter　the　wet　blue　clay　as　quick　as　they
  can　and　go　off　to　the　tavern　。。。　and　there　your　memory　on　earth
  will　end；　other　women　have　children　to　go　to　their　graves；
  fathers；　husbands。　　While　for　you　neither　tear；　nor　sigh；　nor
  remembrance；　no　one　in　the　whole　world　will　ever　come　to　you；
  your　name　will　vanish　from　the　face　of　the　earthas　though　you
  had　never　existed；　never　been　born　at　all！　　Nothing　but　filth　and
  mud；　however　you　knock　at　your　coffin　lid　at　night；　when　the　dead
  arise；　however　you　cry：　'Let　me　out；　kind　people；　to　live　in　the
  light　of　day！　　My　life　was　no　life　at　all；　my　life　has　been
  thrown　away　like　a　dish…clout；　it　was　drunk　away　in　the　tavern　at
  the　Haymarket；　let　me　out；　kind　people；　to　live　in　the　world
  again。'〃
  And　I　worked　myself　up　to　such　a　pitch　that　I　began　to　have　a
  lump　in　my　throat　myself；　and。。。and　all　at　once　I　stopped；　sat　up
  in　dismay　and；　bending　over　apprehensively；　began　to　listen　with
  a　beating　heart。　　I　had　reason　to　be　troubled。
  I　had　felt　for　some　time　that　I　was　turning　her　soul　upside　down
  and　rending　her　heart；　andand　the　more　I　was　convinced　of　it；
  the　more　eagerly　I　desired　to　gain　my　object　as　quickly　and　as
  effectually　as　possible。　　It　was　the　exercise　of　my　skill　that
  carried　me　away；　yet　it　was　not　merely　sport。。。。
  I　knew　I　was　speaking　stiffly；　artificially；　even　bookishly；　in
  fact；　I　could　not　speak　except　〃like　a　book。〃　　But　that　did　not
  trouble　me：　I　knew；　I　felt　that　I　should　be　understood　and　that
  this　very　bookishness　might　be　an　assistance。　　But　now；　having
  attained　my　effect；　I　was　suddenly　panic…stricken。　　Never　before
  had　I　witnessed　such　despair！　　She　was　lying　on　her　face；
  thrusting　her　face　into　the　pillow　and　clutching　it　in　both
  hands。　　Her　heart　was　being　torn。　　Her　youthful　body　was
  shuddering　all　over　as　though　in　convulsions。　　Suppressed　sobs
  rent　her　bosom　and　suddenly　burst　out　in　weeping　and　walling；
  then　she　pressed　closer　into　the　pillow：　she　did　not　want　anyone
  here；　not　a　living　soul；　to　know　of　her　anguish　and　her　tears。
  She　bit　the　pillow；　bit　her　hand　till　it　bled　（I　saw　that
  afterwards）；　or；　thrusting　her　fingers　into　her　dishevelled　hair；
  seemed　rigid　with　the　effort　of　restraint；　holding　her　breath　and
  clenching　her　teeth。　　I　began　saying　something；　begging　her　to
  calm　herself；　but　felt　that　I　did　not　dare；　and　all　at　once；　in　a
  sort　of　cold　shiver；　almost　in　terror；　began　fumbling　in　the
  dark；　trying　hurriedly　to　get　dressed　to　go。　　It　was　dark；　though
  I　tried　my　best　I　could　not　finish　dressing　quickly。　　Suddenly　I
  felt　a　box　of　matches　and　a　candlestick　with　a　whole　candle　in
  it。　　As　soon　as　the　room　was　lighted　up；　Liza　sprang　up；　sat　up
  in　bed；　and　with　a　contorted　face；　with　a　half　insane　smile；
  looked　at　me　almost　senselessly。　　I　sat　down　beside　her　and　took
  her　hands；　she　came　to　herself；　made　an　impulsive　movement
  towards　me；　would　have　caught　hold　of　me；　but　did　not　dare；　and
  slowly　bowed　her　head　before　me。
  〃Liza；　my　dear；　I　was　wrong。。。forgive　me；　my　dear；〃　I　began；　but
  she　squeezed　my　hand　in　her　fingers　so　tightly　that　I　felt　I　was
  saying　the　wrong　thing　and　stopped。
  〃This　is　my　address；　Liza；　come　to　me。〃
  〃I　will　come；〃　she　answered　resolutely；　her　head　still　bowed。
  〃But　now　I　am　going；　good…bye。。。till　we　meet　again。〃
  I　got　up；　she；　too；　stood　up　and　suddenly　flushed　all　over；　gave
  a　shudder；　snatched　up　a　shawl　that　was　lying　on　a　chair　and
  muffled　herself　in　it　to　her　chin。　　As　she　did　this　she　gave
  another　sickly　smile；　blushed　and　looked　at　me　strangely。　　I　felt
  wretched；　I　was　in　haste　to　get　awayto　disappear。
  〃Wait　a　minute；〃　she　said　suddenly；　in　the　passage　just　at　the
  doorway；　stopping　me　with　her　hand　on　my　overcoat。　　She　put　down
  the　candle　in　hot　haste　and　ran　off；　evidently　she　had　thought　of
  something　or　wanted　to　show　me　something。　　As　she　ran　away　she
  flushed；　her　eyes　shone；　and　there　was　a　smile　on