known　where　to　hide　my　head。　　But　I　was　so　exasperated　with
  everyone　during　those　days；　that　I　made　up　my　mind　for　some
  reason　and　with　some　object　to　_punish_　Apollon　and　not　to　pay
  him　for　a　fortnight　the　wages　that　were　owing　him。　　I　had　for　a
  long　timefor　the　last　two　yearsbeen　intending　to　do　this；
  simply　in　order　to　teach　him　not　to　give　himself　airs　with　me；
  and　to　show　him　that　if　I　liked　I　could　withhold　his　wages。　　I
  purposed　to　say　nothing　to　him　about　it；　and　was　purposely　silent
  indeed；　in　order　to　score　off　his　pride　and　force　him　to　be　the
  first　to　speak　of　his　wages。　　Then　I　would　take　the　seven　roubles
  out　of　a　drawer；　show　him　I　have　the　money　put　aside　on　purpose；
  but　that　I　won't；　I　won't；　I　simply　won't　pay　him　his　wages；　I
  won't　just　because　that　is　〃what　I　wish；〃　because　〃I　am　master；
  and　it　is　for　me　to　decide；〃　because　he　has　been　disrespectful；
  because　he　has　been　rude；　but　if　he　were　to　ask　respectfully　I
  might　be　softened　and　give　it　to　him；　otherwise　he　might　wait
  another　fortnight；　another　three　weeks；　a　whole　month。。。。
  But　angry　as　I　was；　yet　he　got　the　better　of　me。　　I　could　not
  hold　out　for　four　days。　　He　began　as　he　always　did　begin　in　such
  cases；　for　there　had　been　such　cases　already；　there　had　been
  attempts　（and　it　may　be　observed　I　knew　all　this　beforehand；　I
  knew　his　nasty　tactics　by　heart）。　　He　would　begin　by　fixing　upon
  me　an　exceedingly　severe　stare；　keeping　it　up　for　several　minutes
  at　a　time；　particularly　on　meeting　me　or　seeing　me　out　of　the
  house。　　If　I　held　out　and　pretended　not　to　notice　these　stares；
  he　would；　still　in　silence；　proceed　to　further　tortures。　　All　at
  once；　a　propos　of　nothing；　he　would　walk　softly　and　smoothly　into
  my　room；　when　I　was　pacing　up　and　down　or　reading；　stand　at　the
  door；　one　hand　behind　his　back　and　one　foot　behind　the　other；　and
  fix　upon　me　a　stare　more　than　severe；　utterly　contemptuous。　　If　I
  suddenly　asked　him　what　he　wanted；　he　would　make　me　no　answer；
  but　continue　staring　at　me　persistently　for　some　seconds；　then；
  with　a　peculiar　compression　of　his　lips　and　a　most　significant
  air；　deliberately　turn　round　and　deliberately　go　back　to　his
  room。　　Two　hours　later　he　would　come　out　again　and　again　present
  himself　before　me　in　the　same　way。　　It　had　happened　that　in　my
  fury　I　did　not　even　ask　him　what　he　wanted；　but　simply　raised　my
  head　sharply　and　imperiously　and　began　staring　back　at　him。　　So
  we　stared　at　one　another　for　two　minutes；　at　last　he　turned　with
  deliberation　and　dignity　and　went　back　again　for　two　hours。
  If　I　were　still　not　brought　to　reason　by　all　this；　but　persisted
  in　my　revolt；　he　would　suddenly　begin　sighing　while　he　looked　at
  me；　long；　deep　sighs　as　though　measuring　by　them　the　depths　of　my
  moral　degradation；　and；　of　course；　it　ended　at　last　by　his
  triumphing　completely：　I　raged　and　shouted；　but　still　was　forced
  to　do　what　he　wanted。
  This　time　the　usual　staring　manoeuvres　had　scarcely　begun　when　I
  lost　my　temper　and　flew　at　him　in　a　fury。　　I　was　irritated　beyond
  endurance　apart　from　him。
  〃Stay；〃　I　cried；　in　a　frenzy；　as　he　was　slowly　and　silently
  turning；　with　one　hand　behind　his　back；　to　go　to　his　room。
  〃Stay！　　Come　back；　come　back；　I　tell　you！〃　and　I　must　have　bawled
  so　unnaturally；　that　he　turned　round　and　even　looked　at　me　with
  some　wonder。　　However；　he　persisted　in　saying　nothing；　and　that
  infuriated　me。
  〃How　dare　you　come　and　look　at　me　like　that　without　being　sent
  for？　　Answer！〃
  After　looking　at　me　calmly　for　half　a　minute；　he　began　turning
  round　again。
  〃Stay！〃　I　roared；　running　up　to　him；　〃don't　stir！　　There。
  Answer；　now：　what　did　you　come　in　to　look　at？〃
  〃If　you　have　any　order　to　give　me　it's　my　duty　to　carry　it　out；〃
  he　answered；　after　another　silent　pause；　with　a　slow；　measured
  lisp；　raising　his　eyebrows　and　calmly　twisting　his　head　from　one
  side　to　another；　all　this　with　exasperating　composure。
  〃That's　not　what　I　am　asking　you　about；　you　torturer！〃　I　shouted；
  turning　crimson　with　anger。　　〃I'll　tell　you　why　you　came　here
  myself：　you　see；　I　don't　give　you　your　wages；　you　are　so　proud
  you　don't　want　to　bow　down　and　ask　for　it；　and　so　you　come　to
  punish　me　with　your　stupid　stares；　to　worry　me　and　you　have　no
  sus。。。pic。。。ion　how　stupid　it　isstupid；　stupid；　stupid；　stupid！
  。。。〃
  He　would　have　turned　round　again　without　a　word；　but　I　seized
  him。
  〃Listen；〃　I　shouted　to　him。　　〃Here's　the　money；　do　you　see；　here
  it　is；〃　（I　took　it　out　of　the　table　drawer）；　〃here's　the　seven
  roubles　complete；　but　you　are　not　going　to　have　it；
  you。。。are。。。not。。。going。。。to。。。have　it　until　you　come
  respectfully　with　bowed　head　to　beg　my　pardon。　　Do　you　hear？〃
  〃That　cannot　be；〃　he　answered；　with　the　most　unnatural
  self…confidence。
  〃It　shall　be　so；〃　I　said；　〃I　give　you　my　word　of　honour；　it　shall
  be！〃
  〃And　there's　nothing　for　me　to　beg　your　pardon　for；〃　he　went　on；
  as　though　he　had　not　noticed　my　exclamations　at　all。　　〃Why；
  besides；　you　called　me　a　'torturer；'　for　which　I　can　summon　you
  at　the　police…station　at　any　time　for　insulting　behaviour。〃
  〃Go；　summon　me；〃　I　roared；　〃go　at　once；　this　very　minute；　this
  very　second！　　You　are　a　torturer　all　the　same！　　a　torturer！〃
  But　he　merely　looked　at　me；　then　turned；　and　regardless　of　my
  loud　calls　to　him；　he　walked　to　his　room　with　an　even　step　and
  without　looking　round。
  〃If　it　had　not　been　for　Liza　nothing　of　this　would　have
  happened；〃　I　decided　inwardly。　　Then；　after　waiting　a　minute；　I
  went　myself　behind　his　screen　with　a　dignified　and　solemn　air；
  though　my　heart　was　beating　slowly　and　violently。
  〃Apollon；〃　I　said　quietly　and　emphatically；　though　I　was
  breathless；　〃go　at　once　without　a　minute's　delay　and　fetch　the
  police…officer。〃
  He　had　meanwhile　settled　himself　at　his　table；　put　on　his
  spectacles　and　taken　up　some　sewing。　　But；　hearing　my　order；　he
  burst　into　a　guffaw。
  〃At　once；　go　this　minute！　　Go　on；　or　else　you　can't　imagine　what
  will　happen。〃
  〃You　are　certainly　out　of　your　mind；〃　he　observed；　without　even
  raising　his　head；　lisping　as　deliberately　as　ever　and　threading
  his　needle。　　〃Whoever　heard　of　a　man　sending　for　the　police
  against　himself？　　And　as　for　being　frightenedyou　are　upsetting
  yourself　about　nothing；　for　nothing　will　come　of　it。〃
  〃Go！〃　I　shrieked；　clutching　him　by　the　shoulder。　　I　felt　I　should
  strike　him　in　a　minute。
  But　I　did　not　notice　the　door　from　the　passage　softly　and　slowly
  open　at　that　instant　and　a　figure　come　in；　stop　short；　and　begin
  staring　at　us　in　perplexity　I　glanced；　nearly　swooned　with　shame；
  and　rushed　back　to　my　room。　　There；　clutching　at　my　hair　with
  both　hands；　I　leaned　my　head　against　the　wall　and　stood
  motionless　in　that　position。
  Two　minutes　later　I　heard　Apollon's　deliberate　footsteps。　　〃There
  is　some　woman　asking　for　you；〃　he　said；　looking　at　me　with
  peculiar　severity。　　Then　he　stood　aside　and　let　in　Liza。　　He
  would　not　go　away；　but　stared　at　us　sarcastically。
  〃Go　away；　go　away；〃　I　commanded　in　desperation。　　At　that　moment
  my　clock　began　whirring　and　wheezing　and　struck　seven。
  IX
  〃Into　my　house　come　bold　and　free；
  Its　rightful　mistress　there　to　be。〃
  I　stood　before　her　crushed；　crestfallen；　revoltingly　confused；
  and　I　believe　I　smiled　as　I　did　my　utmost　to　wrap　myself　in　the
  skirts　of　my　ragged　wadded　dressing…gownexactly　as　I　had
  imagined　the　scene　not　long　before　in　a　fit　of　depression。　　After
  standing　over　us　for　a　couple　of　minutes　Apollon　went　away；　but
  that　did　not　make　me　more　at　ease。　　What　made　it　worse　was　that
  she；　too；　was　overwhelmed　with　confusion；　more　so；　in　fact；　than
  I　should　have　expected。　　At　the　sight　of　me；　of　course。
  〃Sit　down；〃　I　said　mechanically；　moving　a　chair　up　to　the　table；
  and　I　sat　down　on　the　sofa。　　She　obediently　sat　down　at　once　and
  gazed　at　me　open…eyed；　evidently　expecting　something　from　me　at
  once。　　This　naivete　of　expectation　drove　me　to　fury；　but　I
  restrained　myself。
  She　ought　to　have　tried　not　to　notice；　as　though　everything　had
  been　as　usual；　while　instead　of　that；　she。。。and　I　dimly　felt　that
  I　should　make　her　pay　dearly　for　_all　this_。
  〃You　have　found　me　in　a　strange　position；　Liza；〃　I　began；
  stammering　and　knowing　that　this　was　the　wrong　way　to　begin。
  〃No；　no；　don't　imagine　anything；〃　I　cried；　seeing　that　she　had
  suddenly　flushed。　　〃I　am　not　ashamed　of　my　poverty。。。On　the
  contrary；　I　look　with　pride　on　my　poverty。　　I　am　poor　but
  honourable。。。。One　can　be　poor　and　honourable；〃　I　muttered。
  〃However。。。would　you　like　tea？。。。。〃
  〃No；〃　she　was　beginning。
  〃Wait　a　minute。〃
  I　leapt　up　and　ran　to　Apollon。　　I　had　to　get　out　of　the　room
  somehow。
  〃Apollon；〃　I　whispered　in　feverish　haste；　flinging　down　before
  him　the　seven　roubles　which　had　remained　all　the　time　in　my
  clenched　fist；　〃here　are　your　wages；　you　see　I　give　them　to　you；
  but　for　that　you