Congratulations on your lawful marriage!"
"Oo-ooh! Vermin!" Lichonin roared back at her.
"You green blockhead!" called out the housekeeper and banged the
door.
Lichonin went to the station house in a cab. On the way he
recalled that he had not had time to look at the blank properly,
at this renowned "yellow ticket," of which he had heard so much.
This was an ordinary small white sheet, no larger than a postal
envelope. On one side, in the proper column, were written out the
name, father's name, and family name of Liubka, and her
profession--"Prostitute"; and on the other side, concise extracts
from the paragraphs of that placard which he had just read
through--infamous, hypocritical rules about behaviour and external
and internal cleanliness. "Every visitor." he read, "has the right
to demand from the prostitute the written certificate of the
doctor who has inspected her the last time." And again sentimental
pity overcame the heart of Lichonin.
"Poor women!" he reflected with grief. "What only don't they do
with you, how don't they abuse you, until you grow accustomed to
everything, just like blind horses on a treadmill!" In the station
house he was received by the district inspector, Kerbesh.
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