Katiusha could neither read nor write, but her naturally acute powers of observation, unconsciously trained by constant contact with her former owners, were of very creditable quality. She possessed a genuine talent for expressing herself neatly. For example, in describing a concert to which she had been taken, she praised the soprano singer's voice with much discrimination, winding up with, "It was--how shall I say it?-- round--as round--as round as--a cartwheel!" Her great delight consisted in being sent by me to purchase eggs and fruit at the market, or in accompanying me to carry them home, when I went myself to enjoy the scene and her methods. In her I was able to study Russian bargaining tactics in their finest flower. She would haggle for half an hour over a quarter of a cent on very small purchases, and then would carry whatever she bought into one of the neighboring shops to be reweighed. To my surprise, the good-natured venders seemed never to take offense at this significant act; and she never discovered any dishonesty. When wearied out by this sort of thing, I took charge of the proceedings, that I might escape from her agonized groans and grimaces at my extravagance. After choking down her emotion in gulps all the way home, she would at last clasp her hands, and moan in a wheedling voice:-- "Please, _barynya_,* how much did you pay that robber?" * Mistress. "Two kopeks* apiece for the eggs. They are fine, large, and fresh, as you see. Twenty kopeks a pound for the strawberries, also of the first quality." * About one cent. Then would follow a scene which never varied, even if my indiscretion had been confined to raspberries at five cents a pound, or currants at a cent less. She would wring her hands, long and fleshless as fan handles, and, her great green eyes phosphorescent with distress above her hollow cheeks and projecting bones, she would cry:-- "Oh, _barynya_, they have cheated you, cheated you shamefully! You must let me protect you." "Come, don't you think it is worth a few kopeks to be called 'a pearl,' 'a diamond,' 'an emerald'?" "Is _that_ all they called you?" she inquired, with a disdainful sniff. "No; they said that I was 'a real general-ess.' They knew their business, you see. And they said '_madame_' instead of '_sudarynya_.'* Was there any other title which they could have bestowed on me for the money?" *_Sudarynya_ is the genuine Russian word for "madam," but, like _spasibo_, "thank you," it is used only by the lower classes. Many merchants who know no French except _madame_ use it as a delicate compliment to the patron's social position.