The following day he tried again to talk the matter over with Chyenke, but she merely repeated her opinions of yesterday. “Then I tell you,” he exclaimed, concisely and firmly, “that our employés shall be treated as _I_ see fit!” “And I tell you,” interjected Chyenke, “that in the first place we haven’t any employés, nor are we hiring any. And in the second place, they’ll be treated as _I_ think proper!” “We shall _see_!” “We _shall_ see!” He became angry, she became angry, and they did not speak to each other for the rest of that day. “If that’s the kind of a fellow he is,” she thought, “then he’s not going to have the say about the money.” He sat there as if on pins and needles. He was in a rage; his blood was boiling. He wanted to spring up, spit out with scorn and break with Chyenke for good. But something restrained him. That “something” did not permit him to carry out what he yearned so strongly to do. That “something” held him riveted to the spot and dammed his anger. And that “something” was not very clear to him. He only felt it strongly; it sent a warmth through his whole body.... Just through his inside pocket.... “Well, well. We’ll see,” he thought. “After the wedding it’ll be a different story.” When they separated at the end of that day Chyenke said to him, “Well, now run off to your Chashke and fill her ears with complaints against me.” “If I want to run to her, I won’t ask you.” Chyenke had resolved to put an end to his visits to Chashke. If he cared more for Chashke, then let him take her. She could afford to have a sweetheart all her own. But she desired to raise no scandals before the wedding. After their marriage she would know how to wean him away from Chashke’s, and how to keep her from ever crossing their threshold.... But Drabkin seemed to have lost all desire to go to Chashke. He did not go to her that evening, nor the next. Why should he? He was angry with her. VI Chyenke and her parents were in glee at the wedding, for her dowry of five hundred roubles had in the meantime increased to seven hundred. Chyenke felt like a wealthy woman, and her parents congratulated themselves upon being the father and mother of a rich lady. Drabkin, however, was not in good humour. A certain fear hovered over him. After the wedding he foresaw war.... And surely enough, five months later the war began. They had decided to go into manufacturing their own goods, without waiting for work to be brought in to them from the shops. This would require an independent establishment with a number of employés. He had seen several workingmen, old friends and former shopmates. “What do you say, boys? Will you come to work for me?” “You don’t say, Drabkin! So you’re really becoming a boss?” “Listen to him. He doesn’t let the grass grow under his feet!” “Well. Will you work for me?” “Why not? You’ll pay wages twice as high as the regular rate, of course,” laughed the workingmen.