She answered boldly: "I boast of it." The old woman began to sniff again: "Oh, Tatiana, Tatiana!" I did not know what to say or how to go away from them. No excuse came to me. I sat there silent. The wind rattled on the windows, the samovar sang and Tatiana began to tempt me. "Oh, it's hot," she said, and unbuttoned the collar of her waist. She had a pretty face and her eyes attracted me in spite of her bold expression. The old woman put vodka on the table, a bottle of "ordinary," and also some cherry brandy. "That's good," I thought to myself. "I will drink some, pay and then go." "Why are you so miserable?" Tatiana asked suddenly. I could not restrain myself and answered: "My wife is dead." Then she asked very low: "When did she die?" "Only five weeks ago." The girl buttoned her waist and became more reserved. It pleased me. I looked into her face and said to myself: "Thank you." Though my heart was heavy, yet I was young and was used to women. I had two years of married life behind me. But the old woman said, gasping: "Your wife is dead--that is nothing much. You are young and there are women enough. The streets are full of them." Here Tatiana said to her sternly: "Go to bed, Petrovna. I will escort our guest and will lock up." When the old woman was gone, she asked me earnestly and in a friendly way: "Have you relatives?" "None." "And friends?" "No friends." "What are you going to do then?" "I do not know." She became thoughtful, stood up and said: "Listen. I see that you are in despair. I advise you, don't go out alone. You followed me in here at my first word. You might have fallen in somewhere where you could not get out so easily. Better remain here over night. There is a bed here. Spend the night here, in heaven's name. If you do not wish to do it for nothing, give something to Petrovna--as much as you wish; and if I am in your way, then say so frankly and I will go." I liked her words and also her eyes. I could not suppress a feeling of joy and I said to' myself, smiling: "Oh, that archbishop!" "What archbishop?" Tatiana asked, surprised. I was confused and did not know what to say. "That is just an expression of mine," I answered. "That is, not really an expression; only very often there is an archbishop who appears in my dreams." "Well, good night," she said. "Not yet," I answered quickly. "Don't go away, I beg of you. Remain here a little longer, if it is no trouble to you." She took her place again and smiled. "Very gladly. It is no trouble." She asked me if I would drink a glass of vodka or tea, and whether I wished to eat. Her sincere friendliness brought the tears to my eyes, and my heart became as happy as a bird on a spring morning when the sun rises. "Excuse me for my plain words," I said, "but I would like to know if it is true what you told me about yourself a little while ago? Or did you wish to joke with me?" She frowned and answered: "Yes, I am one of them. Why do you ask?"