The Prepolovenskys undertook the arrangement of the wedding. It was decided that they should be married in a village six versts from the town. Varvara felt uneasy about marrying in the town, after they had lived together so many years as relatives. The day fixed for the wedding was concealed. The Prepolovenskys spread a rumour that it was to take place on Friday, but it was really to be on Wednesday. They did it to prevent curiosity seekers from coming to the wedding. Varvara more than once said to Peredonov: "Ardalyon Borisitch, don't you say a word of when the wedding is to be or they might hinder us." Peredonov gave the expenses for the wedding unwillingly and with humiliations for Varvara. Sometimes he brought his stick with the Koukish head and said to Varvara: "Kiss the Koukish and I'll give you the money. If you don't, I won't." Varvara kissed the Koukish. "What of that, it won't split my lips," she said. The date of the wedding was kept secret even from the bride's-men until the day itself, so that they might not chatter about it. At first Routilov and Volodin were invited as bride's-men and both eagerly accepted; Routilov looked for an amusing experience, while Volodin felt flattered to play such an important role at such a distinguished event in the life of such an esteemed personage. Then Peredonov considered that one bride's-man was not enough for him. He said: "Varvara, you can have one, but I must have two. One isn't enough for me--it will be difficult to hold the crown[1] over me. I'm a tall man." And Peredonov invited Falastov as his second bride's-man. Varvara grumbled: "To the devil with him! We've got two, why should we have any more?" "He's got gold spectacles. He'll look important," said Peredonov. On the morning of the wedding Peredonov washed in hot water, as he always did, to avoid catching cold, and then demanded rouge, explaining: "Now I have to rouge myself every day or else they'll think I'm getting old and they won't appoint me as inspector." Varvara disliked giving him any of her rouge, but she had to yield--and Peredonov coloured his cheeks. He muttered: "Veriga himself paints so as to look younger. You don't expect me to get married with white cheeks." Then, shutting himself in his bedroom, he decided to mark himself, so that Volodin could not change places with him. On his chest, on his stomach, on his forearms and in various other places he marked in ink the letter "P". "Volodin ought to be marked too. But how can he be? He would see it and rub it off," thought Peredonov dejectedly. Then a new thought came into his mind--to put on a pair of corsets so that he should not be taken for an old man if he happened to bend over. He asked Varvara for a pair of corsets, but Varvara's corsets proved to be too tight--they would not come together. "They ought to have been bought earlier," he said savagely. "You never think of anything in time." "What man wears corsets?" said Varvara. "No one does."