Several moustacheless officials, who were in love with Goudayevskaya, and who had therefore been told by her how she would be dressed, accompanied her. They collected cards for her--rudely and almost by force. They simply took them away from some who were not very bold. There were other masked women who were zealously collecting cards through their cavaliers. Others looked greedily at the cards which had not yet been given up, and asked for them. These received impertinent answers. One dejected woman, dressed as Night--in a blue costume with a glass star and a paper moon on her forehead--said timidly to Mourin: "Do give me your card." Mourin replied rudely: "What d'you mean? Give you my card? I don't like your mug!" Night muttered something angrily and walked away. She only wanted two or three cards to show at home, to prove that she had received some. Modest desires often go unsatisfied. The schoolmistress, Skobotchkina, dressed herself as a she-bear, that is, she simply threw a bearskin cross her shoulders and put on a bear's head as a helmet over the usual half-mask. This was generally speaking shapeless, but it suited her stout figure and stentorian voice. The bear walked with heavy footsteps, and bellowed so loudly that the lights in the lustres trembled. Many people liked the bear, and she received quite a number of tickets. She was unable to keep the cards herself, and had not found a clever cavalier like others of the ladies; more than half of her tickets were stolen when she was being given vodka by some of the small tradesmen--they had a fellow-feeling for her sudden ability to display bearish manners. People in the crowd shouted out: "Look how the bear swigs vodka!" Skobotchkina could not decide to refuse vodka. It seemed to her that a she-bear should drink vodka when it was brought to her. A man dressed as an ancient German was conspicuous by his stature and fine build. He pleased many because of his robustness and because his powerful arms with their well-developed muscles were visible. Women particularly walked after him, and all around him rose a whisper of admiration and of flattery. The ancient German was recognised as the actor, Bengalsky, who is a favourite in our town. That was why he received a large number of tickets. Many people argued thus: "If I can't get the prize, then at least let an actor (or an actress) get it. If any of us get it they will tire us out with boasting." Grushina's costume was also a success--a scandalous success. The men followed her in a thick crowd, with laughter and indelicate observations. The women turned away in embarrassment. At last the Commissioner of Police walked up to Grushina and said suavely: "Madame, I'm afraid you must cover yourself." "Why? There's nothing indecent to be seen about me," replied Grushina vigorously. "Madame, the ladies are offended," said Minchukov. "What do I care for your ladies?" shouted Grushina.