On the way to Loibe-Baeres, Chayyim's heart began to fail him. Since the day that Loibe-Baeres came to live at the end of the street, Chayyim had been in the house only twice, and the path Chayyim was treading now was as bad as an examination: the "approach" to him, the light rooms, the great mirrors, the soft chairs, Loibe-Baeres himself with his long, thick beard and his black eyes with their "gevirish" glance, the lady, the merry, happy children, even the maid, who had remained in his memory since those two visits--all these things together terrified him, and he asked himself, "Where are you going to? Are you mad? Home with you at once!" and every now and then he would stop short on the way. Only the thought that Ulas was near, and that he had no money to buy corn, drove him to continue. "He won't lend anything--it's no use hoping." Chayyim was preparing himself as he walked for the shock of disappointment; but he felt that if he gave way to that extent, he would never be able to open his mouth to make his request known, and he tried to cheer himself: "If I catch him in a good humor, he will lend! Why should he be afraid of lending me a few rubles over the fair? I shall tell him that as soon as ever I have sold the corn, he shall have the loan back. I will swear it by wife and children, he will believe me--and I will pay it back." But this does not make Chayyim any the bolder, and he tries another sort of comfort, another remedy against nervousness. "He isn't a bad man--and, after all, our acquaintance won't date from to-day--we've been living in the same street twenty years--Parabotzker Street--" And Chayyim recollects that a fortnight ago, as Loibe-Baeres was passing his house on his way to the market-place, and he, Chayyim, was standing in the yard, he gave him the greeting due to a gentleman ("and I could swear I gave him my hand," Chayyim reminded himself). Loibe-Baeres had made a friendly reply, he had even stopped and asked, like an old acquaintance, "Well, Chayyim, and how are you getting on?" And Chayyim strains his memory and remembers further that he answered on this wise: "I thank you for asking! Heaven forgive me, one does a little bit of business!" And Chayyim is satisfied with his reply, "I answered him quite at my ease." Chayyim resolves to speak to him this time even more leisurely and independently, not to cringe before him. Chayyim could already see Loibe-Baeres' house in the distance. He coughed till his throat was clear, stroked his beard down, and looked at his coat. "Still a very good coat!" he said aloud, as though trying to persuade himself that the coat was still good, so that he might feel more courage and more proper pride. But when he got to Loibe-Baeres' big house, when the eight large windows looking onto the street flashed into his eyes, the windows being brightly illuminated from within, his heart gave a flutter.