the Lyapinsky house; but here these people were scattered about among
the working-people. And moreover, I had seen these people at their
most unfortunate time, when they had eaten and drunk up every thing,
and when, cold, hungry, and driven forth from the taverns, they were
awaiting admission into the free night lodging-house, and thence into
the promised prison for despatch to their places of residence, like
heavenly manna; but here I beheld them and a majority of workers, and
at a time, when by one means or another, they had procured three or
five kopeks for a lodging for the night, and sometimes a ruble for
food and drink.

And strange as the statement may seem, I here experienced nothing
resembling that sensation which I had felt in the Lyapinsky house;
but, on the contrary, during the first round, both I and the students
experienced an almost agreeable feeling,--yes, but why do I say
"almost agreeable"? This is not true; the feeling called forth by
intercourse with these people, strange as it may sound, was a
distinctly agreeable one.

Our first impression was, that the greater part of the dwellers here
were working people and very good people at that.

We found more than half the inhabitants at work: laundresses bending
over their tubs, cabinet-makers at their lathes, cobblers on their
benches. The narrow rooms were full of people, and cheerful and
energetic labor was in progress. There was an odor of toilsome sweat
and leather at the cobbler's, of shavings at the cabinet-maker's;
songs were often to be heard, and glimpses could be had of brawny
arms with sleeves roiled high, quickly and skilfully making their
accustomed movements. Everywhere we were received cheerfully and