ase.

"Well?" he said.

"All right. I don't mind."

Mahin carefully wrote the unit in front of 2.50.

"Now let us go to the shop across the road; they sell photographers'
materials there. I just happen to want a frame--for this young person
here." He took out of his pocket a photograph of a young lady with large
eyes, luxuriant hair, and an uncommonly well-developed bust.

"Is she not sweet? Eh?"

"Yes, yes . . . of course . . ."

"Well, you see.--But let us go."

Mahin took his coat, and they left the house.

III

THE two boys, having rung the door-bell, entered the empty shop,
which had shelves along the walls and photographic appliances on them,
together with show-cases on the counters. A plain woman, with a kind
face, came through the inner door and asked from behind the counter what
they required.

"A nice frame, if you please, madam."

"At what price?" asked the woman; she wore mittens on her swollen
fingers with which she rapidly handled picture-frames of different
shapes.

"These are fifty kopeks each; and these are a little more expensive.
There is rather a pretty one, of quite a new style; one rouble and
twenty kopeks."

"All right, I will have this. But could not you make it cheaper? Let us
say one rouble."

"We don't bargain in our shop," said the shopkeeper with a dignified
air.

"Well, I will take it," said Mahin, and put the coupon on the counter.
"Wrap up the frame and give me change. But please be quick. We must be
off to the theatre, and it is getting late."

"You have plenty of time," said the shopkeeper, examining the coupon
very closely because of her shortsightedness.

"It will look lovely in that frame, don't you think so?" said Mahin,
turning to Mitia.

"Have you no small change?" asked the shop-woman.

"I am sorry, I have not. My father gave me that, so I have to cash it."

"But surely you have one rouble twenty?"

"I have only fifty kopeks in cash. But what are you afraid of? You don't
think, I suppose, that we want to cheat you and give you bad money?"

"Oh, no; I don't mean anything of the sort."

"You had better give it to me back. We will cash it somewhere else."

"How much have I to pay you back? Eleven and something."

She made a calculation on the counter, opened the desk, took out
a ten-roubles note, looked for change and added to the sum six
twenty-kopeks coins and two five-kopek pieces.

"Please make a parcel of the frame," said Mahin, taking the m