nted it to him for righteousness, and even
Dumnoff, the rough peasant, showed at times a friendly interest in him,
which is not usually felt by the unpunctual borrower towards the
uncomplaining lender.

But Akulina could understand none of these things. She belongs by nature
to the class of people whose first impulse on all occasions is to say:
"Money is money." There can be no mutual attraction of intellectual
sympathy between these, and those other persons who despise money in their
hearts, and would rather not touch it with their hands. It has been seen
also that the events connected with the Gigerl's first appearance in the
shop had been of a nature to irritate Akulina still more. The dislike
nourished in her stout bosom through long months and years now approached
the completion of its development, and manifested itself as a form of
active hatred. Akulina was delighted to learn that there was a prospect of
the Count's spending the night in the police-station and she determined
that Johann Schmidt should not find her husband before the next day, and
that when the partner of her bliss returned--presumably pacified by the
soothing converse of his friend--she would not disturb his peace of mind
by any reference to the Count's adventures. It was therefore with small
prospect of success that the Cossack began his search for Fischelowitz.

Only a man who has sought anxiously for another, all through the late
evening, in a great city, knows how hopeless the attempt seems after the
first hour. The rapid motion through many dusky streets, the looking in,
from time to time, upon some merry company assembled in a warm room under
a brilliant light, the anxious search among the guests for the familiar
figure, the disappointment, as each fancied resemblance shows, on near
approach, a face unknown to the searcher, the hurried exit and the quick
passage through the dark night air to the next halting-place--all these
impressions, following hurriedly upon each other, confuse the mind and at
last discourage hope.

Schmidt did not realise how late it was, when, abandoning his search for
his employer, he turned towards the police-station in the hope of still
rendering some assistance to his friend. He could not gain admittance to
the presence of the officer in charge, however, and was obliged to content
himself with the assurance that the Count had been treated "with
consideration," as the phrase was, and that there would be plenty of