I cannot help?" said one
voice. "No, if you live here, and see all the charms of city life, go
and view this also," said another voice. In December three years ago,
therefore, on a cold and windy day, I betook myself to that centre of
poverty, the Khitroff market-place. This was at four o'clock in the
afternoon of a week-day. As I passed through the Solyanka, I already
began to see more and more people in old garments which had not
originally belonged to them, and in still stranger foot-gear, people with
a peculiar, unhealthy hue of countenance, and especially with a singular
indifference to every thing around them, which was peculiar to them all.
A man in the strangest of all possible attire, which was utterly unlike
any thing else, walked along with perfect unconcern, evidently without a
thought of the appearance which he must present to the eyes of others.
All these people were making their way towards a single point. Without
inquiring the way, with which I was not acquainted, I followed them, and
came out on the Khitroff market-place. On the market-place, women both
old and young, of the same description, in tattered cloaks and jackets of
various shapes, in ragged shoes and overshoes, and equally unconcerned,
notwithstanding the hideousness of their attire, sat, bargained for
something, strolled about, and scolded. There were not many people in
the market itself. Evidently market-hours were over, and the majority of
the people were ascending the rise beyond the market and through the
place, all still proceeding in one direction. I followed them. The
farther I advanced, the greater in numbers were the people of this sort
who flowed together on one road. Passing through the market-place and
proceeding along the street, I overtook two women; one was old, the other
young. Both wore something ragged and gray. As they walked they were
discussing some matter. After every necessary word, they uttered one or
two unnecessary ones, of the most improper character. They were not
intoxicated, but merely troubled about something; and neither the men who
met them, nor those who walked in front of them and behind them, paid any
attention to the language which was so strange to me. In these quarters,
evidently, people always talked so. Ascending the rise, we reached a
large house on a corner. The greater part of the people who were walking
along with me halted at this house. They stood all over the sidewalk of
this