“They won’t steal from me, no fear,” said one. “There’s more chance of my stealing something from them.”

“I am a prickly customer too.”

“Are you though? You are a jailbird like everyone else; there’s no other name for us.⁠ ⁠… She’ll strip you and not say thank you. That’s where my money went, brother. She came herself the other day. Where could I go with her? I began asking to go to Fedka-Hangman’s, he’s got a house at the end of the town, he bought it from the Jew, Scabby-Solomon, the fellow who hanged himself afterwards.”

“I know. He used to sell vodka here three years ago and was nicknamed Grishka Black Pothouse. I know.”

“No, you don’t know. That was another fellow, Black Pothouse.”

“Another! You know a fat lot. I’ll bring you ever so many witnesses.”