“Oh, the wine is to blame, of course. I confess to you, prince, as I would to Providence itself. Yesterday I received 400 roubles from a debtor at about five in the afternoon, and came down here by train. I had my purse in my pocket. When I changed, I put the money into the pocket of my plain clothes, intending to keep it by me, as I expected to have an applicant for it in the evening.”

“It’s true then, Lebedeff, that you advertise to lend money on gold or silver articles?”

“Yes, through an agent. My own name doesn’t appear. I have a large family, you see, and at a small percentage⁠—”

“Quite so, quite so. I only asked for information⁠—excuse the question. Go on.”