“What does this cost?”
“Three hundred.”
He used his latchkey, and struck off the ear and the nose, and he mutilated the cheeks. The young woman sighed quietly; and it was pleasant to hear her quiet sighing.
He cut up a few more pictures, and the armchair coverings, and broke a few of the gew-gaws.
He then approached the young woman, and exclaimed: “Get under the divan!”
She obeyed.
“Lie there quietly, until some one comes. Or else I’ll throw a bomb.”
He left. He met no one, either in the ante-room, or on the stairs.
The same house-porter stood at the gates. Moshkin went up to him and said: “What a strange young lady you have in your house.”
“Why?”