His assistant, a lad Anna did not know, had no sooner opened the door to her than she came in, and pulling a three-rouble note out of her muff put it hurriedly into his hand.

"Seryozha--Sergey Alexeitch," she said, and was going on.

Scrutinizing the note, the porter's assistant stopped her at the second glass door.

"Whom do you want?" he asked.