Mr. Prokharchin

In Ustinya Fyodorovna’s apartment, in the darkest and most inconspicuous corner, lived Semyon Ivanovich Prokharchin—a man of an age, sensible and sober-minded. Since, in his small rank, he received a salary exactly in accordance with his limited service capabilities, Ustinya Fyodorovna could not charge him more than five rubles a month for his lodgings. It was rumored that she had some special arrangement for that; but whatever the case may be, Mr. Prokharchin, as if in defiance of all those who were quick to speak ill…