# II explained — Yama > Chapter companion for Yama by Aleksandr Kuprin. ## What happens The chapter depicts the quiet, sleepy afternoon of Trinity Sunday at Anna Markovna's brothel, contrasting the previous night's debauchery. Liubka enjoys a rare peaceful morning feeding the dog. Meanwhile, the proprietress and her companions host Inspector Berkesh, who warns them about a missing girl and accepts a bribe, highlighting the corruption and hypocrisy of the system. ## Themes in this chapter ### Hypocrisy of Society Inspector Berkesh condemns moral decline and his son's disrespect while accepting a bribe and ignoring the exploitation of women, exposing the double standards of authority. ### Prostitution and Exploitation The chapter shows the daily operations of the brothel, the commodification of the women, and the collusion between the police and madams to evade legal consequences. ### Dehumanization and Commodification The women are discussed as assets to be 'passed on' to avoid trouble, and Liubka's rare moment of joy is contrasted with the grim reality of her life. ## Character check-ins ### Liubka One of the girls, barefoot and in her shift, enjoys a rare peaceful morning feeding the dog Amour, feeling joy from sleeping alone and the Trinity holiday. ### Anna Markovna The proprietress, a dumpy woman with faded blue eyes and a raspberry-colored lip, hosts Inspector Berkesh and negotiates with him over a missing girl. ### Emma Edwardovna Titzner Present at the coffee gathering, she defends the brothel's treatment of girls and later dismisses Berkesh as a 'double-crossing bastard' after he takes a bribe. ### Isaiah Savvich Anna Markovna's quiet, grayish husband, who confirms the girls' consent and offers Berkesh a stirrup cup. ### Mr. Berkesh The police inspector who visits to warn about a missing girl, accepts a bribe, and complains about moral decline and his son's disrespect. ### Zociya A woman who tries to tell a story about a guest but is cut off by Emma Edwardovna. ## Key lines > The large square parlor with mirrors in gilt frames, with a score of plush chairs placed decorously along the walls, with oleograph pictures of Makovsky’s Feast of the Russian Noblemen , and Bathing , with a crystal lustre in the middle, is also sleeping, and in the quiet and semidarkness it seems unwontedly pensive, austere, strangely sad. The grand parlor, usually lively at night, now lies dark and still, evoking a melancholy atmosphere. _The contrast between the brothel's nighttime revelry and its daytime emptiness underscores the transient, hollow nature of its existence._ > The inspector, hastily finishing his Benedictine, complains of the present decline in manners. Berkesh quickly drinks his liqueur and laments the decay of moral standards. _Berkesh's hypocrisy is highlighted as he moralizes while accepting a bribe from a brothel._ > But still, my advice to you is—you’d better pass this girl on to some place or other in good time. Berkesh suggests moving the missing girl to another brothel to avoid police trouble. _The advice reveals the systemic collusion between authorities and brothels to evade accountability._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/yama_se/chapters/part-i-ii - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/yama_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/yama_se/chapters