The Jungle chapter 28

The madam of the brothel pays Marija's fine and the prostitutes are set free. The judge lets Jurgis go without penalty because Jurgis says that he had gone merely to visit his sister, whew, for once things look good. He gave a fake name, and noone noticed him as Connors attacker. Marija later says that she is a morphine addict. Most of the prostitutes, she tells Jurgis, are addicted to something. Marija gives Jurgis Teta Elzbieta's address and urges him to stay with her and her remaining children. Jurgis doesn't want to see her until he gets a job because he feels guilty for leaving them after Antanas died. Jurgis looks for more work. He eats dinner and, while walking the streets, chances upon a political meeting. He enters the hall to sit and rest, he thinks about how Elzbieta will accept him. A well-dressed woman calls him “comrade” and urges him to listen to the speech. No one tries to throw him out for sleeping. Jurgis listens to the speech; he has wandered into a socialist political meeting. Jurgis relates to the commies speech and starts to like it.