"My dear Constantia," he said, suddenly stopping before his sister and
kissing her hand, "will you do me a favor?"

Constantia looked inquiringly in her brother's face without speaking.

"Give me this girl"

"Impossible!"

"I am quite in earnest," continued Leon, "I wish to offer her to my
future wife. In the Prince her father's private chapel they are much
in want of a solo soprano."

"I shall not give her to you," said Constantia."

"Not as a free gift, but in exchange. I will give you instead a
charming young negro--so black. The women in St. Petersburgh and in
Paris raved about him: but I was inexorable: I half refused him to my
princess."

"No, no," replied Constantia; "I shall be lonely without this girl, I
am so used to her."

"Nonsense! you can get peasant girls by the dozen; but a black
page, with teeth whiter than ivory, and purer than pearls; a perfect
original in his way; you surely cannot withstand. You will kill half
the province with envy. A negro servant is the most fashionable thing
going, and yours will be the first imported into the province."

This argument was irresistible. "Well," replied Constantia, "when do