"The Countess A----'s," replied the watchman.

Hermann started. The strange story of the three cards again
presented itself to his imagination. He began walking up and down
before the house, thinking of its owner and her strange secret.
Returning late to his modest lodging, he could not go to sleep for
a long time, and when at last he did doze off, he could dream of
nothing but cards, green tables, piles of banknotes, and heaps of
ducats. He played one card after the other, winning
uninterruptedly, and then he gathered up the gold and filled his
pockets with the notes. When he woke up late the next morning, he
sighed over the loss of his imaginary wealth, and then sallying out
into the town, he found himself once more in front of the
Countess's residence. Some unknown power seemed to have attracted
him thither. He stopped and looked up at the windows. At one of
these he saw a head with luxuriant black hair, which was bent down,
probably over some book or an embroidery frame. The head was
raised. Hermann saw a fresh complexion, and a pair of dark eyes.
That moment decided his fate.


III


Lizaveta Ivanovna had scarcely taken off her hat and cloak, when
the Countess sent for her, and again ordered her to get the
carriage ready. The vehicle drew up before the door, and they
prepared to take their seats. Just at the moment when two footmen
were assisting the old lady to enter the carriage, Lizaveta saw her
Engineer standing close beside the wheel; he grasped her hand;