life--five thousand florins. More remarkable still, the money is paid.
Not so remarkable, my good mother declares she will give half of it to
an undutiful son, who has never done very well with money in this world.
We come to the _denouement_ quickly. 'What,' said I, 'shall I do with my
new-found liberty and my new-found money? To the devil with banks! I
will be off and away to the land of fogs to see my little friend
Natalushka, and ask her what she thinks of the Russians now.' And the
result? My little daughter, you have given me such a fright that I can
feel my hands still trembling."

"I am very sorry," said she, with a smile. This gay manner of his had
driven away her sad memories. It seemed quite natural to her that he
should address her as "My little daughter."

"But where are the fogs? It is a paradise that I have reached--the air
clear and soft, the gardens beautiful. This morning I said to myself, 'I
will go early. Perhaps the little Natalushka will be going out for a
walk; perhaps we will go together.' No, signorina," said he, with a
mock-heroic bow, "it was not with the intention of buying you toys. But
was I not right? Do I not perceive by your costume that you were about
to go out?"

"That is nothing, signore," said she. "It would be very strange if I
could not give up my morning walk for an old friend of my father's."

"_An contraire_, you shall not give up your walk," said he, with great
courtesy. "We will go together; and then you will tell me about your
father."

She accepted this invitation without the slightest scruple. It did not