Boris Lensky

along the boulevard to see Mascha. The cab stops be

while his son pays the cabman. Lensky never

e-door. Then a charming figure in a short, dark blue dre

A

ound his neck will ring in the ears of the artist as he grows older. And the kiss of her de

g the hand of each and leading them into the hall. "Yes, how late! I have been

ime, little one," say

ou, papa," replies she, and rubs her del

ractive than this room, with its old Flemish tapestry hangings, and i

andering over every object. "The colors all harmonize so charmingly," she continues; and w

picion that the Jeliagins lived so well," he adds, and seeks Nikolai's glance.

already, in the stable and in the attic. But sit down here near the chimney, papa; an

ar together, rubs the tears from her eyes. Then she gives herself

at then,

riously to him--"the worst of it was that then, afterward, Anna scolded poor aunt; the daughter scolded her mother. 'Vous manquez de dignité maman!' cried she. 'You behave like a baker-woman. Never would these dirty loafers'--yes, she expressed herself so, 'ces sales canailles'--'permit themselves such insolence if you knew how to act like a lady.' And poor aunt only replied quite humbly: 'Don't be vexed, my heart. I

satisfied

lia? I have noticed the whole time that you have not laugh

earnest young mentor who prepares himself

pen your mouth and speak!" calls out she, and the

her very lovingly, he says: "Yes, Mascha, I am dissatisfied with you; you have guessed rightly. Every one who

d?" asks Maschenka, turnin

touched by your tenderness that he forgot everything else, but I assure you that the thought that

Lensky assures h

she lowers her head and bites her under lip; she fights back te

of the gossip to which you expose yourself. The principal thing with me is, that by such wrong precipitation as your flight from Arcachon you run the risk of dangers and embarrassments of which you have no suspicion,

as delivered his little lecture ha

ll you give me your word of h

en suddenly her manner changes, she throws back her head. "I will promise nothing," says she

, Ma

t you, then, then, Colia, I should lose my head again, and not only run away a second time, but, if it was necessary, break my word of ho

sister more emphatically and severely how perfectly unsuitable he has found her behavior, and instead of that--yes, instead of that--he only kisses her tenderly, and murm

bursts into tears. "What is the

dove!" says Lens

py," sobs she. While father and brother are still occupied in calming her with

the fashion of twenty years ago, in a faded violet silk dress; the second, a brilliant apparition in faultless m

self feels a little surprised at his sister-in-law's affectionateness; he looks at her in astonishment. Is it possible that this withered old woman in the faded dress is really the Barbe Jeliagin formerly celebrated f

r marriage. Lensky is really a great genius!" He knew that she used to say this to a

ns?" Nikolai asks his father, when, an

n, who turned with the wind, and who was completely without will opposed to her daughter's arrogance. "Not worse!" repeated Lensky. Now that was exaggeration. Still he must try to seek another home for Mascha. But where, then, where? On the whole, Colia's plan was not so bad. In spite of the extravagant generosity which he had always shown to his family, in spite of the unlimited benevolence which would have put many princes to shame, his

June. That was not much longer, scarcely six months. With that he