ld even have to be married under assumed names, and in another
country. He believed that then, when his mother saw that the honour of a
Porthikopoff was at stake, she would take steps to have the ceremony
performed again with the necessary formalities. He thought that she
would do for the honour and pride of her family what she would not do
for love of her son.

"'I consented to everything; but, alas! a month later, seeing that your
father continued to brave all authority, the Czar recalled him to St.
Petersburg.

"'Your father pleaded our cause but in vain! Nicholas I., proud autocrat
as he was, and the Princess were both inexorable. Your father was
exasperated, and he gave vent to his indignation. The result was that he
was ordered to start the next day for Irkoutsk, in Siberia He was to be
exiled! Exiled because he had loved me, because he wished to do his duty
and make me his lawful wife! My mother and I went away to Lille, where
you were born.

"'The Prince, your father, was not allowed to write or receive letters
without sending them first to the Governor to be read and approved. I
happened to meet with someone who was going to Irkoutsk, and begged him
to take a message to your father and to tell him of your birth. When
this man returned he brought me a letter from your father, in which he
said he was going to try and make his escape, and that he would never
again set foot in Russia.

"'Just at this time my mother died. Your father was not able to put his
plan into execution, and a year later he was allowed to write to me, but
merely to tell me the conditions on which Nicholas I. offered to allow
his return from exile. The Czar had chosen a wife for him, and he was to
renounce me for ever. Your father added that he was refusing such terms;
that he would never break his vow to me, and preferred exile to what was
offered him.

"'He was right!' I exclaimed, proudly, for I was glad to find that I had
no cause to blush for my father.

"'It was noble of him!' said my mother, and her eyes filled with tears.
'It was noble, but how could I accept such a sacrifice? I could not; it
would have been too selfish. There was only one thing to do, and
although in doing it I had to sacrifice all my womanly pride, my courage
held out. I wrote to your father, telling him to accept the Czar's
offer, as I myself was about to marry.'

"'It was not true?'

"'No! No! It was to save him. I wanted him to be free, to be happy if
p