fitte--between four walls, it is absurd! Now, acknowledge,
old man, isn't it absurd? Do you know what I should like to do? I should
like to send a petition to the Czar. What did I do, after all, I should
like to know? It wasn't anything so horrible. I stayed, against the
Emperor's orders, five days too long at Odessa--that was all--yes, you
see, a little French actress who was there, who sang operettas; oh, how
she did sing operettas! Offenbach, you know;" and the General tried to
hum a bar or two of the 'Dites lui', with ludicrous effect. "Charming!
To leave her, ah! I found that very hard. I remained five days: that
wasn't much, eh, Zilah? five days? But the devil! There was a Grand
Duke--well--humph! younger than I, of course--and--and--the Grand Duke
was jealous. Oh! there was at that time a conspiracy at Odessa! I was
accused of spending my time at the theatre, instead of watching the
conspirators. They even said I was in the conspiracy! Oh, Lord! Odessa!
The gallows! Froloff! Well, it was Stephanie Gavaud who was the cause
of it. Don't tell that to Marsa! Ah! that little Stephanie! 'J'ai vu le
vieux Bacchus sur sa roche fertile!' Tautin--no, Tautin couldn't sing
like that little Stephanie! Well," continued Vogotzine, hiccoughing
violently, "because all that happened then, I now lead here the life
of an oyster! Yes, the life of an oyster, of a turtle, of a clam! alone
with a woman sad as Mid-Lent, who doesn't speak, doesn't sing, does
nothing but weep, weep, weep! It is crushing! I say just what I think!
Crushing, then, whatever my niece may be--cr-r-rushing! And--ah--really,
my dear fellow, I should be glad if you would come. Why did you go away?
Yes, yes, that is your affair, and I don't ask any questions. Only--only
you would do well to come--"

"Why?" interrupted Andras, turning quickly to Vogotzine.

"Ah! why? Because!" said the General, trying to give to his heavy face
an expression of shrewd, dignified gravity.

"What has happened?" asked the Prince. "Is she suffering again? Ill?"

"Oh, insane, I tell you! absolutely insane! mad as a March hare! Two
days ago, you see--"

"Well, what? two days ago?"

"Because, two days ago!--"

"Well, what? What is it? Speak, Vogotzine!"

"The despatch," stammered the General.

"What despatch?"

"The des--despatch from Florence."

"She has received a despatch from Florence?"

"A telegram--blue paper--she read it before me; upon my word, I thought
it was from yo