urn home. I
might, however, return to London, and thence take ship to some foreign
country--either to the United States or to South America, or perhaps to
our own colony of Canada, and make my way there or enlist in the
English army."

"Or you might stay here?"

"I might stay here, count, but as I am ignorant of Russian, and have no
trade or profession, I do not well see what I could possibly do."

"You would not be long in picking up Russian," the count said, "and if
you could make up your mind to settle down here until you learn that
your innocence of this foul charge has been completely proved, there
would be no necessity for any trade or profession. Why, Monsieur, you do
not suppose that the countess and I are without heart, or would allow
you, the preserver of our child, to struggle for an existence here or
anywhere else! We have more money than we know what to do with. We have
six estates in different parts of Russia. We have some ten thousand
serfs. However, we can settle nothing until you receive an answer to
your letter; after that we will talk matters over seriously. At any
rate, do not trouble about your future. This is the reason that I have
spoken to you to-day. Your future is our care, and you can leave it
safely in our hands."

"You are too good altogether, Count," Julian said; but the Russian
checked him with a peremptory gesture of his hand.

"Let us have no talk like that, Mr. Wyatt. You will only pain me deeply,
and make me think less well of you than I do now. Stephanie is to us
infinitely more than all our possessions, and did we assign to you all
else that we have in the world we should feel that the balance of
obligation was still against us. Now let us talk of other matters. In
the first place, about sending your letter. Of course, at present the
Baltic is frozen, and the ports beyond are all in the hands of the
French. Sweden, however, is in alliance with us, and our despatches for
England go up through Finland, then across the ice to Sweden, and by
land to Gothenburg, and thence by sea to England. It is a round-about
journey, but it is performed rapidly; and as there are English packets
always ready to sail from Gothenburg, your letters should, under
favourable circumstances, be in England in a fortnight.

"I should incline to advise you to write them in duplicate, for the
packet might be captured by a French privateer on its way, and it would
be safer therefore to despatch copies of you