tch, who had succeeded in the brief space of
her engagement in becoming the favourite of our discriminating public.
Our sorrow is all the greater because Miss Militch herself put an end to
her young life, which held so much of promise, by means of poison. And
this poisoning is all the more dreadful because the actress took the
poison on the stage itself! They barely got her home, where, to
universal regret, she died. Rumours are current in the town to the
effect that unrequited love led her to that terrible deed."

Aratoff softly laid the newspaper on the table. To all appearances he
remained perfectly composed ... but something smote him simultaneously
in his breast and in his head, and then slowly diffused itself through
all his members. He rose to his feet, stood for a while on one spot, and
again seated himself, and again perused the letter. Then he rose once
more, lay down on his bed and placing his hands under his head, he
stared for a long time at the wall like one dazed. Little by little that
wall seemed to recede ... to vanish ... and he beheld before him the
boulevard beneath grey skies and _her_ in her black mantilla ... then
her again on the platform ... he even beheld himself by her side.--That
which had smitten him so forcibly in the breast at the first moment, now
began to rise up ... to rise up in his throat.... He tried to cough, to
call some one, but his voice failed him, and to his own amazement, tears
which he could not restrain gushed from his eyes.... What had evoked
those tears? Pity? Regret? Or was it simply that his nerves had been
unable to withstand the sudden shock? Surely, she was nothing to him?
Was not that the fact?

"But perhaps that is not true," the thought suddenly occurred to him. "I
must find out! But from whom? From the Princess?--No, from Kupfer ...
from Kupfer? But they say he is not in Moscow.--Never mind! I must apply
to him first!"

With these ideas in his head Aratoff hastily dressed himself, summoned a
cab and dashed off to Kupfer.

IX

He had not hoped to find him ... but he did. Kupfer actually had been
absent from Moscow for a time, but had returned about a week previously
and was even preparing to call on Aratoff again. He welcomed him with
his customary cordiality, and began to explain something to him ... but
Aratoff immediately interrupted him with the impatient question:

"Hast thou read it?--Is it true?"

"Is what true?" replied the astounded Kupfer.