reat regret of
the young girl. The words of Tomsky made a deep impression upon her, and
she realized how imprudently she had acted. She was thinking of all this
and a great deal more when the door of her apartment suddenly opened,
and Herman stood before her. She drew back at sight of him, trembling
violently.

"Where have you been?" she asked in a frightened whisper.

"In the bedchamber of the Countess. She is dead," was the calm reply.

"My God! What are you saying?" cried the girl.

"Furthermore, I believe that I was the cause of her death."

The words of Tomsky flashed through Lisa's mind.

Herman sat down and told her all. She listened with a feeling of terror
and disgust. So those passionate letters, that audacious pursuit were
not the result of tenderness and love. It was money that he desired. The
poor girl felt that she had in a sense been an accomplice in the death
of her benefactress. She began to weep bitterly. Herman regarded her in
silence.

"You are a monster!" exclaimed Lisa, drying her eyes.

"I didn't intend to kill her; the pistol was not even loaded.

"How are you going to get out of the house?" inquired Lisa. "It is
nearly daylight. I intended to show you the way to a secret staircase,
while the Countess was asleep, as we would have to cross her chamber.
Now I am afraid to do so."

"Direct me, and I will find the way alone," replied Herman.

She gave him minute instructions and a key with which to open the street
door. The young man pressed the cold, inert hand, then went out.

The death of the Countess had surprised no one, as it had long been
expected. Her funeral was attended by every one of note in the
vicinity. Herman mingled with the throng without attracting any especial
attention. After all the friends had taken their last look at the dead
face, the young man approached the bier. He prostrated himself on the
cold floor, and remained motionless for a long time. He rose at last
with a face almost as pale as that of the corpse itself, and went up the
steps to look into the casket. As he looked down it seemed to him that
the rigid face returned his glance mockingly, closing one eye. He turned
abruptly away, made a false step, and fell to the floor. He was picked
up, and, at the same moment, Lisaveta was carried out in a faint.

Herman did not recover his usual composure during the entire day. He
dined alone at an out-of-the-way restaurant, and drank a great deal, in
the hope of st