late
for that--that would be dangerous now. No, no! Better say nothing about
it. Be nice with him, you know, but don't show him--oh, YOU know well
enough--"

"I know, prince, of course I know, but I'm afraid I shall not carry
it out; for to do so one needs a heart like your own. He is so very
irritable just now, and so proud. At one moment he will embrace me,
and the next he flies out at me and sneers at me, and then I stick the
lining forward on purpose. Well, au revoir, prince, I see I am keeping
you, and boring you, too, interfering with your most interesting private
reflections."

"Now, do be careful! Secrecy, as before!"

"Oh, silence isn't the word! Softly, softly!"

But in spite of this conclusion to the episode, the prince remained as
puzzled as ever, if not more so. He awaited next morning's interview
with the general most impatiently.

IV.

THE time appointed was twelve o'clock, and the prince, returning home
unexpectedly late, found the general waiting for him. At the first
glance, he saw that the latter was displeased, perhaps because he had
been kept waiting. The prince apologized, and quickly took a seat. He
seemed strangely timid before the general this morning, for some reason,
and felt as though his visitor were some piece of china which he was
afraid of breaking.

On scrutinizing him, the prince soon saw that the general was quite a
different man from what he had been the day before; he looked like one
who had come to some momentous resolve. His calmness, however, was more
apparent than real. He was courteous, but there was a suggestion of
injured innocence in his manner.

"I've brought your book back," he began, indicating a book lying on the
table. "Much obliged to you for lending it to me."

"Ah, yes. Well, did you read it, general? It's curious, isn't it?" said
the prince, delighted to be able to open up conversation upon an outside
subject.

"Curious enough, yes, but crude, and of course dreadful nonsense;
probably the man lies in every other sentence."

The general spoke with considerable confidence, and dragged his words
out with a conceited drawl.

"Oh, but it's only the simple tale of an old soldier who saw the French
enter Moscow. Some of his remarks were wonderfully interesting. Remarks
of an eye-witness are always valuable, whoever he be, don't you think so?"

"Had I been the publisher I should not have printed it. As to the
evidence of eye-witnesses, in these days people