his education, and so on, not to be in some sense an exalted
personage!

"But all the common herd judge 'differently; in the town, at
the meetings, in the villas, at the band, in the inns and the
billiard-rooms, the coming event has only to be mentioned and there are
shouts and cries from everybody. I have even heard talk of getting up a
'charivari' under the windows on the wedding-night. So if 'you have need
of the pistol' of an honest man, prince, I am ready to fire half a dozen
shots even before you rise from your nuptial couch!"

Keller also advised, in anticipation of the crowd making a rush after
the ceremony, that a fire-hose should be placed at the entrance to the
house; but Lebedeff was opposed to this measure, which he said might
result in the place being pulled down.

"I assure you, prince, that Lebedeff is intriguing against you. He wants
to put you under control. Imagine that! To take 'from you the use of
your free-will and your money--that' is to say, the two things that
distinguish us from the animals! I have heard it said positively. It is
the sober truth."

The prince recollected that somebody had told him something of the kind
before, and he had, of course, scoffed at it. He only laughed now, and
forgot the hint at once.

Lebedeff really had been busy for some little while; but, as usual, his
plans had become too complex to succeed, through sheer excess of ardour.
When he came to the prince--the very day before the wedding--to confess
(for he always confessed to the persons against whom he intrigued,
especially when the plan failed), he informed our hero that he himself
was a born Talleyrand, but for some unknown reason had become simple
Lebedeff. He then proceeded to explain his whole game to the prince,
interesting the latter exceedingly.

According to Lebedeff's account, he had first tried what he could do
with General Epanchin. The latter informed him that he wished well to
the unfortunate young man, and would gladly do what he could to "save
him," but that he did not think it would be seemly for him to interfere
in this matter. Lizabetha Prokofievna would neither hear nor see him.
Prince S. and Evgenie Pavlovitch only shrugged their shoulders, and
implied that it was no business of theirs. However, Lebedeff had not
lost heart, and went off to a clever lawyer,--a worthy and respectable
man, whom he knew well. This old gentleman informed him that the thing
was perfectly feasible if he could g