to your good grace and favour--and then--then I meant to
walk off with a hundred and fifty roubles. Now, do you not call that
base?"

"It is hardly an exact statement of the case," said the prince in reply.
"You have confused your motives and ideas, as I need scarcely say too
often happens to myself. I can assure you, Keller, I reproach myself
bitterly for it sometimes. When you were talking just now I seemed to be
listening to something about myself. At times I have imagined that all
men were the same," he continued earnestly, for he appeared to be much
interested in the conversation, "and that consoled me in a certain
degree, for a DOUBLE motive is a thing most difficult to fight against.
I have tried, and I know. God knows whence they arise, these ideas that
you speak of as base. I fear these double motives more than ever just
now, but I am not your judge, and in my opinion it is going too far to
give the name of baseness to it--what do you think? You were going
to employ your tears as a ruse in order to borrow money, but you also
say--in fact, you have sworn to the fact--that independently of this
your confession was made with an honourable motive. As for the money,
you want it for drink, do you not? After your confession, that is
weakness, of course; but, after all, how can anyone give up a bad habit
at a moment's notice? It is impossible. What can we do? It is best, I
think, to leave the matter to your own conscience. How does it seem to
you?" As he concluded the prince looked curiously at Keller; evidently
this problem of double motives had often been considered by him before.

"Well, how anybody can call you an idiot after that, is more than I can
understand!" cried the boxer.

The prince reddened slightly.

"Bourdaloue, the archbishop, would not have spared a man like me,"
Keller continued, "but you, you have judged me with humanity. To show
how grateful I am, and as a punishment, I will not accept a hundred and
fifty roubles. Give me twenty-five--that will be enough; it is all I
really need, for a fortnight at least. I will not ask you for more for
a fortnight. I should like to have given Agatha a present, but she does
not really deserve it. Oh, my dear prince, God bless you!"

At this moment Lebedeff appeared, having just arrived from Petersburg.
He frowned when he saw the twenty-five rouble note in Keller's hand, but
the latter, having got the money, went away at once. Lebedeff began to
abuse him.

"