blacker, and more marked. Notice that the oval has some slight
modification--it is more rounded. This writing allows for flourishes;
now a flourish is a dangerous thing! Its use requires such taste, but,
if successful, what a distinction it gives to the whole! It results in
an incomparable type--one to fall in love with!"

"Dear me! How you have gone into all the refinements and details of the
question! Why, my dear fellow, you are not a caligraphist, you are an
artist! Eh, Gania?"

"Wonderful!" said Gania. "And he knows it too," he added, with a
sarcastic smile.

"You may smile,--but there's a career in this," said the general. "You
don't know what a great personage I shall show this to, prince. Why, you
can command a situation at thirty-five roubles per month to start with.
However, it's half-past twelve," he concluded, looking at his watch; "so
to business, prince, for I must be setting to work and shall not see you
again today. Sit down a minute. I have told you that I cannot receive
you myself very often, but I should like to be of some assistance to
you, some small assistance, of a kind that would give you satisfaction.
I shall find you a place in one of the State departments, an easy
place--but you will require to be accurate. Now, as to your plans--in
the house, or rather in the family of Gania here--my young friend, whom
I hope you will know better--his mother and sister have prepared two
or three rooms for lodgers, and let them to highly recommended young
fellows, with board and attendance. I am sure Nina Alexandrovna will
take you in on my recommendation. There you will be comfortable and well
taken care of; for I do not think, prince, that you are the sort of
man to be left to the mercy of Fate in a town like Petersburg. Nina
Alexandrovna, Gania's mother, and Varvara Alexandrovna, are ladies for
whom I have the highest possible esteem and respect. Nina Alexandrovna
is the wife of General Ardalion Alexandrovitch, my old brother in arms,
with whom, I regret to say, on account of certain circumstances, I am no
longer acquainted. I give you all this information, prince, in order
to make it clear to you that I am personally recommending you to this
family, and that in so doing, I am more or less taking upon myself to
answer for you. The terms are most reasonable, and I trust that your
salary will very shortly prove amply sufficient for your expenditure. Of
course pocket-money is a necessity, if only a little; d