astonishment of Keller. He laughed
unrestrainedly, and Keller, who had been on pins and needles, and in a
fever of excitement to offer himself as "second," was very near being
offended.

"You caught him by the arms, you know, prince. No man of proper pride
can stand that sort of treatment in public."

"Yes, and he gave me a fearful dig in the chest," cried the prince,
still laughing. "What are we to fight about? I shall beg his pardon,
that's all. But if we must fight--we'll fight! Let him have a shot at
me, by all means; I should rather like it. Ha, ha, ha! I know how to
load a pistol now; do you know how to load a pistol, Keller? First, you
have to buy the powder, you know; it mustn't be wet, and it mustn't be
that coarse stuff that they load cannons with--it must be pistol powder.
Then you pour the powder in, and get hold of a bit of felt from some
door, and then shove the bullet in. But don't shove the bullet in before
the powder, because the thing wouldn't go off--do you hear, Keller, the
thing wouldn't go off! Ha, ha, ha! Isn't that a grand reason, Keller,
my friend, eh? Do you know, my dear fellow, I really must kiss you, and
embrace you, this very moment. Ha, ha! How was it you so suddenly popped
up in front of me as you did? Come to my house as soon as you can, and
we'll have some champagne. We'll all get drunk! Do you know I have a
dozen of champagne in Lebedeff's cellar? Lebedeff sold them to me the
day after I arrived. I took the lot. We'll invite everybody! Are you
going to do any sleeping tonight?"

"As much as usual, prince--why?"

"Pleasant dreams then--ha, ha!"

The prince crossed the road, and disappeared into the park, leaving the
astonished Keller in a state of ludicrous wonder. He had never before
seen the prince in such a strange condition of mind, and could not have
imagined the possibility of it.

"Fever, probably," he said to himself, "for the man is all nerves, and
this business has been a little too much for him. He is not AFRAID,
that's clear; that sort never funks! H'm! champagne! That was an
interesting item of news, at all events!--Twelve bottles! Dear me,
that's a very respectable little stock indeed! I bet anything Lebedeff
lent somebody money on deposit of this dozen of champagne. Hum! he's a
nice fellow, is this prince! I like this sort of man. Well, I needn't be
wasting time here, and if it's a case of champagne, why--there's no time
like the present!"

That the prince was al