"Ferdishenko has gone, you say?"

"Yes, he went at seven o'clock. He came into the room on his way out; I
was watching just then. He said he was going to spend 'the rest of the
night' at Wilkin's; there's a tipsy fellow, a friend of his, of that
name. Well, I'm off. Oh, here's Lebedeff himself! The prince wants to go
to sleep, Lukian Timofeyovitch, so you may just go away again."

"One moment, my dear prince, just one. I must absolutely speak to you
about something which is most grave," said Lebedeff, mysteriously and
solemnly, entering the room with a bow and looking extremely important.
He had but just returned, and carried his hat in his hand. He looked
preoccupied and most unusually dignified.

The prince begged him to take a chair.

"I hear you have called twice; I suppose you are still worried about
yesterday's affair."

"What, about that boy, you mean? Oh dear no, yesterday my ideas were
a little--well--mixed. Today, I assure you, I shall not oppose in the
slightest degree any suggestions it may please you to make."

"What's up with you this morning, Lebedeff? You look so important and
dignified, and you choose your words so carefully," said the prince,
smiling.

"Nicolai Ardalionovitch!" said Lebedeff, in a most amiable tone of
voice, addressing the boy. "As I have a communication to make to the
prince which concerns only myself--"

"Of course, of course, not my affair. All right," said Colia, and away
he went.

"I love that boy for his perception," said Lebedeff, looking after
him. "My dear prince," he continued, "I have had a terrible misfortune,
either last night or early this morning. I cannot tell the exact time."

"What is it?"

"I have lost four hundred roubles out of my side pocket! They're gone!"
said Lebedeff, with a sour smile.

"You've lost four hundred roubles? Oh! I'm sorry for that."

"Yes, it is serious for a poor man who lives by his toil."

"Of course, of course! How was it?"

"Oh, the wine is to blame, of course. I confess to you, prince, as I
would to Providence itself. Yesterday I received four hundred roubles
from a debtor at about five in the afternoon, and came down here by
train. I had my purse in my pocket. When I changed, I put the money
into the pocket of my plain clothes, intending to keep it by me, as I
expected to have an applicant for it in the evening."

"It's true then, Lebedeff, that you advertise to lend money on gold or
silver articles?"

"Yes, through a