gh the Park and forest towards a
neighbouring principality. Sometimes, on such occasions, I spent four
hours on the way, and would return to Homburg tired and hungry; but, on
this particular occasion, I had scarcely left the gardens for the Park
when I caught sight of Astley seated on a bench. As soon as he
perceived me, he called me by name, and I went and sat down beside him;
but, on noticing that he seemed a little stiff in his manner, I
hastened to moderate the expression of joy which the sight of him had
called forth.

"YOU here?" he said. "Well, I had an idea that I should meet you. Do
not trouble to tell me anything, for I know all--yes, all. In fact,
your whole life during the past twenty months lies within my knowledge."

"How closely you watch the doings of your old friends!" I replied.
"That does you infinite credit. But stop a moment. You have reminded me
of something. Was it you who bailed me out of Roulettenberg prison when
I was lying there for a debt of two hundred gulden? SOMEONE did so."

"Oh dear no!--though I knew all the time that you were lying there."

"Perhaps you could tell me who DID bail me out?"

"No; I am afraid I could not."

"What a strange thing! For I know no Russians at all here, so it cannot
have been a Russian who befriended me. In Russia we Orthodox folk DO go
bail for one another, but in this case I thought it must have been done
by some English stranger who was not conversant with the ways of the
country."

Mr. Astley seemed to listen to me with a sort of surprise. Evidently he
had expected to see me looking more crushed and broken than I was.

"Well," he said--not very pleasantly, "I am none the less glad to find
that you retain your old independence of spirit, as well as your
buoyancy."

"Which means that you are vexed at not having found me more abased and
humiliated than I am?" I retorted with a smile.

Astley was not quick to understand this, but presently did so and
laughed.

"Your remarks please me as they always did," he continued. "In those
words I see the clever, triumphant, and, above all things, cynical
friend of former days. Only Russians have the faculty of combining
within themselves so many opposite qualities. Yes, most men love to see
their best friend in abasement; for generally it is on such abasement
that friendship is founded. All thinking persons know that ancient
truth. Yet, on the present occasion, I assure you, I am sincerely glad
to see that