tated
that subject to which his Highness was troublously leading up.

"The graciousness of your Imperial Highness does my father much honor.
At the same time, realizing the value of your time, it emboldens me to
refer to a matter that may seem to you unduly personal. I am beginning
the adjustment of my father's private papers, that all matters may be in
perfect order for his successor in office. Now if there is--"

"My dear Prince, this brings us capitally to the second object of my
visit this morning. You are indeed most thoughtful. As it happens, I am
myself--hum--ha--interested in this matter of--You must understand that
I knew your father intimately, for many years. Having the highest
respect for his ability, I took him into my inmost confidence
on--hum!--many affairs.--So, my dear Prince Gregoriev, I will come
straight to my point. You have it in your power to do me the highest
favor. Among your father's personal documents, or somewhere, in some
form, among his papers, there is something relating wholly to me: a few
brief notes regarding an old, and quite unofficial, transaction which,
now that your father is so unhappily lost to us, would be nearly or
entirely incomprehensible and valueless to any one save myself. But to
me, that paper happens to be of some moment: so much so, indeed, that
really no recompense for your trouble in obtaining it for me would be
too great for you to ask. Whatever office might most appeal to you--"

"Your Imperial Highness will pardon me if I request permission to answer
you in deeds rather than words? Will you do me the honor to come with
me?"

The Governor-General sprang to his feet. Ivan, without speaking, led the
way back to dead Michael's inner room, into which the Grand-Duke
preceded him, his eyes falling at once upon the litter on the floor.

The royal visitor turned silently to his host; and Ivan, answering his
look, said, slowly, without royal formalities, but as man to man:

"The sole condition that I must impose, and which, for your sake as well
as _his_ memory, you will grant, is absolute silence regarding what I
have to say to you here.--Have I your promise?"

"Absolutely: upon the honor of my house and station!"

"The details of the incident to which you have referred, sir, I do not
know; but the paper containing it does not lie among my father's
documents. It, with many hundreds of such notes, was written upon a huge
sheet of vellum which hung on the wall of this