are mad!" said Gregory.

"He is mad!" repeated the other two slaves mechanically.

"Oh, I am mad?" said Ivan. "Well, will you take a wager?"

"What will you wager?"

"Two hundred roubles against a year of free drinking in your inn."

"Done!" said Gregory.

"Are your comrades included?" said the two moujiks.

"They are included," said Ivan, "and in consideration of them we will
reduce the time to six months. Is that agreed?"

"It is agreed," said Gregory.

The two who were making the wager shook hands, and the agreement was
perfected. Then, with an air of confidence, assumed to confound the
witnesses of this strange scene, Ivan wrapped himself in the fur coat
which, like a cautious man, he had spread on the stove, and went out.

At the end of half an hour he reappeared.

"Well!" cried Gregory and the two slaves together.

"She is following," said Ivan.

The three tipplers looked at one another in amazement, but Ivan quietly
returned to his place in the middle of them, poured out a new bumper, and
raising his glass, cried--

"To my lady's health! It is the least we can do when she is kind enough
to come and join us on so cold a night, when the snow is falling fast."

"Annouschka," said a voice outside, "knock at this door and ask Gregory
if he has not some of our servants with him."

Gregory and the two other slaves looked at one another, stupefied: they
had recognised Vaninka's voice. As for Ivan, he flung himself back in
his chair, balancing himself with marvellous impertinence.

Annouschka opened the door, and they could see, as Ivan had said, that
the snow was falling heavily.

"Yes, madam," said the girl; "my brother is there, with Daniel and
Alexis."

Vaninka entered.

"My friends," said she, with a strange smile, "I am told that you were
drinking my health, and I have come to bring you something to drink it
again. Here is a bottle of old French brandy which I have chosen for you
from my father's cellar. Hold out your glasses."

Gregory and the slaves obeyed with the slowness and hesitation of
astonishment, while Ivan held out his glass with the utmost effrontery.

Vaninka filled them to the brim herself, and then, as they hesitated to
drink, "Come, drink to my health, friends," said she.

"Hurrah!" cried the drinkers, reassured by the kind and familiar tone of
their noble visitor, as they emptied their glasses at a draught.

Vaninka at once poured them out another glass; then put