said. "Katia has been in great
distress over it. She thinks that you can never forgive her."

"Pray tell her from me, Petroff, that I have blamed myself, not her. I
ought not to have let myself be persuaded into taking any part in the
matter. I entered into it as a joke, thinking it would be fine fun to
see the old colonel's face, and also to help a pair of lovers out of a
scrape. It would have been a good joke in England, but this is not a
country where jokes are understood. At any rate it has been a useful
lesson to me, and in future young ladies will plead in vain to get me to
mix myself up in other people's affairs."

"We are going to a students' party to-night," Petroff said. "One of our
number who has just passed the faculty of medicine has received an
appointment at Tobolsk. It is a long way off; but it is said to be a
pleasant town, and the pay is good. He is an orphan, and richer than
most of us, so he is going to celebrate it with a party to-night before
he starts. Will you come with us?"

"I should like it very much," Godfrey said; "but surely your friend
would not wish a stranger there on such an occasion."

"Oh, yes, he would! he would be delighted, he is very fond of the
English. I will answer for it that you will be welcome. Meet us here at
seven o'clock this evening; he has hired a big room, and there will be
two or three dozen of us there--all good fellows. Most of them have
passed, and you will see the army and navy, the law and medicine, all
represented."

Godfrey willingly agreed to go. He thought he should see a new phase of
Russian life, and at the appointed hour he met the two students. The
entertainment was held in a large room in a traktar or eating-house in a
small street. The room was already full of smoke, a number of young men
were seated along two tables extending the length of the room, and
crossed by one at the upper end. Several were in military uniform, and
two or three in that of the navy. Akim and Petroff were greeted
boisterously by name as they entered.

"I will talk to you presently," Akim shouted in reply to various
invitations to take his seat. "I have a friend whom I must first
introduce to Alexis." He and Petroff took Godfrey up to the table at the
end of the room. "Alexis," Akim said, "I have brought you a gentleman
whom I am sure you will welcome. He has proved himself a true friend,
one worthy of friendship and honour. His name is Godfrey Bullen."

There was general