r hand between her thumb and forefinger she rejoined with as
little ceremony as though they had met the day before: "Moufflard does
very poorly indeed, my dear. He died two months ago of indigestion."

"How you must have mourned his loss!"

"I am still inconsolable."

"Ah! well, princess, I shall undertake to console you. I own a lapdog,
not yet six months old: you never saw a more charming one or one with a
shorter nose or whiter and more delicate hair. I am a great utilitarian,
as you know. I only care for large dogs that are of some use. Will you
accept of me Moufflard II? But you must come and fetch him yourself,
which will procure me the pleasure of seeing you at Maisons."

The princess replied that she was on her way to England; that she was
merely taking Paris in passing; that her hours were numbered; and two
minutes later she announced to Mme. de Lorcy that she would call on her
the following day, in the afternoon.

True to her appointment, Princess Gulof entered Mme. de Lorcy's _salon_
the following day. The ladies occupied themselves first of all with
the lapdog, which was found charming and quite worthy to succeed
to Moufflard I. Mme. de Lorcy watched all the time for a suitable
opportunity of introducing the subject nearest to her heart; when she
thought it had come, she observed:

"Apropos, princess, you who know everything, you who are a true
cosmopolitan, have you ever heard of a mysterious personage who calls
himself Count Abel Larinski?"

"Not that I am aware of, my dear, although his name may not be
absolutely unknown to me."

"Search among your reminiscences; you must have encountered him
somewhere; you have visited all the countries of the world--"

"Of the habitable world," she interposed; "but according to my especial
point of view Siberia scarcely can be called so, and it is there, if I
mistake not, that your Count Larinski must have been sent."

"Would to heaven!--Perhaps there was question of procuring this little
pleasure for his father; but, unfortunately, he took the precaution to
emigrate to America. The inconvenience of America is, that people can
return from there, for my Larinski has returned, and it is that that
grieves me."

"What has he done to you?" inquired the princess pinching the ears of
the dog who was slumbering in her lap.

"I spoke to you at Ostend about my goddaughter Mlle. Moriaz, who is an
adorable creature. I proposed to marry her to my nephew, M. Langis, a