other--can only--talk to her child--"

"You must calm yourself, dear madame. Do you know that your daughter
believes you to have been a miracle of courage and self-reliance? What
Calabressa used to say to her was this: 'Natalushka, when you are in
trouble you will be brave; you will show yourself the daughter of
Natalie Berezolyi.'"

"Yes, yes," she said, quickly, as she again dried her eyes, and drew
herself up. "I beg you to pardon me. I have thought so much of this
meeting, through all these years, that my hearts beats too quickly now.
But I will have no fear. She will come to me; I am not afraid: she will
not turn away from me. And how am I to thank you for your great
kindness?" she added, as he moved to the door.

"By being kind to Natalie when I am away in America," said he. "You
will not find it a difficult task."

CHAPTER XXXVI.

THE VELVET GLOVE.

Ferdinand Lind sat alone, after Gathorne Edwards had gone, apparently
deep buried in thought. He leaned forward over his desk, his head
resting on his left hand, while in his right hand he held a pencil, with
which he was mechanically printing letters on a sheet of blotting-paper
before him. These letters, again and again repeated, formed but one
phrase: THE VELVET GLOVE. It was as if he were perpetually reminding
himself, during the turnings and twistings of his sombre speculations,
of the necessity of being prudent and courteous and suave. It was as if
he were determined to imprint the caution on his brain--drilling it into
himself--so that in no possible emergency could it be forgotten. But as
his thoughts went farther afield, he began to play with the letters, as
a child might. They began to assume decorations. THE VELVET GLOVE
appeared surrounded with stars; again furnished with duplicate lines;
again breaking out into rays. At length he rose, tore up the sheet of
blotting-paper, and rung a hand-bell twice.

Reitzei appeared.

"Where will Beratinsky be this evening?"

"At the Culturverein: he sups there."

"You and he must be here at ten. There is business of importance."

He walked across the room, and took up his hat and stick. Perhaps at
this moment the caution he had been drilling into himself suggested some
further word. He turned to Reitzei, who had advanced to take his place
at the desk.

"I mean if that is quite convenient to you both," he said, courteously.
"Eleven o'clock, if you please, or twelve?"

"Ten will be quite convenien