years more. But
remember it is the emperor who has decided upon this marriage."

"My father will do me the justice to believe that I am too submissive a
daughter to be a rebellious subject."

"Excellent, Vaninka, excellent," said the general. "So, then, poor
Foedor has told you all?"

"Yes," said Vaninka.

"You knew that he addressed himself to me first?"

"I knew it."

"Then it was from him that you heard that your hand was engaged?"

"It was from him."

"And he consented to leave you? He is a good and noble young man, who
shall always be under my protection wherever he goes. Oh, if my word had
not been given, I love him so much that, supposing you did not dislike
him, I should have given him your hand."

"And you cannot recall your promise?" asked Vaninka.

"Impossible," said the general.

"Well, then, I submit to my father's will," said Vaninka.

"That is spoken like my daughter," said the general, embracing her.
"Farewell, Vaninka; I do not ask if you love him. You have both done
your duty, and I have nothing more to exact."

With these words, he rose and left the room. Annouschka was in the
corridor; the general signed to her that she might go in again, and went
on his way. At the door of his room he found Gregory waiting for him.

"Well, your excellency?" he asked.

"Well," said the general, "you are both right and wrong. Foedor loves my
daughter, but my daughter does not love him. He went into my daughter's
room at eleven o'clock, but at midnight he left her for ever. No matter,
come to me tomorrow, and you shall have your thousand roubles and your
liberty."

Gregory went off, dumb with astonishment.

Meanwhile, Annouschka had re-entered her mistress's room, as she had
been ordered, and closed the door carefully behind her.

Vaninka immediately sprang out of bed and went to the door, listening
to the retreating footsteps of the general. When they had ceased to be
heard, she rushed into Annouschka's room, and both began to pull aside a
bundle of linen, thrown down, as if by accident, into the embrasure of a
window. Under the linen was a large chest with a spring lock. Annouschka
pressed a button, Vaninka raised the lid. The two women uttered a loud
cry: the chest was now a coffin; the young officer, stifled for want of
air, lay dead within.

For a long time the two women hoped it was only a swoon. Annouschka
sprinkled his face with water; Vaninka put salts to his nose. All was
in vain. Dur