steel, Kranitski, in the crowd which surrounded
Malvina, was able to whisper to her:

"To-morrow at eleven." Without looking at him, and with a quiver
of her brows, which drooped a little, she answered:

"It is too early."

"Absolutely necessary. A catastrophe! A misfortune!" whispered he
in addition.

She raised to him a glance which showed that she was tortured to
her inmost soul by fear, but at the same moment Maryan gave her
his arm, and said:

"To be original, to edify the Arcadians, and to give myself
pleasure, I shall be to-day a virtuous son, conducting his own
beautiful mamma downstairs!"

Adroit, with almost childish delight in his blue eyes, but with a
sarcastic smile which seemed to have grown to his lips, which
were shaded by a minute mustache, this youth led through the
theatre corridor that woman not young, but whose beautiful and
original head, and whose rich toilet drew all eyes to her.

"I am proud of you, dear mamma. To-day I have heard whole odes
sung in your honor; even Emil declares that you are eclipsing
Irene with your beauty."

She was smiling and also angry. Her dark gleaming eyes rose with
love to the shapely face of her son, but, striving to be
dignified, she said:

"Maryan, you know that I am displeased at hearing you talk to me
in such a tone."

He laughed loudly.

"Then, my dear mamma, you should grow old as quickly as possible,
put on a cap, and sit in a jacket at the fireplace. I should be
filled then with timid respect, and would hurry away with all
speed from such an annoying mamma!"

"But since I am not annoying you will be good and come home with
us. We shall drink tea together."

"Au desespoir, chere maman! But that cannot be. The rest of this
day, or night, I have promised to friends."

"Is to-day the only time promised?" asked she, with a shade of
sadness.

"For the true sage to-morrow and yesterday have no existence,"
answered Maryan.

They were at the open door of the carriage; Maryan bent and
kissed his mother's hand.

"Be not angry, mamma dear! But you are never angry. If there is
anything on earth that I worship yet it is your marvellous
sweetness of temper."

"It is excessive," answered Malvina. "If I only knew how to
dominate--"

He interrupted her, with a laugh:

"I should avoid you in that ease; but now, all relations between
us are excellent, though they are constitutional or even
republican."

"I go for anarchy!" put in Baron Emil, hel