men:
so let us clink glasses, to your health, Countess! to the fulfilment of
all wishes!"

They clinked glasses. Boris smiled faintly, and that stimulated
Ladislas. "That's right, old boy. You see, Countess, I am such a
harmless fellow that when I see somebody else happy it is like an
intoxication to me. I never experience anything, but I feel as if this
were my adventure, as if you and I, well, all one--" He sprang up from
his chair, seized his glass, and began to sing:

Champagne, when thou dost
Set our blood whirling, etc.

He sang in a pleasant baritone and with theatrical flourishes. The Jew
cried "bravo" and clapped softly. The swarm of Jewish children again
appeared in the doorway, and looked into the room out of large,
piercing eyes. Boris and Billy listened smiling, and only the face of
the Jewess remained impassive, looking with weary scorn at the three
yonder by the table.

The light-hearted strains of Mozart's melody filled the room as it were
with something splendid and precious. Boris rocked lightly on his
chair, beat time on the table with his fingers, and when Ladislas had
finished he nodded and said, "Yes, yes, brother, that was the right
choice."

"Don't you say so?" cried Ladislas. He was so overjoyed at the effect
of his song that he embraced Boris and kissed him on both cheeks. Then
he again sat down at the table and filled the glasses. "Permit me,
Countess," he said, "to kiss your hand: I am so happy to be permitted
to share this happiness here."

Boris laughed a little compassionately. "That was always your forte, my
good Ladislas. Sharing. Do you remember how you were forbidden wine for
a time as a student, and still were always drunk on your soda-water
sooner than we on our wine, out of sheer sympathy? You were born to be
happy by proxy."

"Bravo," cried Ladislas, "_un mot charmant_. You are beginning to be
witty again, thank heaven, and you have every reason to,--any one that
stands like you on the high end of the see-saw, nor stands alone--quite
the contrary."

Boris grew serious again. "All very well, but perhaps we must talk
business a little, after all."

But Ladislas was outraged. "Mercy, brother! Why should we talk
business! Why should we bore the Countess that way? And what is to be
said?--everything is arranged, and everything will go smoothly; no, I
know something better, we'll have a little game, here are some cards, I
brought them with me.