sparkle of tears on his eyelashes:

"Oh, Alexis Ivanovitch! Save me, save me! Have some mercy upon me!"

For a long time I could not make out what he meant, although he kept
talking and talking, and constantly repeating to himself, "Have mercy,
mercy!" At length, however, I divined that he was expecting me to give
him something in the nature of advice--or, rather, that, deserted by
every one, and overwhelmed with grief and apprehension, he had
bethought himself of my existence, and sent for me to relieve his
feelings by talking and talking and talking.

In fact, he was in such a confused and despondent state of mind that,
clasping his hands together, he actually went down upon his knees and
begged me to go to Mlle. Blanche, and beseech and advise her to return
to him, and to accept him in marriage.

"But, General," I exclaimed, "possibly Mlle. Blanche has scarcely even
remarked my existence? What could I do with her?"

It was in vain that I protested, for he could understand nothing that
was said to him, Next he started talking about the Grandmother, but
always in a disconnected sort of fashion--his one thought being to send
for the police.

"In Russia," said he, suddenly boiling over with indignation, "or in
any well-ordered State where there exists a government, old women like
my mother are placed under proper guardianship. Yes, my good sir," he
went on, relapsing into a scolding tone as he leapt to his feet and
started to pace the room, "do you not know this" (he seemed to be
addressing some imaginary auditor in the corner) "--do you not know
this, that in Russia old women like her are subjected to restraint, the
devil take them?" Again he threw himself down upon the sofa.

A minute later, though sobbing and almost breathless, he managed to
gasp out that Mlle. Blanche had refused to marry him, for the reason
that the Grandmother had turned up in place of a telegram, and it was
therefore clear that he had no inheritance to look for. Evidently, he
supposed that I had hitherto been in entire ignorance of all this.
Again, when I referred to De Griers, the General made a gesture of
despair. "He has gone away," he said, "and everything which I possess
is mortgaged to him. I stand stripped to my skin. Even of the money
which you brought me from Paris, I know not if seven hundred francs be
left. Of course that sum will do to go on with, but, as regards the
future, I know nothing, I know nothing."

"Then how will yo