“ Where’s the letter now?”
“ Oh, I’ve still got it, here!”
And he handed the prince the very letter from Aglaya to Gania, which the latter showed with so much triumph to his sister at a later hour.
“ This letter cannot be allowed to remain in your hands.”
“ It’s for you—for you! I’ve brought it you on purpose!” cried Lebedeff, excitedly. “Why, I’m yours again now, heart and hand, your slave; there was but a momentary pause in the flow of my love and esteem for you. Mea culpa, mea culpa! as the Pope of Rome says.”
“ This letter should be sent on at once,” said the prince, disturbed. “I’ll hand it over myself.”
“ Wouldn’t it be better, esteemed prince, wouldn’t it be better—to—don’t you know—”
Lebedeff made a strange and very expressive grimace; he twisted about in his chair, an
