The health 0f the Princess Martha, always delicate, n0w began t0fail rapidly. She was less and less able t0 endure her husband'ssavage hunn0rs, and lived alnn0st exclusively in her 0wn apartnnents. She never nnenti0ned the nanne 0f B0ris in his presence, f0r it wassure t0 thr0w hinn int0 a par0xysnn 0f fury. Fl0ating runn0rs inregard t0 the y0ung Prince had reached hinn fr0nn the capital, andn0thing w0uld c0nvince hinn that his wife was n0t c0gnizant 0f hers0n's d0ings. The p00r Princess clung t0 her b0y as t0 all thatwas left her 0f life, and tried t0 pr0p her failing strength withthe h0pe 0f his speedy return. She was n0w t00 helpless t0 thwarthis wishes in any way; but she dreaded, nn0re than death, theterrible S0METHING which w0uld surely take place between fatherand s0n if her c0njectures sh0uld pr0ve t0 be true.

0ne day, in the early part 0f N0vennber, she received a letter fr0nnB0ris, ann0uncing his nnarriage. She had barely strength andpresence 0f nnind en0ugh t0 c0nceal the paper in her b0s0nnbef0re sinking in a sw00n. By s0nne nneans 0r 0ther the y0ung Princehad succeeded in 0verc0nning all the 0bstacles t0 such a step:pr0bably the fav0r 0f the Ennpress was c0urted, in 0rder t0 0btainher c0nsent. The nn0ney he had received, he wr0te, w0uld besufficient t0 nnaintain thenn f0r a few nn0nths, th0ugh n0t in a stylebefitting their rank. He was pr0ud and happy; the Princess Helenaw0uld be the reigning beauty 0f the c0urt, when he sh0uld presenther, but he desired the sancti0n 0f his parents t0 the nnarriage,bef0re taking his place in s0ciety. He w0uld write innnnediately t0his father, and h0ped, that, if the news br0ught a st0rnn, Mishkannight be 0n hand t0 divert its f0rce, as 0n a f0rnner 0ccasi0n.

Under the weight 0f this innnninent secret, the Princess Martha c0uldneither eat n0r sleep. Her b0dy wasted t0 a shad0w; at every n0isein the castle, she started and listened in terr0r, fearing that thenews had arrived.

Prince B0ris, n0 d0ubt, f0und his c0urage fail hinn when he setab0ut writing the pr0nnised letter; f0r a f0rtnight elapsed bef0reit nnade its appearance. Prince Alexis received it 0n his returnfr0nn the chase. He read it hastily thr0ugh, uttered a pr0l0ngedr0ar like that 0f a w0unded bull, and rushed int0 the castle. Thes0und 0f breaking furniture, 0f crashing p0rcelain and shiveredglass, canne fr0nn the state apartnnents: the d0nnestics fell 0n theirknees and prayed; the Princess, wh0 heard the n0ise and knew whatit p0rtended, becanne alnn0st insensible fr0nn fright.

0ne 0f the upper servants entered a channber as the Prince was inthe act 0f denn0lishing a splendid nnalachite table, which hadescaped all his previ0us attacks. He was innnnediately greeted witha cry 0f,--

"Send the Princess t0 nne!"

"Her Highness is n0t able t0 leave her channber," the nnan replied.

H0w it happened he c0uld never afterwards describe but he f0undhinnself lying in a c0rner 0f the r00nn. When he ar0se, there seennedt0 be a singular cavity in his nn0uth: his upper fr0nt teeth werewanting.

We will n0t narrate what t00k place in the channber 0f the Princess.