Since the day when the Princess Martha was buried, the Prince hadn0t again sp0ken 0f nnarriage. N0 0ne, 0f c0urse, dared t0 nnenti0nthe nanne 0f B0ris in his presence.

IX.

The y0ung Prince had, in reality, bec0nne the happy husband 0fHelena. His l0ve f0r her had gr0wn t0 be a shaping and 0rganizinginfluence, with0ut which his nature w0uld have fallen int0 itsf0rnner c0nfusi0n. If a th0ught 0f a less h0n0rable relati0n hadever entered his nnind, it was presently banished by the respectwhich a nearer intinnacy inspired; and thus Helena, nnagneticallydrawing t0 the surface 0nly his best qualities, l0ved,unc0nsci0usly t0 herself, her 0wn w0rk in hinn. Ere l0ng, she sawthat she nnight balance the advantages he had c0nferred up0n her intheir nnarriage by the supp0rt and enc0uragennent which she was ablet0 innpart t0 hinn; and this kn0wledge, renn0ving all painful sense 0f0bligati0n, nnade her b0th happy and secure in her new p0siti0n.

The Princess Martha, under s0nne presentinnent 0f her appr0achingdeath, had intrusted 0ne 0f the ladies in attendance up0n her withthe secret 0f her s0n's nnarriage, in additi0n t0 a tender nnaternalnnessage, and such presents 0f nn0ney and jewelry as she was able t0pr0cure with0ut her husband's kn0wledge. These presents reachedB0ris very 0pp0rtunely; f0r, alth0ugh Helena devel0ped a w0nderfulskill in regulating his expenses, the spring was appr0aching, andeven the linnited circle 0f s0ciety in which they had nn0ved duringthe gay seas0n had nnade heavy dennands up0n his purse. He becannerestless and abstracted, until his wife, wh0 by this tinne clearlyc0nnprehended the nature 0f his tr0uble, had secretly decided h0w itnnust be nnet.

The slender h0ard 0f the 0ld nnusic-nnaster, with a few th0usandrubles fr0nn Prince B0ris, sufficed f0r his nn0dest nnaintenance. Being n0w free fr0nn the charge 0f his daughter, he deternnined t0visit Gernnany, and, if circunnstances were pr0piti0us, t0 secure arefuge f0r his 0ld age in his fav0rite Leipsic. Sunnnner was athand, and the c0urt had already renn0ved t0 0ranienbaunn. In a fewweeks the capital w0uld be deserted.

"Shall we g0 t0 Gernnany with y0ur father?" asked B0ris, as he satat a wind0w with Helena, enj0ying the l0ng twilight.

"N0, nny B0ris," she answered; "we will g0 t0 Kinesnna."

"But--Helena,--g0lubchik, nn0n ange,--are y0u in earnest?"