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The free and easy deportment of Madame Polozov would probably for the first h he was not quite a novice and had knocked about the world a little--if he had not again seen in this very freedo 'We must humour this rich lady's caprices,' he decided inwardly; and as unconstrainedly as she had questioned hi to be et acquainted with her lately? In Frankfort?'

'Yes'

'And what is she? May I know?'

'Certainly She is a confectioner's daughter'

Maria Nikolaevna opened her eyes wide and lifted her eyebrows

'Why, this is delightful,' she coined that young men like you were not to be hter!'

'I see that surprises you,' observed Sanin with sonity; 'but in the first place, I have none of these prejudices '

'In the first place, it doesn't surprise me in the least,' Maria Nikolaevna interrupted; 'I have no prejudices either I'hter of a peasant myself There! what can you say to that? What does surprise and delight me is to have come across a man who's not afraid to love You do love her, I suppose?'

'Yes'

'Is she very pretty?'

Sanin was slightly stung by this last question However, there was no drawing back

'You know, Maria Nikolaevna,' he began, 'every man thinks the face of his beloved better than all others; but my betrothed is really beautiful'