"Oh, yes, yes," replied Albert with a smile. "But pardon me, I do not know with whom I have the honor to be talking; maybe you are a count or a prince. Couldn't you let me have a little money?" He paused for a moment. "I have nothing--I am a poor man: I couldn't pay it back to you." Delesof flushed, grew embarrassed, and hastened to hand the musician the money that had been collected for him. "Very much obliged to you," said Albert, seizing the money. "Now let us have some more music; I will play for you as much as you wish. Only let me have something to drink, something to drink," he repeated, as he started to his feet. Delesof gave him some more wine, and asked him to sit down by him. "Pardon me if I am frank with you," said Delesof. "Your talent has interested me so much. It seems to me that you are in a wretched position." Albert glanced now at Delesof, now at the hostess, who just then came into the room. "Permit me to help you," continued Delesof. "If you need any thing, then I should be very glad if you would come and stay with me for a while. I live alone, and maybe I could be of some service to you." Albert smiled, and made no reply. "Why don't you thank him?" said the hostess. "It seems to me that this would be a capital thing for you.--Only I would not advise you," she continued, turning to Delesof, and shaking her head warningly. "Very much obliged to you," said Albert, seizing Delesof's hand with both his moist ones. "Only now let us have some music, please." But the rest of the guests were already making their preparations to depart; and as Albert did not address them, they came out into the ante-room. Albert bade the hostess farewell; and having taken his worn hat with wide brim, and a last summer's _alma viva_, which composed his only protection against the winter, he went with Delesof down the steps. As soon as Delesof took his seat in his carriage with his new friend, and became conscious of that unpleasant odor of intoxication and filthiness exhaled by the musician, he began to repent of the step that he had taken, and to curse himself for his childish softness of heart and lack of reason. Moreover, all that Albert said was so foolish and in such bad taste, and he seemed so near a sudden state of beastly intoxication, that Delesof was disgusted. "What shall I do with him?" he asked himself. After they had been driving for a quarter of an hour, Albert relapsed into silence, took off his hat, and laid it on his knee, then threw himself into a corner of the carriage, and began to snore.... The wheels crunched monotonously over the frozen snow, the feeble light of dawn scarcely made its way through the frosty windows.