“Our wedding took place on a day in bright autumn. I told the Count that I had grown tired of Nagorskoie, and intended to go to Nijni for a change. To this he raised no objection, and I set out alone with a _tarantass_. Twelve versts along the road I found Natiónka awaiting me, and we drove together to the village _pope_ at Dinkova, who, according to previous arrangement, made us man and wife. Then we travelled on to Nijni, and after three weeks’ absence returned to Nagorskoie. We were still bound to keep our marriage secret, therefore Natiónka went home and we both led the same lives as before, spending whole days together in the solitude of the great pine forest, happy in each other’s love. “She was charming. But, alas! how brief a paradise was ours. “Standing one evening at our favourite spot in the wood, with my wife clasped to my breast, I was uttering words of passionate affection and tenderness. “‘I want you to assume your proper position,’ I said. ‘Yet I confess, Natiónka, that I dare not tell my father.’ “‘No, do not tell him,’ she urged earnestly. ‘For the present let us remain as we are. If your father knew he would separate us. He would send me to another serf-owner, as he did Anna Ivanovna, Marya Zadlewski, and the others.’ “‘Fear not, little one,’ I replied reassuringly. ‘He dare not send you away now you are my wife.’ “‘Could you not take me to Petersburg or Moscow, where we could live together unknown?’ she suggested. ‘You have enough money to do that, haven’t you?’ “‘Yes, dearest. But unfortunately you are still a serf. If you left the estate he could have you arrested. He even has the right by law to exile you to Siberia for desertion. This latter course he would certainly adopt if he knew we were wedded.’ “‘Ah! You are right,’ she replied sorrowfully. ‘I never thought of that.’ “At that moment we were startled at hearing the cracking of dried twigs, apparently broken by footsteps. Holding our breath we listened. “‘A wolf perhaps!’ exclaimed Natiónka in alarm. “I drew my revolver and waited. “‘No!’ I exclaimed aloud, as I caught a glimpse of a figure moving stealthily among the trunks of the trees. ‘Not a wolf, but a more dangerous animal, Artem Makaroff, my father’s agent!’ “It was evident that he had followed us, listened to our conversation, and overheard the declaration I had made regarding our marriage! I felt certain that sooner or later he would betray us. “On my return home that night the Count was unusually gracious towards me, and, after watching him narrowly, I came to the conclusion that Artem had not informed him of the incident. In the course of the evening, however, my father’s habitual moroseness returned, and he sat smoking and thinking. Suddenly he grew confidential, and said— “‘Vassilii, will you do me a favour? I am in a financial difficulty, and I want you to take a letter to our friend Mikhailovitch, at Vasilova, and bring back the money he will give you.’