“I could hardly keep from laughing. A sorrowing dove, indeed! Almost six feet tall, with the fists of a prize-fighter, and a face so black that it seemed as if the ‘dove’ had been sweeping chimneys all her life and had never thoroughly washed herself. But I somehow kept my face straight and asked: “‘Who is this Bolesst?’ “‘Boless, Pan Student,’ she replied seemingly offended because of my mispronouncing the name. ‘He is my affianced.’ “‘Affianced!’ “‘And why are you so astonished? Can not I, a girl, have an affianced?’ “She--a girl! well, this beats everything I ever heard. Oh, well, who can tell about such matters! Everything is possible in this world. “‘And have you been long engaged?’ “‘The sixth year.’ “‘Oh, oh!’ I thought and then said aloud: ‘Well, go ahead with your letter.’ “And I must confess--so tender and loving was this message--that I would have willingly exchanged places with this Boless had the fair correspondent been any one else but Teresa. “‘I thank you from my inmost soul for your favor, Pan Student,’ Teresa said, bowing low. ‘Can I in any way be of service to you?’ “‘No, thank you.’ “‘But maybe the Pan’s shirts or trousers need mending?’ “This made me quite angry. I felt that this mastodon in petticoats was making the blood mount to my cheeks, and I told her quite sharply that her services were not required; and she departed. “Two weeks or so passed. One evening I was sitting at my window, softly whistling and thinking hard how to get away from myself. I felt very bored. The weather was as nasty as it could be. To go out that evening was out of the question, and having nothing better to do I began from sheer ennui a course of self-analysis. This proved dull enough work, but there was nothing else to do. Suddenly the door opened, thank God! Some one was coming to see me. “‘Are you very busy just now, Pan Student?’ “‘Teresa! H’m--’ I thought I would have preferred any one at all to her. Then I said aloud: “‘No, what is it you want now?’ “‘I wish to ask the Pan Student to write me another letter.’ “‘Very well. Is it again to Boless you wish me to write?’ “‘No, this time I want you to write a letter from Boless to me.’ “‘Wha-at?’ “‘I beg your pardon, Pan Student. How stupid of me! It is not for me, this letter, but for a friend of mine, a man acquaintance; he has a fiancée. Her name is like mine, Teresa. He does not know how to write, so I want the Pan Student to write for him a letter to that Teresa--’ “I looked at her. She seemed very confused and frightened, and her fingers trembled. And though I failed at first to understand what was the matter with her I at last understood. “‘Look here, my lady,’ I said to her. ‘You have been telling me a pack of lies. There are no Bolesses nor Teresas among your acquaintances. It is only a pretext for coming in here. I tell you outright that there is no use of coming sneaking around me, as I do not wish to have anything to do with you. Do you understand?’