"I told you my Princess Anna was going to run away. She's gone! And her mother has cut her off from the inheritance," Natasha continued with an exultant smile. "I looked through the scrap basket, and have brought some papers with me." "What sort of papers?" "Oh, letters and notes. They are all in Princess Anna's handwriting. Shall I give them to you?" jested Natasha. "Have a good look at them, examine them, learn her handwriting, so that you can imitate every letter. That kind of thing is just in your line; you are a first-class copyist, so this is just the job for you." The engraver listened, and only shrugged his shoulders. "No, joking aside," she continued seriously, drawing nearer Bodlevski, "I have thought of something out of the common; you will be grateful. I have no time to explain it all now. You will know later on. The main thing is--learn her handwriting." "But what is it all for?" said Bodlevski wonderingly. "So that you may be able to write a few words in the handwriting of Princess Anna; what you have to write I'll dictate to you." "And then?" "Then hurry up and get me a passport in some one else's name, and have your own ready. But learn her handwriting. Everything depends on that!" "It won't be easy. I'll hardly be able to!" muttered Bodlevski, scratching his head. Natasha flared up. "You say you love me?" she cried energetically, with a glance of anger. "Well, then, do it. Unless you are telling lies, you can learn to do banknotes." The young man strode up and down his den, perplexed. "How soon do you want it?" he asked, after a minute's thought. "In a couple of days?" "Yes, in about two days, not longer, or the whole thing is done for!" the girl replied decisively. "In two days I'll come for the writing, and be sure my passport is ready!" "Very well. I'll do it," consented Bodlevski. And Natasha began to dictate to him the wording of the letter. As soon as she was gone the engraver got to work. All the evening and a great part of the night he bent over the papers she had brought, examining the handwriting, studying the letters, and practicing every stroke with the utmost care, copying and repeating it a hundred times, until at last he had reached the required clearness. At last he mastered the writing. It only remained to give it the needed lightness and naturalness. His head rang from the concentration of blood in his temples, but he still worked on. Finally, when it was almost morning, the note was written, and the name of Princess Anna was signed to it. The work was a masterpiece, and even exceeded Bodlevski's expectations. Its lightness and clearness were remarkable. The engraver, examining the writing of Princess Anna, compared it with his own work, and was astonished, so perfect was the resemblance. And long he admired his handiwork, with the parental pride known to every creator, and as he looked at this note he for the first time fully realized that he was an artist. III THE CAVE