“Well,” said Ivan with a smile, “before then, perhaps, all the mujiks throughout the land may be free men, and my Czar have won the desire of his heart! Who knows?” CHAPTER XLI. FROM AFAR. “Here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.” One afternoon, in the spring of 1821, Clémence sat in her boudoir, a bright, pleasant room of the palace on the Fontanka, tastefully but not gaudily furnished. A lovely boy between three and four years old lay on the floor playing with an ivory alphabet. He was dressed à la mujik, his long curls of gold fell over a miniature caftan of fine blue cloth, which a sash of crimson silk bound about his waist. A younger child, in a white frock of some warm soft material edged with fur, sat on his mother’s knee; and a great deal of baby chatter went on, which was rendered still more unintelligible by being half Russian and half French. On the table beside Clémence lay a pile of books, with which she had been occupying herself. They were copies of the Four Gospels in Russ; and it was her pleasant task to write in each the name of a mujik of Nicolofsky who had been enterprising enough to learn the art of reading, and also to mark such passages and verses as she thought would be particularly profitable for study. But little Feodor’s fancy for suddenly grasping the pen in her hand had put a stop for the present to her labours. Some one knocked at the door; and, thinking it was the children’s nurse, she said, “Come in,” without looking up. An attendant entered instead, announcing a visitor--“M. de Salgues.” In delighted amazement Clémence stood up, placed Feodor on the ground, and hastened to welcome a guest who seemed a part of her dear native land. “This is an unexpected pleasure, and a very great one,” she said, warmly grasping the hand of Emile. But Emile, with his old effrontery, saluted her on the cheek, saying, “Permettez-moi, madame ma cousine.” A few explanations followed. Clémence and Ivan knew already that Emile intended to visit them; for he was about to make the tour of the European capitals, and had, as he himself expressed it, every possible inducement not to omit St. Petersburg. But the time of his visit having been left uncertain, it had pleased him to surprise his friends by travelling rapidly and directly from Paris to the city of the Czar. “You will be glad to hear that my grandmother’s health has improved,” he said in answer to the inquiries of Clémence. “Madame de Talmont also is very well; and your brother is flourishing, in every sense of the word. I have a portmanteau full of letters and packages for you. How is Prince Ivan?” “Well, thank you. I am sorry he is out just now; but I expect him home in an hour or two.--My little son, ring the bell for thy mother.” The little mujik, who had been looking at the stranger with large, blue, wide-open eyes, instantly obeyed.