"All the same, Pushkin was her husband elect, and the Czar was deeply hurt that the very day of Princess Sophie's funeral Pushkin should go and get married to the lovely Bethsaba, whom he ran away with from the Ghedimins'!" "Hullo! So he ran away with the little Circassian princess!" "The Czar was very cut up at his heartlessness. Hence his displeasure with Fräulein Ilmarinen." "But what had she to do with it?" "She was witness to the marriage." "What, she? And she who worshipped Pushkin! That is a dangerous woman!" "Fortunately she can't do much harm now. She begged an audience of the Czar; but his Majesty answered that he would only receive her in your presence." "Then it shall be a hot reception for her! Thanks for the good news!" And Araktseieff hastened off to the Hermitage, where the Czar was to be found before noon. Alexander extended his hand with emotion to the returned favorite, who had travelled night and day to obey his behest. "My only true friend!" he said, in a low voice. "Not the only one, sire. The Czarina stands first." "You are right. We have come together again, and I am only beginning to learn that in her I have won back a whole world. I grudge the moments which this pile of drafts causes me to spend from her." "I am at your orders, sire!" "That will greatly help. Just you look through this sheaf of papers, which I can make nothing of, and execute everything according to your own judgment." "I will not stir from here before I have gone through them all." "Among them you will find a petition for a farewell audience from Fräulein Ilmarinen. Answer in my name that I am willing to receive her, but solely in your presence. Now I am off to church, where I shall meet the Czarina. We are holding a requiem mass for poor Sophie Narishkin." Araktseieff made feint to be hearing this for the first time; and in consequence of the melancholy surprise went through a theatrical scene of up-turned eyes and exclamations, ending up with, as he kissed the hand of the Czar, "I feel that my heart is torn out of my body at this mournful news, sire!" He was the only man in the world who secretly exulted over the news of the unhappy child's death. The Czar left him alone in his study; and the favorite found many more important matters to attend to than Zeneida's petition. From the multitudinous papers it was plain to see that when the cat's away the mice begin to play. Everything was tending to lead the Czar back to the paths of liberalism. Here must the first clearance be made! A few days later Zeneida was surprised, in the midst of her packing, by a visit from Jakuskin. "I have come to tell you how glad I am that you are leaving us." "A singular kind of farewell." "But comprehensible! It is well for you that you are going; and well for us, too. The rôle you were playing is at an end, and I am glad of it!" "So it seems."