“Here all, excepting two persons, have deserted me,” said she; but her strong convulsive cough interrupted her. She put a handkerchief to her lips,--“and then, added to that, I fell ill;--but all that’s nonsense,--it’s not worth speaking about. But do you know now that I’m quite without any means? The Prince Radzivill, his friends, the French people who helped me, have all deserted me, have all hidden themselves,--and all that happened so unexpectedly,--so quickly.… Hardly was peace signed with Turkey when my _complaisant_ Polish magnates one and all threw me off. Never mind; I’ll pay them out for that some day. But now, … I must tell you openly,” added she, smiling, “I am quite, yes, _quite_, without money. I have not one single _baioch_[31]--I’ve nothing to pay the doctor, or to procure provisions, with. My creditors give me no peace: threaten me with the police. It’s awful; I’ve nothing left to live upon.…” Having said this, the Princess began again to cough most awfully, and fixed upon me her supplicating, bewildered glance;--of her former confidence not a trace remained. “Your Highness,” said I, fulfilling my instructions, “the count has sent you this small sum. How much there is here I know not, but the count offers it to you with all his heart.” I handed to the Princess a small packet, sealed with the count’s crest, and containing a cheque on a Roman banker, Jenkins. She read the paper, passed her hands over her eyes, looked me in the face, and again began coughing. “Is it possible?” she exclaimed, with a happy smile, pressing the paper to her heart; “it is true then--it is not a hoax?” “Such exalted and important personages as His Grace the Count Orloff never joke on such subjects,” answered I. The Princess all of a sudden jumped up from the sofa, clapped her hands like a child, and with tears and smiles threw her arms round my neck, screamed out something I could not make out, and ran out of the room. From there I could hear her scream, “Unlimited credit!” and then, all at once, I could hear her hysterical sobs. The servants began running to and fro; Charnomski, pale and agitated, came into the room. “Her Highness is so grateful to you,” said he, pressing my hand with emotion. “You are the first to help her, the first who has kept his word. It is so rare now: the Princess had every reason to hesitate; she has been so often deceived. Yes, my countrymen enticed her here, and then deserted her.… The count invites her to come to Bologna. Whether she will consent or not, I do not know; but we must hope that she will decide to accept the invitation of the count. She is fearless, enterprising, as brave as a chevalier; and to reach the aim so dear to her heart, believe me, she will fear nothing.” “May I let the count know this?” I asked. “Wait a short time--in her position--and then, as you see, ill,” answered Charnomski; “pass again in two or three days, we will let you know. _En attendant_,[32] keep all secret.”