“Ye—yes, that was it, I think, or something very like it. I don’t know, though—perhaps it wasn’t. Anyhow, the lines were very sm—art. I forget a good deal of what I have seen and done. I’m so b—busy now!” “But do let me hear how you have employed your time in your solitude, dear prince,” said Maria Alexandrovna. “I must confess that I have thought of you so often, and often, that I am burning with impatience to hear more about you and your doings.” “Employed my time? Oh, very busy; very busy, ge—generally. One rests, you see, part of the day; and then I imagine a good many things.” “I should think you have a very strong imagination, haven’t you, uncle?” remarked Paul. “Exceptionally so, my dear fellow. I sometimes imagine things which amaze even myself! When I was at Kadueff,—by-the-by, you were vice-governor of Kadueff, weren’t you?” “I, uncle! Why, what are you thinking of?” “No? Just fancy, my dear fellow! and I’ve been thinking all this time how f—funny that the vice-governor of Kadueff should be here with quite a different face: he had a fine intelligent, dig—dignified face, you know. A wo—wonderful fellow! Always writing verses, too; he was rather like the Ki—King of Diamonds from the side view, but—” “No, prince,” interrupted Maria Alexandrovna. “I assure you, you’ll ruin yourself with the life you are leading! To make a hermit of oneself for five years, and see no one, and hear no one: you’re a lost man, dear prince! Ask any one of those who love you, they’ll all tell you the same; you’re a lost man!” “No,” cried the prince, “really?” “Yes, I assure you of it! I am speaking to you as a sister—as a friend! I am telling you this because you are very dear to me, and because the memory of the past is sacred to me. No, no! You must change your way of living; otherwise you will fall ill, and break up, and die!” “Gracious heavens! Surely I shan’t d—die so soon?” cried the old man. “You—you are right about being ill; I am ill now and then. I’ll tell you all the sy—symptoms! I’ll de—detail them to you. Firstly I—” “Uncle, don’t you think you had better tell us all about it another day?” Paul interrupted hurriedly. “I think we had better be starting just now, don’t you?” “Yes—yes, perhaps, perhaps. But remind me to tell you another time; it’s a most interesting case, I assure you!” “But listen, my dear prince!” Maria Alexandrovna resumed, “why don’t you try being doctored abroad?” “Ab—road? Yes, yes—I shall certainly go abroad. I remember when I was abroad, about ’20; it was delightfully g—gay and jolly. I very nearly married a vi—viscountess, a French woman. I was fearfully in love, but som—somebody else married her, not I. It was a very s—strange thing. I had only gone away for a coup—couple of hours, and this Ger—German baron fellow came and carried her off! He went into a ma—madhouse afterwards!”