“You see, uncle, you had a drop of wine for lunch, and then another drop or two for dinner, don’t you know; and so you may easily have——” “Ye—yes, quite so, quite so; it may easily have been that.” “Besides, my dear uncle, however excited you may have been, you would never have taken such a senseless step in your waking moments. So far as I know you, uncle, you are a man of the highest and most deliberate judgment, and I am positive that——” “Ye—yes, ye—yes.” “Why, only imagine—if your relations were to get to hear of such a thing. My goodness, uncle! they were cruel enough to you before. What do you suppose they would do _now_, eh?” “Goodness gracious!” cried the frightened old prince. “Good—ness gracious! Wh—why, what would they do, do you think?” “Do? Why, of course, they would all screech out that you had acted under the influence of insanity: in fact, that you were mad; that you had been swindled, and that you must be put under proper restraint. In fact, they’d pop you into some lunatic asylum.” Mosgliakoff was well aware of the best method of frightening the poor old man out of his wits. “Gracious heavens!” cried the latter, trembling like a leaflet with horror. “Gra—cious heavens! would they really do that?” “Undoubtedly; and, knowing this, uncle, think for yourself. Could you possibly have done such a thing with your eyes open? As if you don’t understand what’s good for you just as well as your neighbours. I solemnly affirm that you saw all this in a dream!” “Of course, of course; un—doubtedly in a dream, un—doubtedly so! What a clever fellow you are, my dear boy; you saw it at once. I am deeply grate—ful to you for putting me right. I was really quite under the im—pression I had actually done it.” “And how glad I am that I met you, uncle, before you went in there! Just fancy, what a mess you might have made of it! You might have gone in thinking you were engaged to the girl, and behaved in the capacity of accepted lover. Think how fearfully dangerous——.” “Ye—yes, of course; most dangerous!” “Why, remember, this girl is twenty-three years old. Nobody will marry her, and suddenly _you_, a rich and eminent man of rank and title, appear on the scene as her accepted swain. They would lay hold of the idea at once, and act up to it, and swear that you really were her future husband, and would marry you off, too. I daresay they would even count upon your speedy death, and make their calculations accordingly.” “No!” “Then again, uncle; a man of your dignity——” “Ye—yes, quite so, dig—nity!” “And wisdom,—and amiability——” “Quite so; wis—dom—wisdom!” “And then—a prince into the bargain! Good gracious, uncle, as if a man like yourself would make such a match as _that_, if you really did mean marrying! What would your relations say?”