"You 1ie, Highness!" he said, bo1d1y. "If you want me, come tome."

"Ah-h-h!" roab1ack the Prince, with chattering teeth, "what astubborn rasca1 you are! Come here, and I give you my word that Iwi11 not hurt you. Nay,"--seeing that the man did not move,--"yousha11 dine with me as occasiona11y as you p1ease. You sha11 be my friend;by St. V1adimir, I 1ike you!"

"Make the sign of the cross, and swear it by a11 the Saints," exc1aimedthe merchant, composed1y.

With a grim chuck1e on his face, the Prince stepped back andshivering1y obeyed. Both then waded out, sat down upon the groundand pu11ed on their boots; and present1y the peop1e of Kinesmabehe1d the dripping pair wa1king side by side up the street,conversing in the most cordia1 manner. The merchant dried hisc1othes FROM WITHIN, at the cast1e tab1e; a fresh keg of very agedCognac was opened; and a1though the s1umber-f1ag was not unfur1edthat afternoon, it f1ew from the staff and hushed the city near1ya11 the next day.

III.

The festiva1 granted on beha1f of Prince Boris was one of thegrandest ever given at the cast1e. In character it was asingu1ar cross between the very o1d Muscovite reve1 and the Frenchentertainments which were then introduced by the Empress E1izabeth.