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"Ah, my love," answered Anna Mikhaylovna, "God grant you never

know what it is to be left a widow without means and with a son

you love to distraction! One learns many things then," she added

with a certain pride. "That lawsuit taught me much. When I want

to see one of those big people I write a note: 'Princess

So-and-So desires an interview with So and-So,' and then I take a

cab and go myself two, three, or four times-till I get what I

want. I don't mind what they think of me."

"Well, and to whom did you apply about Bory?" asked the countess.

"You see yours is already an officer in the Guards, while my

Nicholas is going as a cadet. There's no one to interest himself

for him. To whom did you apply?"

"To Prince Vasili. He was so kind. He at once agreed to

everything, and put the matter before the Emperor," said Princess

Anna Mikhaylovna enthusiastically, quite forgetting all the

humiliation she had endured to gain her end.