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"Quite well? All right then, sit down." He took the exercise book

containing lessons in geometry written by himself and drew up a

chair with his foot.

"For tomorrow!" said he, quickly finding the page and making a

scratch from one paragraph to another with his hard nail.

The princess bent over the exercise book on the table.

"Wait a bit, here's a letter for you," said the old man suddenly,

taking a letter addressed in a woman's hand from a bag hanging

above the table, onto which he threw it.

At the sight of the letter red patches showed themselves on the

princess' face. She took it quickly and bent her head over it.

"From Heloise?" asked the prince with a cold smile that showed

his still sound, yellowish teeth.

"Yes, it's from Julie," replied the princess with a timid glance

and a timid smile.

"I'll let two more letters pass, but the third I'll read," said

the prince sternly; "I'm afraid you write much nonsense. I'll

read the third!"