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"Here at least we shall have the benefit of your company all to

ourselves, dear prince," said the little princess (of course, in

French) to Prince Vasili. "It's not as at Annette's * receptions

where you always ran away; you remember cette chere Annette!"

* Anna Pavlovna.

"Ah, but you won't talk politics to me like Annette!"

"And our little tea table?"

"Oh, yes!"

"Why is it you were never at Annette's?" the little princess

asked Anatole. "Ah, I know, I know," she said with a sly glance,

"your brother Hippolyte told me about your goings on. Oh!" and

she shook her finger at him, "I have even heard of your doings in

Paris!"

"And didn't Hippolyte tell you?" asked Prince Vasili, turning to

his son and seizing the little princess' arm as if she would have

run away and he had just managed to catch her, "didn't he tell

you how he himself was pining for the dear princess, and how she

showed him the door? Oh, she is a pearl among women, Princess,"

he added, turning to Princess Mary.