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In this room it was almost dark; only two tiny lamps were burning

before the icons and there was a pleasant scent of flowers and

burnt pastilles. The room was crowded with small pieces of

furniture, whatnots, cupboards, and little tables. The quilt of a

high, white feather bed was just visible behind a screen. A small

dog began to bark.

"Ah, is it you, cousin?"

She rose and smoothed her hair, which was as usual so extremely

smooth that it seemed to be made of one piece with her head and

covered with varnish.

"Has anything happened?" she asked. "I am so terrified."

"No, there is no change. I only came to have a talk about

business, Catiche," * muttered the prince, seating himself

wearily on the chair she had just vacated. "You have made the

place warm, I must say," he remarked. "Well, sit down: let's have

a talk."

*Catherine.

"I thought perhaps something had happened," she said with her

unchanging stonily severe expression; and, sitting down opposite

the prince, she prepared to listen.