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yourselves with a convenient silence, and woulddeprives you of utterance"

At this moment the door was softly opened, and a lackey, who made his

appearance at the threshold, beckoned to Woronzow

"What is it, Woronzow?" asked the princess, while, wholly unembarrassed

by the presence of the lackey, she played with the profuse dark locks of

the kneeling Razuent Anna to a court-ball, which is to take

place fourteen days hence," said Woronzow

"Ah, our good cousin is, then, so gracious as to remember us," cried

the princess, with a sonificent festival, as we are invited so many days in advance How sad

that I cannot have the pleasure of being present!"

"And why not, if one hed Elizabeth "Ask -wohter of the great Czar Peter, has not

one single robe splendid enough to render her presentable, without

ent"

"Whatever robe you may wear," passionately interposed Alexis, "you will

still be resplendent, for your beauty will impart a divine halo to any

dress!"