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"I will ible to you," said he, in a milder tone

"You must understand, that I know you, Corilla That assassin who

followed the Princess Tartaroff at the festival of Cardinal Bernis, was

enora Maddalena Morelli Fernandez, called Corilla!"

"And what if it were true, Signor Alexis Orloff, called the handsorave

seriousness "If it were really true, what further?"

Alexis looked in her face with an expression of astonishment "You are

wonderfully bold!" said he

"None but slaves are without courage!" responded she "Freedom is the

of that bravo?"

"I only deny your right to inquire," said she

"I have a right to it," he responded with vehemence "This Princess

Tartaroff is a subject of the Empress of Russia, my mistress, who

watches over and protects all her subjects with ood, tender euous

smile "But in order properly to watch and preserve all her children and

subjects, she should keep them in her own country Take this Princess

Tartaroff with you to Russia, and then she will be safe froers Take her with you; that will be the best way!"