A year had passed—­a year spent by Litvinov on his father’s estate, a year of hard work, a year of devoting the knowledge he had acquired abroad to the betterment of the property.  Another year, and his toil began to show its fruit.  A third year was beginning.  An uncle, who happened to be a cousin of Kapitolina Markovna, and had been recently staying with her, paid them a visit.  He brought Litvinov a great deal of news about Tatyana.  The next day, after his departure, Litvinov sent her a letter, the first since their separation.

He begged for permission to renew her acquaintance, at least by correspondence, and also desired to learn whether he must forever give up all idea of some day seeing her.  Not without emotion he awaited the answer... the answer came at last.  Tatyana responded cordially to his overture.  “If you are disposed to pay us a visit,” she finished up, “we hope you will come; you know the saying, ’even the sick are easier together than apart.’”

With a new lightness of heart, Litvinov set off on his journey.  The horses would not go quick enough for him.  At last the house was in view... and on the steps Kapitolina Markovna was standing, and, beside herself with joy, was clapping her hands, crying, “I heard him!  I knew him first!  It’s he! it’s he!  I knew him.”

Litvinov dashed into the house... before him, all shamefaced, stood Tatyana.  She glanced at him with kind, caressing eyes and gave him her hand.  But he did not take her hand.  He fell on his knees before her, kissing the hem of her dress.  The tears started into her eyes.  She was frightened, but her whole face beamed with delight.

“Tatyana,” Litvinov cried, “Tatyana, you have forgiven me?  Tatyana!”

“Aunt, aunt, what is this?” cried Tatyana, turning to Kapitolina Markovna as she came in.

“Don’t hinder him, Tatyana,” answered the kind old lady; “you see the sinner has repented.”

* * * * *

JULES VERNE

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea

Jules Verne was born in 1828.  He studied law at Paris, but turned to writing almost immediately after completing his education, and brought out his first comedy in 1850.  This was followed by several comic operas.  However, he is chiefly known by his “scientific romances,” of which the first, “Five Weeks in a Balloon,” appeared in 1863.  “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea” is perhaps the best example of Verne’s tales of the marvels of invention, and we have to remember that when it was written, in 1873, nobody had yet succeeded in making a boat to travel under water.  For that reason it was, in a way, a prophetic book, shadowing forth the wonderful possibilities of human ingenuity in exploring the ocean’s unknown depths.  Jules Verne died March 24, 1905.

I.—­I Join a Strange Expedition

In the year 1866 the whole seafaring world of Europe and America was greatly disturbed by an ocean mystery which baffled the wits of scientists and sailors alike.  Several vessels, in widely different regions of the seas, had met a long and rapidly moving object, much larger than a whale, and capable of almost incredible speed.  It had also been seen at night, and was then phosphorescent, moving under the water in a glow of light.