Madame Valville was very grateful, and we fixed the day of our departure.  Three or four days later I sent in my name to the Gazette.

I had promised Zaira to come back, so telling my new love that I would come and live with her as soon as I had placed the young Russian in good hands, I went home, feeling rather curious to hear Zaira’s determination.

After Zaira had supped with me in perfect good humour, she asked if M. Rinaldi would pay me back the money I had given far her.  I said he would, and she went on,—­

“It seems to me that I am worth more than I was, for I have all your presents, and I know Italian.”

“You are right, dear, but I don’t want it to be said that I have made a profit on you; besides, I intend to make you a present of the hundred roubles.”

“As you are going to make me such a handsome present, why not send me back to my father’s house?  That would be still more generous.  If M. Rinaldi really loves me, he can come and talk it over with my father.  You have no objection to his paying me whatever sum I like to mention.”

“Not at all.  On the contrary, I shall be very glad to serve your family, and all the more as Rinaldi is a rich man.”

“Very good; you will be always dear to me in my memory.  You shall take me to my home to-morrow; and now let us go to bed.”

Thus it was that I parted with this charming girl, who made me live soberly all the time I was at St. Petersburg.  Zinowieff told me that if I had liked to deposit a small sum as security I could have taken her with me; but I had thought the matter over, and it seemed to me that as Zaira grew more beautiful and charming I should end by becoming a perfect slave to her.  Possibly, however, I should not have looked into matters so closely if I had not been in love with Madame Valville.

Zaira spent the next morning in gathering together her belongings, now laughing and now weeping, and every time that she left her packing to give me a kiss I could not resist weeping myself.  When I restored her to her father, the whole family fell on their knees around me.  Alas for poor human nature! thus it is degraded by the iron heel of oppression.  Zaira looked oddly in the humble cottage, where one large mattress served for the entire family.

Rinaldi took everything in good part.  He told me that since the daughter would make no objection he had no fear of the father doing so.  He went to the house the next day, but he did not get the girl till I had left St. Petersburg.  He kept her for the remainder of his days, and behaved very handsomely to her.

After this melancholy separation Madame Valville became my sole mistress, and we left the Russian capital in the course of a few weeks.  I took an Armenian merchant into my service; he had lent me a hundred ducats, and cooked very well in the Eastern style.  I had a letter from the Polish resident to Prince Augustus Sulkowski, and another from the English ambassador for Prince Adam Czartoryski.