Meantime Polacca had carried off our swords to the garret.  I could not help smiling at this scene.  Alexis preserved all his gravity, and said to Basilia:  “Notwithstanding all my respect for you, I must say you take useless pains to subject us to your tribunal.  Leave that duty to Ivan Mironoff; it is his business.”

“What! what! my dear sir,” said the lady, “are not man and wife the same flesh and spirit?  Ivan Mironoff, are you trifling?  Lock up these boys instantly; put them in separate rooms—­on bread and water, to expel this stupid idea of theirs.  Let Father Garasim give them a penance on order that they may repent before God and man.”

Ivan Mironoff did not know what to do.  Marie was extremely pale.  The tempest, however, subsided little by little.  Basilia ordered us to embrace each other, and the maid was sent for our swords.  We left the house, having in appearance made friends.  Ignatius re-conducted us.

“Are you not ashamed of yourself,” I said to him, “to have denounced us to the Commandant, after having given me your word you would not do so?”

“As God is holy, I said nothing to Ivan Mironoff.  Basilia drew it all from me.  She took all the necessary measures without the knowledge of the Commandant.  Thank God it finished as it did.”  He went to his room; I remained with Alexis.

“Our affair can not end thus,” I remarked.

“Certainly not,” replied Alexis.  “You shall pay me with your blood for your impertinence, but as undoubtedly we shall be watched, let us feign for a few days.  Until then, adieu!”

We separated as if nothing had happened.  I returned to the Commandant’s, and seated myself as usual near Marie.  Her father was absent and her mother busy with household duties.  We spoke in subdued tones.  Marie reproached me gently for the pain my quarrel with Alexis gave her.  “My heart failed me,” she said, “when I heard you were going to fight with swords.  How strange men are!  For a word, they are ready to strangle each other, and sacrifice, not only their own life, but even the honor and happiness of those who—­ I am sure you did not begin the quarrel?  Alexis was the aggressor?”

“Why do you think so?”

“Because he is so sarcastic.  I do not like him, and yet I would not displease him, although he is quite disagreeable to me.”

“What do you think, Marie, are you pleasing to him or not?”

Marie blushed.  “It seems,” said she, “that I please him.”

“How do you know?”

“Because he made me an offer of marriage.”

“He made you an offer of marriage!  When?”

“Last year, two months before your arrival.”

“You did not accept?”

“Evidently not, as you see.  Alexis is a most intelligent man, of an excellent family and not without fortune, but the mere idea that beneath the crown, on my marriage day, I should be obliged to kiss him before every one!  No! no! not for any thing in the world.”