Volume V Part 84 (1/2)
I desired to succeed with Madame Prote, and with that idea I asked her to dinner at Locatelli's with Luini, Colonna, Zinowieff, Signora Vicenza, and a violinist, her lover We had an excellent dinner washed doith plenty of wine, and the spirits of the company ound up to the pitch I desired After the repast each gentleman went apart with his lady, and I was on the point of success when an untoward accident interrupted us We were suone out shooting with his dogs and guns
As I alking away fro country-wo officer, and we reat activity to a little cottage, where we followed her We went in and saw the father, mother, and some children, and in a corner the timid form of the fair maiden
Zinowieff (who, by the as for twenty years Russian a conversation in Russian with the father I did not understand as said, but I guessed it referred to the girl because, when her father called her, she advanced submissively, and stood modestly before us
The conversation over, Zinowieff went out, and I followed hi the master of the house a rouble Zinowieff toldthat he had asked the father if he would let hihter as a maid-servant, and the father had replied that it should be so with all his heart, but that he in ”So you see,” added Zinowieff, ”the matter is quite simple”
”How simple?”
”Why, yes; only a hundred roubles”
”And supposing ive that sum?”
”Then she would be your servant, and you could do anything you liked with her, except kill her”
”And supposing she is not willing?”
”That never happens, but if it did you could have beaten her”
”Well, if she is satisfied and I enjoy her, can I still continue to keep her?”
”You will be her master, I tell you, and can have her arrested if she attempts to escape, unless she can return the hundred roubles you gave for her”
”What h to eat and drink You o to the baths on Saturday and to the church on Sunday”
”Can I ?”
”No, unless you obtain perirl would be your slave she would still be a slave to the ee this ive the hundred roubles, and I promise you I will not treat her as a slave But I hope you will care for my interests, as I do not wish to be duped”
”I pro Would you like her now?”
”No, to-ood; then to- in a phaeton, and the next day at nine o'clock I called on Zinowieff, who said he was delighted to do me this set irls in a few days
”No,” said I, ”one is enough” And I gave hie, where we found the father, hter Zinowieff explained his business crudely enough, after the custom of the country, and the father thanked St Nicholas for the good luck he had sent hihter, who looked at me and softly uttered the necessary yes
Zinowieff then told ht to ascertain that in I was afraid of offending her, and would have nothing to do with it; but Zinowieff said the girl would be mortified if I did not exahted if I place her in a position to prove before her father and mother that her conduct had always been virtuous I therefore made the examination as modestly as I could, and I found her to be intact To tell the truth, I should not have said anything if things had been otherwise
Zinowieff then gave the hundred roubles to the father, who handed thehter, and she only took them to return them to her mother