Part 13 (2/2)
”'And Gavrillo himself, where is he?' asked Minetta
”'Oh, he is away froone to see after the sale of some timber; and the Barin is away on his road to Moscow, and won't be back till after the grand doings at the coronation of the Czar, and that makes us all so merry, you know'
”Minetta had now heard all she required--so had I The Barin's absence would enable me the better to carry off Aneouta; at the saood story to the Emperor, and persuade him to disallowwith one whoari chief, however, who knows the world well, afterwards told me that I need have no fears on that score, and that if the Czar grants my petition no one is likely to interfere with hly satisfied with the information we had obtained, and betook ourselves to Gavrillo's house The old woirl we had spoken with had in no way done her injustice; a ht that e of such a being A brown handkerchief was tied over her head: fro white hairs The eyes in her parchment-like countenance were scarcely perceptible, while her arnished with two yellow bones, which did the duty of teeth; her feet were encased in straw shoes, and her entire dress was of a dark hue, obtained by age and dirt
There was not a spot of white about her
”'What do you want here?' she growled out, as she saw us approach
”'To tell your fortune, dear mother,' answered Minetta, in the blandest voice
”'My fortune has been settled long ago, and a bad one it has been,'
answered the old woes, and fine weather co 'Those who are wise never mourn the past, but look to the future See onderful things this age has produced! Steamers, and railroads, and balloons--all you have heard of, I doubt not Even now the world is ringing with the latest and grandest discovery, made by our people, too Those only who coirl?' asked the old woman, with more animation than could be expected
”'What is it? What you, perchance, would like to have, if you could afford to pay for it,' answered Minetta archly
”'How do you know that I cannot afford to pay? Tell me what your discovery is, and I will tell you whether I will pay for it,' croaked out the old woman
”'Oh, no, no; you will not trust to it,' answered Minetta 'There are others ill value the great secret more than you; Iirl; let me knohat it is,' cried the old woman, her curiosity fully excited
”Still Minetta went on
”'Stop, stop!' again croaked out the old woari maiden pretended to relent, and stopped
”'Well, mother dear, perhaps you would like to try the effects of this great discovery Often has the attee, to renovate the beauty which years and sickness have destroyed The secret has been obtained A liquid, distilled from the dew found on certain plants at early dawn, has that wondrous power
Every day the effect is perceptible; the liorous, the cheeks fill out, the roses return, the eyes grow bright, the step elastic, the--'
”'Oh, giveout her withered arirl?-- say quickly!'
”'Try it first, and as you prove its effects, then you shall rewarda bottle with a colourless liquid from under her cloak She poured out soe, and held it to theIn a few moments its effects were indeed perceptible; her eyes closed, her ar down, and she was in a state of stupor
”'What have you been about?' I exclaiht have been done the old wo 'Do you go in, and bring out your Aneouta I atch here, and then the sooner we are away the better'
”With a beating heart, I sprang into the house There were but five or six roo with her hands crossed on her knees, looking on vacancy She started on hearing a person enter, and gazed up at ure; but, alas! Grief and anxiety had sadly changed her features Still she was ly, she looked at azed intoup, threw herself into my arms
”'It is you--you, my Steffanoff!' she exclaimed, in a voice that went to my heart 'Tell me not that it is any one else It is you--it is you
I know you through your disguise The dark skin--the Zingari dress--the white hair cannot deceive me You have come to save me from this--to take me away--to carry me to your home Tell me that I do not dream