and had a papal indulgence for embroidering on Sundays. And they sitting all but naked, like the sign- boards of some public bath-house, if you’ll excuse my saying so. Ah, when one looks at our young people, prince, one would like to take Peter the Great’s old cudgel out of the museum and break a few ribs in the good old Russian style, to knock the nonsense out of them!”

All were silent. The old prince looked at Rastoptchin with a smile on his face and shook his head approvingly.

“Well, good-bye, your excellency; don’t you be ill,” said Rastoptchin, getting up with the brisk movements characteristic of him, and holding out his hand to the old prince.

“Good-bye, my dear fellow. Your talk is a music I’m always glad to listen to!” said the old prince, keeping hold of his hand and offering him his cheek for a kiss. The others, too, got up when Rastoptchin did.