'By the way,' said Litvinoff, 'I've made that out to Petrovitch's order, as I did not know the lady's name.'
'It is better so perhaps,' said Hirsch. 'Good day.'
'Do not go yet,' said the other, hospitably; 'won't you stay and have some lunch?'
'Thank you, no; I have eaten.'
'Well, at anyrate, you'll have a glass of wine, won't you?'
'I am not thirsty, I thank you; good day.'
'Good day,' said the Count, shaking hands cordially. As the door closed behind the other he sank into an arm-chair.
'What an exceedingly fatiguing person. He chooses amiable and courteous messengers, this Petrovitch. I wonder if I did know him in Russia. My memories of childhood's hour are singularly confused, but it's impossible to remember everybody, that's one comfort. It is remarkable how well people remember me, when there's anything to be got by it. This princely drawing of cheques, however, will come to an abrupt termination shortly, and then—I wonder exactly how long it will be before I send in my name to people on dirty bits of paper as a preface to requests for cheques for destitute lady friends?'
He deftly rolled a cigarette, lighted it, and then said, musingly,—
'That property in Volhynia, would it be possible—By heaven, it would be a gallant attempt—it would be almost genius. As a forlorn hope it would be sublime; but I have still some hopes that are not forlorn, and the position of an English landowner is not unenviable. It would at anyrate enable one to give cheques with a freer hand to any mysterious stranger with dirty linen whose anonymous lady friends may happen to be hard up. Hullo, my friend!'—as his eye fell on the cigar-case—'I'd almost forgotten you. I suppose I must be about my business. There are very few men, I am convinced, who work as hard for "the daily crust" as I do.' He flung the end of his cigarette in the fire, and put on his coat.