The old lady looked out the antique ornament set with pearls and brilliants, almost worth an earl's ransom, and was in sore perplexity how to place it upon Korynthia's giraffe-like mode of wearing her hair, not arranged to support it. Yet she must, at any price, see it worn.
Korynthia suffered herself to be adorned.
"Ah! now you are handsomer than ever! Wearing that tiara, you can well take her back to the Czar's ball, to be the envy of all."
"No, grandmother, we are not going back," said Ivan. "If you will allow us we will stay with you and pass our Christmas evening here."
"But what will the Czar say to that?"
"He knows that we are here, and has given us permission to remain."
"Oh, if you have his permission, that is quite another thing, and I shall be glad to have you here. But how can I amuse you? Can your wife play ombre?"
"Oh yes."
"But my cards I play with every day are soiled. I should be ashamed to bring them out."
"My wife will see about getting a fresh pack. Give me permission to tell her where she will find some."