"I shall come back to Paris in June."
"Then--then you will be unendingly loving to me again for two days; and after that leave me alone again?"
"No, no; then I give up the wandering life, Mascha. It is the last time. It is only to win a princely dowry for you that I go about the world."
"Father, if you knew how willingly I would resign your wealth!" said she, very softly.
He laughs somewhat constrainedly. "No, no; you must be wealthy. For this time all must remain so; do not make my heart heavy; for believe me that I long greatly for a calm, comfortable home, that it pains me to part with you. You have grown fearfully into my heart, you defiant, tender little curly-head, you! But how long will you stay with me, my little white lamb? Who knows? When I return I will find a dreamy, sentimental Mascha, a quite different----"
"Papa, you will be late!" now calls Nikolai from below.
"Is it time?"
"High time. You will miss the train."
"Adieu, papa!"
He bends over her. She throws both arms round his neck, kisses him, sobbing violently. "Farewell!"