“But I want to look round a little,” the old lady added to the General. Will you lend me Alexis Ivanovitch for the purpose?

“As much as you like. But I myself⁠—yes, and Polina and Monsieur de Griers too⁠—we all of us hope to have the pleasure of escorting you.”

“ Mais, madame, cela sera un plaisir ,” De Griers commented with a bewitching smile.

“ ‘ Plaisir ’ indeed! Why, I look upon you as a perfect fool, monsieur.” Then she remarked to the General: “I am not going to let you have any of my money. I must be off to my rooms now, to see what they are like. Afterwards we will look round a little. Lift me up.”