“ Mais elle est tombée en enfance ,” he added aside to the General. “ Seule, elle fera des bêtises. ” More than this I could not overhear, but he seemed to have got some plan in his mind, or even to be feeling a slight return of his hopes.

The distance to the Casino was about half a verst, and our route led us through the Chestnut Avenue until we reached the square directly fronting the building. The General, I could see, was a trifle reassured by the fact that, though our progress was distinctly eccentric in its nature, it was, at least, correct and orderly. As a matter of fact, the spectacle of a person who is unable to walk is not anything to excite surprise at a spa. Yet it was clear that the General had a great fear of the Casino itself: for why should a person who had lost the use of her limbs⁠—more especially an old woman⁠—be going to rooms which were set apart only for roulette? On either side of the wheeled chair walked Polina and Mlle.