A minute afterwards, Evgenie Pavlovitch reappeared on the terrace, in great agitation.
“Prince,” he said, “tell me the truth; do you know what all this means?”
“I know nothing whatever about it!” replied the latter, who was, himself, in a state of nervous excitement.
“No?”
“No!”
“Well, nor do I!” said Evgenie Pavlovitch, laughing suddenly. “I haven’t the slightest knowledge of any such I.O.U. s as she mentioned, I swear I haven’t—What’s the matter, are you fainting?”
“Oh, no—no—I’m all right, I assure you!”