Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-02-27
00urtester @aiIp Spp.
THE FUR-DEALERs CLERK.
From Chambers Journal.


long hazy twilight, with the sun seen throupl
it something like our red harvest moon, high
er or lower IN the sky according to the hour O
the day, with heavy sultry atmosphere, no
unlike what we have in England before a thun
der storm; in short, just the sort of time ir
which to get lazy, and do nothing at ALL Tie
strange length of day, the dry, dreary mode O
lie, my own strangership in that foreign land
where knew neither man nor language, had
made me heartily tired of my st. Petersburg
appointment which looked so grand in pros
pect. had delivered five letters of introduct
ion at as many houses of my unces mercan.
tile acquaintance, was assurTd of high consid.
Grafton by every one of them, and never henrd
another word or sign OF their existence. |
walked round the magnificent streets and
squares of palaces which distinguish the Rus.
sian capitol, had peeped into dense pine for.
ests which grew so close upon them; | had
looked at the muJecks' hut beside the sluggish
Neva, the great dapidated ware houses, and
the very dirty shipping which high tides
brought under their windows. l had gone TO
the theatre and paid enormously for bad
seat; l had gone to the coffee houses, and got
Disguised with popular habits. had gene
raj conviction that everybody was Cheating
me out OF doors, and everybody watching me
within, and any apology to get back to King
William street would have been a god send
In this frame of mind was sitting and making
believe TO write, that dim, sultry day of The
northern summer. when one of the opposite
mirrors, which happened to stand higher than
my barbados, showed me that woman had
actually entered the room.
would as soon have expected to see bird
OF paradise as female face in that establish
ment all our tables were spread, and. | be-
lleve cuisine and laundry done by men but
there was woman dressed in what instinc-
lively knew to be the fashion out of Paris not
thirty at the outside calculation, with finely.
moulded features for Russian, soft, fair
complexion, light blue eyes, and hair OF a gold
en- yellow. She had come in SO noiseless that
was not aware Of Ter presence till apprised
by the mirror and still more astonishing, she
was speaking to Hardsatf Their talk was
low and earnest, and must confess to listen.
ing but they spoke in Russian. However.
the eye sometimes does duty for the ear: by
its help, and the lowness OF the partition I
discovered to my unqualified amazement that
they were talking OF myself How | learned
the fact, it would puzzle me to tell | think il
was something in the lady's look. HardStun"s
hinty visage never told tales, but when they
had spoken for few moments, he raised his
voice and said i'll the tone of civil command
in which he was pleased to address me "Mr.
Summervlle, have the goodness to bring me
the invoice Of those seal skins to be sent to
our house in London" 1t was then about turs
they had been talking. Did the lady want to
buy some OF the seal skins that were packed
up and almost ready for shipping to my uncle
No matter, it would give me an opportunity of
getting better sight OF her. had to pass
her with the invoice, and that neeror Vio~
showed me that not only she was very pref
ty woman, but also that had seen the same
looking out at the window of one of the great
palaces in the wide and windy square OF the
admiralty. The lady looked at me now most
graciously, and when l acknow lodged her
presence with my best bow said, in very good
English for foreigner 81 am sorry, sir, to
be the cause OF giving you so much trouble"
had not heard my native English for two.
months except from the dry, disagreeable
Hardstaff and could have danced for JOY on
the spot to hear it uttered from those rosy
lips but as it was not desirable to be thought
insane, l kept my British composure as well
as | could, and stammereed out: "No trouble
at ALL"
"You are very good" said the lady. "Might
ask if you have been long in St. Peters
buIgh 2"
"Ony two months" said l.
"And how do you like it ?"
81 have scarcely had time to know"
'Wel it is true you English are sensible
people and do not make up your minds in a
hurry. 1 have great respect for the Eng
lish,-how well she spoke our language-1
had governess of your nation, the best crea-
ture in the world. What trouble she took to
teach me the little English l know ?"
"Her trouble was well bestowed, madame"
said l. having by this time got up my courage
and my manners; "you speak it like ma
tive"
81 did not know that Englishmen could fiat
ter" said the lady, with the sweetest smile;
Lofo I h,I roI,,,t tl,t,, ,l,opr oh
added "But tell me how you like the society
here 2"
81 have seen very little as yet, madame"
"Ah perhaps you have no friends or rela
tons in the city 2"
"None madame l am quite stranger"
She looked at me so kindly. so sympathiz-
ingly, could have stood there for tortnig ht;
but Hardstaff handed me back the invoice,
saying, with his accustomed frost: at is all
right !" and as l was expected to retire to my
desk, did so with another bow, to which the
lady made polite acknowledgment, talked a
few moments more in Russian with Hardstatf,
and went out as noiseessy as she had en-
tered.
From that hour, Hardstaf grew more fami-
liar and communicative with me, as II lie had
found out that | might be somebody. His
society was about as pleasant as the fruit OF q
crab-tree BAT had no choice of company ;
ana wanted to hear what lie knew regarding
the lady. For once in his life, Hardstaff ap.
peared willing to give the desired information.
He told me she was the Countess Rozenki, a
widow, rich, childless, and belonging to one OF
the first families in Esthonia. He further ex.
planned her coming to the warehouse, by let.
ting me know that it had been the Rozenki
Palace, and that the sea-skies shipped for my
uncle had come from an estate most fertile in
furs, which the countess owned in the govern
ment of Archangel. ut is not exactly her
own" said Hardstatf, "but properly belongs
10 her husbands nephew. She is his guar
dian, however, and that Is nearly as good as
ownership in Russia"
Some days after this, on an afternoon wher
Hardstaff by most unusual chance, was not
at his desk, 1 was sitting with the pen in my
fingers and the account book before me, won
dering if she would come again in my time
when there was a slight creak at the door, 8
light rustic Of silk, the prettiest tinke on thu
brass rail of the stove, and there stood Mad
anne ROzenki.
"Ah, my English friend" she said, smilinl
with accustomed sweetness as presented my
self chow glad am to see you again! Shak'
hands; they always shake hands in your coun
try, don't they? My governess told me so
How long to visit Englandp
1t is to be hoped that shook the small del
cate hand colored with lemon colored kid, a
fashion then required, with becoming grac
and ardor know that / was ntense
charmed. She inquired for Mr.. HardstaH,
told her all knew about him. She just hin
ed thai her business was not very importar
or her time pressing. l. of course, ofIere
her the best seat the place afforded, to ava
and unt inf