Year: 1861

ed, with an altered look, and a tone tha
froze the poor girls blood.


In every ante-chamber and chancer


office Duna bore the reputation of a gin
of spirit. She was no easy conquest
Many a presumptuous clerk had felt th


pain of her nails in his face to that de
gree that he was not likely TO forget il


though he should live to be master il
,ehancery. Duna in fact, did honor f,


the virtue of st. Petersburg. But


bashful provincial chancery clerk, witt
his iEky fingers, is a trife to a girl wht


has been brought up in the best miliner''


shop in the Nevska Perspective; an un


shaved, broad-shouldered, ugly vagabond


in freize cloak, with red mustaches and
a violet nose, is quite a different sort OF
thing, and enough to frighten anybody.


Duna began to cry.


Don't cry my little duck won't
do you any harm, he said, in a softer
tone, as he drew near her. Now this
softer tone alarmed her even more, and
she involuntarly stretched out her arms
to keep him off


WHO are you, I say" she cried in
despair but with an assumption of cour-
age, with a fire that was gradually ex-
tinguished by her gushing tears. You
shall tell me on the spot who you are


who I ann


Yes, who are you? Your calling !?
Your name? A theft she echoed, fall
teringly tuning as white as snow.


Il am thief by name, and robber
by station lie said, with a smile, and
looking tenderly into her blue eyes; but
the smile on his face resembling the
gbastly glimmering Of the moon upon
the morass.


Duna was terrified, (not at the phrase
but at the smile,) and cold tremor ran
through her frame; but seeing that her
visitor was making sport of her uneasi-
ness she rallied herself little, and cried
out, hurriedly, but with trcmulous
voice: A robber? Pooh what a hor-
rid life


Every man to his calling. l had
another once but now, / say my pretty /
lass, give me something to eat. have
not put bit in my mouth these three
days. We will eat breakfast together, |
and then


With a sudden gesture he threw his
arms round her neck to kiss her. The
sight of his bristly chin and formidable
charging so fercely upon her,
and the sight of his ugly red nose that
nearly touched her cheek, put her in a
downright passion and with the strength
that makes heroes of US in moments of
extreme peril, she pushed the audacious
fellow back;


Hands off, if you please, Mr.. Rob
berl I'd thank you not to. frighten me
for nothing. know what you are come
for


you know, do you2 Well, what is
t, then p


Oh I know very well; but allow
me to tell you it is a very great shame.
[ will have youup for it. Give me back
he key this moment, and be off,


Some breakfast growled the stran-
ger,


Il have no breakfast for you there
IS nothing to eat in the whole house
Go breakfast in the public-house, if you
nave mind. BY the same token, you
mell of brandy enough to knock one
dare say you have made
. very good breakfast already


What! nothing to eat p he muttered
,nitting his brow, and bending piercing
,lance on the girl as he put his right
land down toward his boot. do you
ee this T said be, showing her a broad
'laded knife with small black speckles,
races of recently shed blood he had {
omewhere hastily wiped of on the grass.
4 have no time to joke with you


Poor Duna started with open eyes, and S
eemingly petrifed by his basilisk glances


Breakfast = be shouted.


Immediately /


Be quick, l have no time to lose.' 4


take whatever you please there is i
ONE roast meat of yesterday in the cup e
oard, and some brandy y
Show me into the parlor, put every d
hing you have got on the table, and stir Ii
ourself.'


Pale and bewildered, she tottered to II
he cupboard in the ante-chamber. He i
uck the knife in his boot and followed c
er step by step. Bread, brandy, salt,
utter, cheese, and cold roast veal, were a
laced on the same table where the pro- S
rietors of the house had recently break "