His name, Boris Alexeivitch, only revealed to his
guests the name of his father, without his rank; and when he stated
that he was employed in one of the Departments, (which was true in
a measure, for he was a staff officer,) they could only look upon
him as being, at best, a member of some family whose recent
elevation to the nobility did not release them from the necessity
of Government service. Of course he employed the usual pretext of
wishing to study music, and either by that or some other stratagem
managed to leave matters in such a shape that a second visit could
not occasion surprise.
As the sled glided homewards over the crackling snow, he was
obliged to confess the existence of a new and powerful excitement.
Was it the chance of an adventure, such as certain of his comrades
were continually seeking? He thought not; no, decidedly not. Was
it--could it be--love? He really could not tell; he had not the
slightset idea what love was like.
VI.
It was something at least, that the plastic and not un-virtuous
nature of the young man was directed towards a definite object.
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