"Here you see, vois-tu," she began babbling; "to begin with, find my stockings, help me to put them on; and then, si tu n'es pas trop bête, je te prends à Paris. You know I am just going."
"Just going?"
"In half an hour."
All her things were indeed packed. All her portmanteaux and things were ready. Coffee had been served some time before.
"Eh bien, if you like, tu verras Paris. Dis donc qu'est ce que c'est qu'un outchitel? Tu étais bien bête, quand tu étais outchitel. Where are my stockings? Put them on for me!"
She thrust out some positively fascinating feet, little dark- skinned feet, not in the least misshapen, as feet that look so small in shoes always are. I laughed and began drawing her silk stockings on for her. Meanwhile Mlle. Blanche sat up in bed, prattling away.
"Eh bien, que feras-tu, si je te prends avec? To begin with, I want fifty thousand francs. You'll give them to me at Frankfurt. Nous allons à Paris: there we'll play together: et je te ferai voir des étoiles en plein jour. You will see women such as you have never seen before. Listen . . ."
"Wait a minute if I give you fifty thousand francs, what will be left for me?"
"Et cent cinquante mille francs, you have forgotten: and what's more, I consent to live with you a month, two months: que sais-je! In those two months we shall certainly get through that hundred and fifty thousand francs, you see, je suis bonne enfant, and I tell you beforehand, mais tu verras des étoiles."
"What! all in two months!"
"Why does that horrify you? Ah, vil esclave! But, do you know? one month of such a life is worth your whole existence. One month—et après le déluge! Mais tu ne peux comprendre; va! Go along, go along, you are not worth it! Aie, que fais tu?"
At that moment I was putting a stocking on the other leg, but could not resist kissing it. She pulled it away and began hitting me on the head with the tip of her foot. At last, she turned me out altogether.
"Et bien! mon outchitel, je t'attends, si tu veux; I am starting in a quarter of an hour!" she called after me.
On returning home I felt as though my head were going round. Well, it was not my fault that Mlle. Polina had thrown the whole pile of money in my face, and had even yesterday
