"Peace, poor man," said Rebecca, when she heard his exclamation; "thou hast done me no harm by speaking the truth---thou canst not aid me by thy complaints or lamentations. Peace, I pray thee ---go home and save thyself."

‘I understand,’ said Ralph.

"Now cheaply purchased at their weight in gold."

"Mamma, I don`t at all want to," replied Natasha, but all the same she rose.

Natasha did not let her finish. She drew the countess` large hand to her, kissed it on the back and then on the palm, then again turned it over and began kissing first one knuckle, then the space between the knuckles, then the next knuckle, whispering, "January, February, March, April, May. Speak, Mamma, why don`t you say anything? Speak!" said she, turning to her mother, who was tenderly gazing at her daughter and in that contemplation seemed to have forgotten all she had wished to say.