Chapter 16

           “It’sgoodbusiness,”saidPtitsin,atlast,foldingtheletterandhandingitbacktotheprince.“Youwillreceive,withouttheslightesttrouble,bythelastwillandtestamentofyouraunt,averylargesumofmoneyindeed.”

           “Impossible!”criedthegeneral,startingupasifhehadbeenshot.

           Ptitsinexplained,forthebenefitofthecompany,thattheprince’saunthaddiedfivemonthssince.Hehadneverknownher,butshewashismother’sownsister,thedaughterofaMoscowmerchant,onePaparchin,whohaddiedabankrupt.ButtheelderbrotherofthissamePaparchin,hadbeenaneminentandveryrichmerchant.Ayearsinceithadsohappenedthathisonlytwosonshadbothdiedwithinthesamemonth.Thissadeventhadsoaffectedtheoldmanthathe,too,haddiedveryshortlyafter.Hewasawidower,andhadnorelationsleft,exceptingtheprince’saunt,apoorwomanlivingoncharity,whowasherselfatthepointofdeathfromdropsy;butwhohadtime,beforeshedied,tosetSalaskintoworktofindhernephew,andtomakeherwillbequeathinghernewly-acquiredfortunetohim.

           Itappearedthatneithertheprince,northedoctorwithwhomhelivedinSwitzerland,hadthoughtofwaitingforfurthercommunications;buttheprincehadstartedstraightawaywithSalaskin’sletterinhispocket.

           “OnethingImaytellyou,forcertain,”concludedPtitsin,addressingtheprince,“thatthereisnoquestionabouttheauthenticityofthismatter.