His plate seemed to him not quite clean, and pointing to a spot he flung it away.

Tikhon caught it and handed it to a footman.

The little princess was not unwell, but had such an overpowering fear of the prince that, hearing he was in a bad humor, she had decided not to appear.

"I am afraid for the baby," she said to Mademoiselle Bourienne: "Heaven knows what a fright might do.