criedthegeneral'slady,"thouartborntowedaprince."

theprincewasalreadyatthedoor,buttheyknewnothingofit;peopledon'tseefarbeyondthethreshold.

"thedaybeforeyesterdayourboydividedhisbreadandbutterwithher!"saidtheporter'swife."therewasneithercheesenormeatuponit,butshelikeditaswellasifithadbeenroastrewouldhavebeenafinenoiseifthegeneralandhiswifehadseenthefeast,buttheydidnotseeit.

georgehaddividedhisbreadandbutterwithlittleemily,andhewouldhavedividedhisheartwithher,ifitwouldhavepleasedher.hewasagoodboy,briskandclever,andhewenttothenightschoolintheacademynow,tolearntodrawproperly.littleemilywasgettingonwithhereducationtoo,forshespokefrenchwithher"bonne,"andhadadancingmaster.

"georgewillbeconfirmedateaster,"saidtheporter'swife;forgeorgehadgotsofarasthis.

"itwouldbethebestthing,now,tomakeanapprenticeofhim,"saidhisfather."itmustbetosomegoodcalling-andthenhewouldbeoutofthehouse."

"hewouldhavetosleepoutofthehouse,"saidgeorge'smother."itisnoteasytofindamasterwhohasroomforhimatnight,andweshallhavetoprovidehimwithclothestoo.thelittlebitofeatingthathewantscanbemanagedforhim,forhe'squitehappywithafewboiledpotatoes;andhegetstaughtfornothing.lettheboygohisownway.youwillsaythathewillbeourjoysomeday,andtheprofessorsayssotoo."

theconfirmationsuitwasready.themotherhadworkeditherself;butthetailorwhodidrepairshadcutthemout,andacapitalcutter-outhewas.

"ifhehadhadabetterposition,andbeenabletokeepaworkshopandjourneymen,"theporter'swifesaid,"hemighthavebeenacourttailor."

theclotheswereready,andthecandidateforconfirmationwasready.onhisconfirmationday,georgereceivedagreatpinchbeckwatchfromhisgodfather,theoldironmonger'sshopman,therichestofhisgodfathers.thewatchwasanoldandtriedservant.italwayswenttoofast,butthatisbetterthantobelaggingbehind.thatwasacostlypresent.andfromthegeneral'sapartmenttherearrivedahymn-bookboundinmorocco,sentbythelittleladytowhomgeorgehadgivenpictures.atthebeginningofthebookhisnamewaswritten,andhername,as"hisgraciouspatroness."thesewordshadbeenwrittenatthedictationofthegeneral'slady,andthegeneralhadreadtheinscription,andpronouncedit"charming!"

"thatisreallyagreatattentionfromafamilyofsuchposition,"saidtheporter'swife;andgeorgewassentupstairstoshowhimselfinhisconfirmationclothes,withthehymn-bookinhishand.

thegeneral'sladywassittingverymuchwrappedup,andhadthebadheadacheshealwayshadwhentimehungheavyuponherhands.shelookedatgeorgeverypleasantly,andwishedhimallprosperity,andthathemightneverhaveherheadache.thegeneralwaswalkingaboutinhisdressing-gown.hehadacapwithalongtasselonhishead,andrussianbootswithredtopsonhisfeet.hewalkedthreetimesupanddowntheroom,absorbedinhisownthoughtsandrecollections,andthenstoppedandsaid:

"solittlegeorgeisaconfirmedchristiannow.beagoodman,andhonorthoseinauthorityoveryou.someday,whenyouareanoldman,youcansaythatthegeneralgaveyouthisprecept."

thatwasalongerspeechthanthegeneralwasaccustomedtomake,andthenhewentbacktohisruminations,andlookedveryaristocratic.butofallthatgeorgeheardandsawupthere,littlemissemilyremainedmostclearinhisthoughts.howgracefulshewas,howgentle,andfluttering,andprettyshelooked.ifsheweretobedrawn,itoughttobeonasoap-bubble.aboutherdress,aboutheryellowcurledhair,therewasafragranceasofafresh-blownrose;andtothinkthathehadoncedividedhisbreadandbutterwithher,andthatshehadeatenitwithenormousappetite,andnoddedtohimateverysecondmouthful!