“But why is he two-faced?”

“Because, my young sir, he has one face outside; there it is for you, ninny, and judge it....  But the other, the real one, he hides.  And I am the only one who knows that face, and for that I love him....  Because ’t is a good face.  Thou, for example, gazest and beholdest nothing ... but even without words, I see when he is condemning me for anything; for he is strict!  And always with reason.  Which thing thou canst not understand, young sir; but just believe me, an old man!”

The true history of the two-faced Janus—­whence he had come, how he had got into Alexyei Sergyeitch’s house—­no one knew.  On the other hand, the story of Prince L. was well known to all.  As a young man of twenty, he had come from a wealthy and distinguished family to Petersburg, to serve in a regiment of the Guards; the Empress Katherine noticed him at the first Court reception, and halting in front of him and pointing to him with her fan, she said, in a loud voice, addressing one of her favourites:  “Look, Adam Vasilievitch, see what a beauty!  A regular doll!” The blood flew to the poor young fellow’s head.  On reaching home he ordered his calash to be harnessed up, and donning his ribbon of the Order of Saint Anna, he started out to drive all over the town, as though he had actually fallen into luck.—­“Crush every one who does not get out of the way!” he shouted to his coachman.—­All this was immediately brought to the Empress’s knowledge; an order was issued that he was to be adjudged insane and given in charge of his two brothers; and the latter, without the least delay, carried him off to the country and chained him up in a stone bag.—­As they were desirous to make use of his property, they did not release the unfortunate man even when he recovered his senses and came to himself, but continued to keep him incarcerated until he really did lose his mind.—­But their wickedness profited them nothing.  Prince L. outlived his brothers, and after long sufferings, found himself under the guardianship of Alexyei Sergyeitch, who was a connection of his.  He was a fat, perfectly bald man, with a long, thin nose and blue goggle-eyes.  He had got entirely out of the way of speaking—­he merely mumbled something unintelligible; but he sang the ancient Russian ballads admirably, having retained, to extreme old age, his silvery freshness of voice, and in his singing he enunciated every word clearly and distinctly.  Something in the nature of fury came over him at times, and then he became terrifying.  He would stand in one corner, with his face to the wall, and all perspiring and crimson,—­crimson all over his bald head to the nape of his neck.  Emitting a malicious laugh, and stamping his feet, he would issue orders that some one was to be castigated,—­probably his brothers.—­“Thrash!”—­ he yelled hoarsely, choking and coughing with laughter,—­“scourge, spare not, thrash, thrash, thrash the monsters my malefactors!  That’s right!  That’s right!” Just before he died he greatly amazed and frightened Alexyei Sergyeitch.  He entered the latter’s room all pale and quiet, and inclining his body in obeisance to the girdle, he first returned thanks for the asylum and oversight, and then requested that a priest might be sent for; for Death had come to him—­he had beheld her—­and he must pardon all men and whiten himself.