"I should not be quite sure of that," he said. "If I might predict, I should say you will be lucky if you get away from here without being the cause of a duel of some sort."
"A duel!" Tamara was startled. "How dreadful, and how silly! But why? I thought dueling had quite gone out in all civilized countries; and in any case, why fight about me? And who should fight? Surely you are only teasing me, Count Valonne."
"Duels are real facts here, I am afraid," he said. "Gritzko has already engaged in two of them. He is not quarrelsome, but just never permits any one to cross his wishes or interfere with his game."
"But what _is_ his game? You speak as though it were some kind of cards or plot. What do you mean?" and Tamara, with heightened color, lifted her head.
"The game of Gritzko?" and Count Valonne laughed. "Frankly, I think he is very much in love with you, Madame," he said. "So by that you can guess what would be any man"s game."
"You have a vivid imagination, and are talking perfect nonsense."
Tamara laughed nervously. "I refuse to be the least upset by such ideas!"
At the moment up came Count Boris Varishkine, and after a while she went off with him to a sofa by the window, and there was seated in deep converse when the Prince came in.
He looked at them for a second and then made straight for the Princess Ardacheff, who was just about to arrange her rubber of bridge.
"Tantine, I want to talk to you," he said.
And the Princess at once left the cardroom and returned with him. They found a quiet corner opposite Tamara and her Garde, and there sat down.
"Tantine, I brought you here to look over there.--What does that mean?"
The Princess put up her gla.s.ses to gain time.
"Nothing, dear boy. Tamara is merely amusing herself like all the rest of us at a party. Are you jealous, Gritzko?" she asked.
He looked at her sharply, and for a moment unconsciously fingered the dagger in his belt.
"Yes, I believe I am jealous. I am not at all sure that I do not love your charming friend," he said.
"Well, why don"t you marry her then?" suggested the Princess.
"Perhaps I shall--if she does not drive me to doing something mad first. I don"t know what I intend. It may be to go off to the Caucasus, or to stay and make her love me so deeply that she will forgive me--no matter what I do."
He paused a moment, and his great eyes filled with mist, and then the wild light grew.
"If ever she becomes my Princess, she shall be entirely for me. I will not let her have a look or thought for any other man. All must be mine--unshared, and then she shall be my queen."
Princess Ardacheff leant back and looked at him. He was in his blue uniform with the scarlet underdress; and even she--old woman and fond friend--could not help picturing the gorgeous joy such a fate would give--to have him for a lover! to see his fierce, proud head bent in devotion, to feel his tender caress. Tamara must be an unutterable fool if she should hesitate.
But what he had said was not rea.s.suring in its prospect of calm. She felt she must put in some small word of admonition.
"You will be careful won"t you, Gritzko?" she ventured to suggest.
"Remember, Tamara is an Englishwoman, and not accustomed to your ways."
"It will depend upon herself," he said. "If she goes on teasing me I do not know what I shall do. If she does not--"
"You will be good?"
"Possibly. But one thing, Tantine, I will not be interfered with either by her friend the Englishman or Boris Varishkine."
At this moment Tamara looked up and caught the two pairs of eyes fixed upon her. And into her spirit flowed a devilment.--Duels! They were all nonsense. She should certainly play a little with her new friend.
In her whole life before she came to Russia she had never been really flirtatious. She was in no way a coquette, rather a simple creature who recked little of men. But the simplest woman develops feline qualities under certain provocation; and her pride was deeply hurt.
Count Boris Varishkine asked nothing better than to fall in with her views. He was, however, like most of his countrymen, sincere, and not merely pa.s.sing the time.
Jack Courtray came up, too, and joined them, his Countess Olga had sent him temporarily from her side. And Tamara scintillated and sparkled as she talked to them both in a way which surprised herself.
This society was very diplomatic, and it amused her to watch the representatives of the different nations--the English and the Russians standing out as so much the finest men.
Presently the little group was joined by Stephen Strong.
"Isn"t this an amusing party, Mrs. Loraine?" he said.
"Yes," said Tamara. "And I am beginning to be able to place the members of the different countries. Don"t you think the Russians look much the most like us, Mr. Strong?"
"The Russians, dear lady? When you have traveled a little more you will see that term covers half the types of the earth--but I agree. What we see here in Petersburg are very much like us--a trifling difference in the way the eyes are set, and the way the hair is brushed; and, given the same uniforms, half these smart young men might be our English Guards."
"We do not resemble you in character, though," said Count Varishkine.
"You can feel just what you like, or not at all, whereas we are storm-tossed, and have not yet learnt the arts of pretence."
"We"re a deuced cold-blooded race, aren"t we, Tamara?" Jack Courtray said, and he grinned his happy grin.
The little party looked so merry and content Princess Ardacheff hardly liked to disturb them, but was impelled to by a look in Gritzko"s face.
"Tamara, dear," she said, as she joined them, "I am so very tired after last night, for once shall we go home reasonably early?"
And Tamara rose gladly to her feet.
"Of course, Marraine, I too am dropping with fatigue," she said.
The Prince spoke a few words to Stephen Strong, and Jack joined in; so that the three were a pace or so to one side when the two ladies wished them goodnight.
"Come and see me early tomorrow, Jack," Tamara said. "I want to show you Tom"s letter from home," and she looked up with an alluring smile, feeling the Prince was watching her; then, turning to Count Boris, "I am sure you will regret your bargain in having asked me to dance the Mazurka tomorrow night," she said. "I do not know a single figure or a step--but I hope we shall have some fun. I am looking forward to it."
"More than fun!" the young man said, with devotion, as he kissed her hand.
Then they walked to say goodnight to the hostess, and Gritzko seemed to disappear. But when they got down into the hall they saw him already in his furs.
The Princess" footman began to hand Tamara her s...o...b..ots and cloak, but Gritzko almost s.n.a.t.c.hed them from the man"s hand. She made no protest, but let him help her to put them on and wrap her up, while her G.o.dmother thought it advisable to walk toward the door.
"Tonight was your moment, Madame," he said, in a low voice. "But the G.o.ds are often kind to me, and my hour will come!"
Tamara summoned everything she knew of provokingness into her face as she looked up and answered:
"Tant pis! et bon soir! Monsieur le demon de Lermontoff!"
Then she felt it prudent to run quickly after the Princess and get into the automobile!