By Right of Sword

  CHAPTER XVII.

  AN EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE.

  The second complication was a much bigger matter; and it was of sostrange a description and fraught with consequences of such criticalimportance to Olga and myself that of all my experiences of that timeit deserves to be classed as the most remarkable. Like all else atthat time, it came quite unsought by me, and as the direct andunavoidable consequence of the first step in my new life--the duel withDevinsky and my subsequent repute as a swordsman.

  A day or two after Tueski's funeral, and while the city was stillquivering and staggering under the effects of the supposed Nihilistblow, a great ball took place at the Valniski Palace.

  Count Valniski was among the richest men in Moscow, bidding hard forpower and courting popularity right and left among all classes. Tothis ball all the officers of my regiment were invited, together withmany of their friends. Amongst the latter Olga had a card; andalthough we were certainly in a poor mood for a function of the kind,we felt it expedient to do what all the world was doing, go to it; lestby remaining away we should attract attention to ourselves.

  It was a very brilliant affair, as these big Russian balls always are,and the crowd included many of the best and smartest people in Moscow.I moved about the rooms, not dancing much, but exchanging a word nowand then with my brother officers and with other people who claimedacquaintance with me.

  Olga had plenty of partners among my comrades, and as she was dancingwith one of them I stood watching her and thinking how completely I haddropped into the new social grooves of this Moscow life and how quicklymy first feelings of strangeness had worn off, when my friend Essaieffcame up to me.

  "Alexis, I have a commission that concerns you," he said.

  "Well?"

  "You're in luck. Try and guess."

  "Can't," I replied, shaking my head. "Unless the war's broken out andI'm to have a step. What is it?"

  "There's a woman in it. High up, too." There were only two women inMoscow I ever thought about; and one of them I wished to see safe outof Russia, and the other at the devil, or anywhere out of my way.

  "Give it up," I said, with a smile.

  "It's that smile of yours fetches 'em, I believe," said Essaieff,smiling in his turn. "It makes your face one of the pleasantest thingsin the world to look at." He had ripened quickly into a very familiarfriend and we were great chums now.

  "What is there you want me to do, old man? You wouldn't waste thatflower of speech for nothing."

  "Well, something's done it. I have been asked to present you to one ofthe wealthiest, most beautiful, and most influential women inMoscow--the Princess Weletsky; and asked in terms which seemed to implythat the honour of the introduction would be conferred on her."

  "The Princess Weletsky, who is she?" I asked in absolute ignorance.

  "That's just like you, Alexis. I'm getting to know that sweetinnocence of yours. Whenever I mention a name that all Russia knows,you make the same lame show and ask, Who's he? or, Who's she? You'veheard of her a thousand times. You can't help hearing of her. Youcouldn't if you tried."

  "All right," I laughed, to turn my mistake. "Have you been talkingabout me?" He laughed at the idea.

  "Why, man where are your wits? Do you think the Princess and I are ongossiping terms? I'm only the fly on the wheel in this. She wishes toknow you; I do know you; she once sent me a card for one of herassemblies and snubbed me in a high bred manner; now she can use me,and accordingly I am paraded for duty--to introduce you. Come along orshe'll be getting some Court executioner to cut my throat forloitering."

  I followed him, wondering what it could mean; and half a minute laterwas presented to one of the most lovely and stately women I have everseen. A queenly woman, indeed, and I should have been an icicle if Ihad not admired her. She was radiantly fair in both hair andcomplexion, but her eyes were dark and languishing like a Spaniard's:while the faultless regularity of her features in no way marred theexquisite suggestion of womanly sympathy and mental power which spokein her voice and manner and glances.

  I have seen many lovely women of all types, but in all my life none tocompare with the exquisite magnificence of this Russian beauty.

  Her reception of me could not have been more cordial, moreover, had Ibeen one of the greatest of Russia's nobles, or had she begun toentertain some strong favour for me. I am not a coxcomb where womenare concerned, I hope, and certainly nothing in their treatment of mein my life had led me to conceit myself that such a woman as this wouldfall in love with me; but her conduct to me that night might well haveturned my head, had it not been full of other matters.

  I asked for the honour of a dance and she gave me her programme,telling me I might write my name where I would. As it was empty, thisseemed a generous invitation; but I scribbled my initials against twodances, and was then going to move off.

  She glanced at the programme and smiled. I cannot describe the effectwhich a smile produced on her face.

  "I had purposely kept the next dance for you, Lieutenant," she said."But I see your reputation has somewhat belied you."

  "My reputation?"

  "Yes. But I have much I should like to say to you. I have heard ofyou often; as a daring man even among Russia's most daring; and notalways as modest as brave."

  "Rumour is often an unreliable witness," said I.

  "She has not always spoken kindly of you, Lieutenant. But to see youis enough to test the truth of her tales." She accompanied this with aglance of especially subtle flattery, as she made place for me to sitby her, and then drew me to talk by questioning me, always giving inher answer a suggestion of keen personal interest in me.

  We danced that next dance, and she declared that I waltzed better thanany man in the room; and at the close of the dance she asked me to takeher to one of the conservatories, under the pretext that she washeated. We sat there during two dances, until the first that I hadinitialled came, and then we danced again.

  All the time she fascinated me with her manner and the infinitesubtlety with which she implied the admiration she felt for my bravery,my skill as a soldier and a swordsman, my strength--everything inshort: while she was loud in the expression of the interest with whichshe said she should take in my future.

  At the close of the dance she sent me to fetch my sister; and when Ipresented her she made Olga sit down at her side and presently sent meaway, saying that women's friendship ripened much more quickly whenthey were alone--especially if they were interested in the same man.All of which would no doubt have been very sound philosophy--had Olgabeen my sister in reality.

  Essaieff had been watching me, and now chaffed me a good deal about myconquest, and grew enthusiastic about my future.

  "By Gad, man, she's as rich as a Grand Duke: and there is no limit tothe height her husband may climb. Play your cards well now: and you'vegot all the pluck, aye, and the brains too, if you like to use them:and you'll be War Minister before I apply for my Colonelcy."

  I laughed lightly; but I thought to myself that if he only knew theskeletons in my cupboard that were gibbering and rattling their bonesin mockery of me, he wouldn't tell quite such an enthusiastic fortunefor me.

  When I went back for my next dance with the princess, Olga was justbeing led away by a handsome young partner whom the Princess had foundfor her.

  "Olga is most delightful," she said, with one of her smiles. "She isworthy of--anyone; and a most enthusiastic sister. She is the mostgenuine soul I ever knew. She will be my dear friend, when her reservehas worn off." I thought I knew the cause of the "reserve," but I keptthe thought to myself.

  After the dance she let me take her back to the same place, andglancing at her programme let it fall on her lap with half a sigh.

  "You were very moderate," she said, tapping the programme with her fan.

  "Do you know the fable of the hungry mouse?" I asked.

  "What do you mean?" This with a glance.

  "Only that a poor little starveli
ng found himself in a full granary oneday, when a fairy bade him eat. He took a few grains and munched themand stopped. 'Why stop there, mouse?' asked the fairy. The littlething glanced about him and looking at the crowd of fatted pets thatwere watching him suspiciously from a distance, replied:--'If I takemore than these gentry think belong to me, they will fall on me; andthough I might enjoy the meal at the time, it will prove a dear one andhard to digest.'"

  "A shrewd mouse, but too timorsome," said the Princess, laughing, andhanding me her programme again. "Take other two grains, mouse. ThoughI'm not quite sure by the way, whether you intended me to be the goodfairy or the bag of grain. Fables are often tricksy things."

  "Take another two grains, mouse."]

  "And fairies also. But at least mice are harmless."

  "Except to frighten silly women. But I am not afraid ofmice--especially when they are so moderate in permitted pilfering."

  "The touch of a fairy's wand can change even a mouse to a lion," saidI; and when she met my gaze she dropped her eyes and coloured. Thedance came then and we danced it almost in silence.

  After it I went to look for Olga; but she had gone home; and then Iwaited impatiently for my next dance with my most fascinating partner.

  There is no flattery in the world half so telling on a man as a lovelywoman's admiration, undisguised yet not flaunted; and expressed in thethousand subtle ways which her nimble wits can find when inspired byresolve to please.

  I did not think that at such a time any woman on earth could haveexercised so strong an influence over me in the course of no more thanan hour or two; and when we sat together after our last dance for a fewminutes before she left, I felt I would have done almost anything onearth that she asked to serve her. Something that she said drew fromme a rather random protestation to this effect, and she reddened andstarted, and then after a rapid searching glance shot into my face, shesat silent, fingering her fan, restlessly. While doing this herprogramme caught her attention.

  She looked at it and held it so that I could read it.

  "No name but yours," she said, almost in a whisper. I saw this was so.Then she broke the silken cord by which it was fastened to her wrist,and with another glance at me put it away into her bosom.

  It was a little action: but from such a woman what did it not mean? Iwas amazed.

  Another long pause followed.

  Then she laid her hand in mine and looked straight at me.

  "Are you really a brave man?" she asked. I seemed to take fire underher touch and look.

  "That is not a question a man can answer for himself. Test me."

  "If your sister were insulted, would you fight for her?" She littleknew the cord she had touched, or guessed how the reference cooled me.

  "I have already done so," I returned.

  "In days of old men fought for any woman who was wronged. Would you?"

  "I have done it before now," I answered, still thinking of Olga, and mythoughts for some reason slipped back to the first meeting on theMoscow platform.

  She paused and looked away from me for a moment as if hesitating; andthen leaning so close to me that I could feel her warm breath on mycheek as she spoke, while her grasp tightened on my arm, she said in atone of deep feeling:--

  "I have been wronged. You see me here as I am and what I am; but savefor the happiness you have made me feel in being with you, I am themost wretched woman in all Russia. Will you help me? Dare you?" Andshe seemed to hang on my words as she waited for my reply, her eyessearching mine as if to read my answer there.

  I was about to reply with a pledge inspired by the enthusiasm withwhich she had fired me, when my instinctive caution restrained me. Shewas quick to see my moment's hesitation and not willing to risk arefusal, she added hastily:--

  "We cannot talk of this here. I ought not to have spoken of it now:but you seem to have drawn my very soul from me. Come to me to-morrowto my house. I will be alone at three. You will come--my friend?" Anindescribable solicitude spoke through her last two words, allsuggestive of infinite trust in me.

  "Certainly," I cried. "And certainly your friend, if I dare."

  She answered with a glance; and then seemed to cast aside herexcitement. Rising she let me lead her back to the ball-room.

  When I left her there were others round us, but as she bowed I caught aglance and the whispered words:--

  "I trust you."

  I turned away half bewildered, and went home at once, pondering whatwas to be the upshot of this new development.