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Steinmetz vaulted right on to him, and De Chauxville staggered back. In a moment Steinmetz had him by the collar; his face was gray, his heavy eyes ablaze. If any thing will rouse a man, it is being fired at point-blank at a range of four yards with a .280 revolver. "Ach!" gasped the German; "you would shoot me, would you?"
They must have their romance, these Russians." And so the ball was kept rolling. There was never any lack of conversation when Steinmetz and De Chauxville were together, nor was the talk without sub-flavor of acidity. At length the centre of attention himself diverted that attention.
Etta did not answer. De Chauxville glanced at his watch and walked to the window, where he stood looking out. He was too refined a person to whistle, but his attitude was suggestive of that mode of killing time. "This door I wish you to unbar yourself before dinner on Thursday evening," he said, turning round and slowly coming toward her. "And I refuse to do it," said Etta. "Ah!"
"In Petersburg you pledged yourself to help me," said De Chauxville. And although she knew that in the letter this was false, she did not contradict him. "I came here to claim fulfilment of your promise." The hard blue eyes beneath the fur cap stared straight in front of them. Catrina seemed to be driving like one asleep, for she noted nothing by the roadside.
The two girls left the castle of Thors in a sleigh with one attendant at ten o'clock in order to reach the hut selected for luncheon by mid-day. Etta did not accompany them. She had a slight headache. At eleven o'clock Claude de Chauxville returned alone, on horseback.
We must not forget that De Chauxville is furious. He will do all the harm of which he is capable at once. We must not forget that the country is in a state of smoldering revolt, and that we have two women, two English ladies, entrusted to our care." Paul moved uneasily in his chair. His companion had struck the right note. This large man was happiest when he was tiring himself out.
He presently left Steinmetz and the prince engaged in a controversy with the countess as to a meeting-place at the luncheon-hour. Maggie and Catrina were at the piano. Etta was looking at a book of photographs. "A charming house, princess," said De Chauxville, in a voice that all could hear while the music happened to be soft. But Catrina's music was more remarkable for strength than for softness.
The rooms are always too warm. The silence was that of two men knowing each other well. "And why not Mrs. Sydney Bamborough?" asked Steinmetz suddenly. "Why not, indeed?" replied De Chauxville. "It is no affair of mine. A wise man reduces his affairs to a minimum, and his interest in the affairs of his neighbor to less. But I thought it would interest you." "Thanks."
"Perhaps now that I reflect upon it," continued the clever woman, disliking the clever man's silence, "the person who said all would be intolerable." "There are some things which go without it," said De Chauxville. "Ah?" looking lazily back at him over her shoulder. "Yes." He was cautious, for he was fighting on a field which women may rightly claim for their own. He really loved Etta.
He was there one evening after an excellent dinner taken with humorous resignation, smoking the largest cigar the waiter could supply, when Claude de Chauxville happened to have nothing better or nothing worse to do. De Chauxville looked through the glass door for some seconds. Then he twisted his waxed mustache and lounged in.
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