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"When a woman undertakes to murder the Grand-Duke Stepan, what else can she expect? Mezkarpin is a friend of the Tsar, otherwise she would have been hung, or shot! Why of course! The Chief said she was utterly brazen about it. She asked over and over if he were dead, and then said she was glad.
Send for my father, do you hear me? At once! The General Mezkarpin." She repeated the name distinctly and her shoulders stiffened, her blue eyes flashed. "A friend of the Tsar as you are aware. Be careful! What you do, what you say, every act, every word shall be reported to him." "If you have not lied," continued the Cossack smoothly, "it will be still worse for you, far worse!"
"My name is the Countess Kaya and I am the daughter of General Mezkarpin. What have you to say to me?" "We have a good deal to say to you, Madame," retorted the Cossack, "if it is true that you are the Countess. I never saw her myself, but the Chief will be here presently. He knows her very eye-lashes, and if you have lied " "I have not lied," cried the girl, "How dare you speak to me like that!
"To-morrow at daybreak." "In spite of Mezkarpin?" She broke down and buried her face in her hands. Velasco began to pace the room slowly. "If you had a costume like mine," he said, "If your hair were cut " Then he brightened suddenly and ran forward to the girl, snatching her hands from her eyes, dragging her to her feet. "What a fool I was!" he cried, "What an idiot! Quick, Kaya!
Mezkarpin's daughter, the great Mezkarpin, the friend of Nicholas! And accused of what? It was a mistake nothing! He passed his hand over his eyes. "Is this woman your wife?" said the officer shortly, "Answer." "She is my wife." "Where are the papers?" The man unbuttoned his coat and felt in his breast pocket, the left, the right; then the pockets of his vest.
What could you do with a hand like that, a rose leaf? Ha!" He laughed and clasped it with his own to give her courage: "Go on." "You are not Russian," said the girl, "so you can't understand. When one is not Russian to be an anarchist, to kill that is terrible, unpardonable! But with us My father is Mezkarpin," she whispered, "You have heard of him yes? The great General, the friend of the Tsar!
The knock was repeated. "Come in!" cried the Cossack. His voice was hoarse and he cleared his throat: "Come in!" The door opened and General Mezkarpin strode into the room, followed by the Chief of the Third Section. The Cossacks saluted with their hands stiffly laid to their helmets; the officer stepped forward to meet them, bowing.
When a man of your fame, Velasco, insists on befriending a Countess, and one who is the daughter of Mezkarpin, and an anarchist to boot " He spread out his hands: "Ah, she is beautiful, I know. I saw her at the Mariínski. She stared at you as if she were bewitched. You had every excuse; but get down on your knees, Velasco, and give thanks.
The daughter of General Mezkarpin marry a musician! Our family is one of the oldest in Russia and yours !" She laughed again wildly, clasping her hands to her throat. "You are mad Velasco!" He looked at her steadily. "Tell me the truth," he said, "Do you love me, or do you not love me? Yes, or no." "No, Velasco. You were kind to me you saved my life; I am grateful.
The thing has been hushed up for the sake of Mezkarpin, poor man! The Chief told me he had had a stroke in the prison and may not recover. The girl must be a tigress! Velasco! Are you asleep? Wake up! Velasco!" "What mines did you say, Galitsin?" "The Ékaterinski Zavad." "They have started already?" "Yesterday." "The Chief told you that?" "The Chief himself told me." "Did he mention the route?"
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