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To Nona Davis' surprise, the young man proved to be Lieutenant Michael Orlaff, whom she had not seen since the afternoon when she had walked to the fortress with him and confided the news of Sonya Valesky's arrest. After a few moments of general conversation a man servant, wearing an elaborate uniform, announced that General Alexis and his guests might walk into the Czar's private sitting room.
"Stop the sleigh for a moment. We are growing cold. It will be better for us to walk for ten or fifteen minutes and then come back to the sleigh." Again he spoke to Mildred. "You will come with me for a little?" he asked. "It will be wiser for you not to grow stiff with sitting still." Afterwards he said something to Lieutenant Orlaff, to which he and Nona agreed.
Nona felt that fate must have sent it to her by a special dispensation. Now there need be no delay in her confidence. Lieutenant Orlaff came of a noble family, he must have powerful connections, if he could only be persuaded to use them in Sonya's behalf. Certainly he had appeared to be her friend, although disapproving of her behavior and views of life.
If Sonya is released I mean to try and take her back to the United States with me to remain until the war is over." "But Sonya will not be released, I have tried to make you understand," Lieutenant Orlaff added doggedly. "What is one woman more or less in times like these? Go to Petrograd if you will, Miss Davis. I have told you it is not wise for you and your friends to remain at Grovno.
She could not hear what the Czar was saying. But she saw Mildred turn suddenly white and appear to protest. Then the two men, General Alexis and the Czar, actually smiled at her. The next moment the Czar pinned a cross on Mildred's white dress. Without realizing what she was doing, Barbara pressed closer until she stood in front of Nona and Lieutenant Orlaff.
Nothing could happen to her in Petrograd of a serious character, but in any case her experiences could not interest Lieutenant Orlaff. As soon as possible Nona said good-by to him. Later, in recalling their conversation, she often thought of a phrase he used: "What is one woman more or less in times like these?" The Attack
"There is something I want to tell you, Mildred. The strangest thing happened to me this afternoon. Lieutenant Orlaff proposed to me. Why, I scarcely know him at all, but he says that is not necessary when a foreigner meets an American girl," Nona confided. "You why, Nona!"
Nona and Lieutenant Orlaff with old Nika hobbling behind them had by this time about reached the entrance to the fortress. Nona was truly grateful. She was very tired and depressed from the day's experiences. Moreover, she did not understand the manner or the words of the young officer beside her. At one moment he seemed extraordinarily hard and at the next unnecessarily concerned.
Nona and Lieutenant Orlaff had walked off in an opposite direction. But Mildred now beheld the sun setting upon the Russian capital. Beneath, the world was pure white, and above, the sky a glory of orange and purple and rose. Between the two, suspended like giant fairy balls, were the great domes of Petrograd's many churches. "I shall never, never forget that picture so long as I live.
So for this reason as well as others Nona found herself attracted by the young Russian officer. He seemed very simple, much younger than an American of the same age. At this time Michael Orlaff must have been about twenty-three. But Nona was wise enough to discover that he was not so simple and direct as she had first believed him.
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