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Will you and our Admiral of the Air condescend to accept a lift as far as Chelsea?" "The condescension is in the offer, Natasha," replied Colston, flushing with pleasure and glancing towards Radna the while. Radna answered with an almost imperceptible sign of consent, and Colston went on: "If it were in an utterly opposite direction" "You would not be asked to come, sir.
He had mixed but little with women, and during the past few years not at all, and therefore the marvellous beauty of the girl who came forward as Radna spoke seemed almost unearthly to him, and confused his senses for the moment as some potent drug might have done.
Arnold, as admiral of the fleet, had transferred the command of the Ariel to Colston, but he retained him as his lieutenant in the Ithuriel for the next voyage, partly because he wanted to have him with him on what might prove to be a momentous expedition, and partly because Natasha, who was naturally anxious to rejoin her father as soon as possible, wished to have Radna for a companion in place of the Princess, who had elected to remain in the valley.
As Radna and Colston were two of the most trusted and prominent members of the Inner Circle, it was fitting that their wedding should be honoured by the presence of the Master in person.
"There are thousands of blots as black as that on earth, and I think you will find nobler game than an obscure Russian provincial prison. Russia has cities and palaces and fortresses that will make far grander ruins than that ruins that will be worthy monuments of fallen despotism," replied the girl, who had been introduced by the President as Radna Michaelis.
So saying, the Master raised his hands as though in blessing, and as Alexis and Radna bent their heads the slanting sunrays fell upon the thickly coiled white hair of the new-made wife, crowning her shapely head like a diadem of silver. All that remained to do now was to sign the Marriage Roll of the Brotherhood, and when they had done this the entry stood as follows:
Radna, Anna Ornovski, and the other members of the Inner Circle of the Terrorists, including the President, Nicholas Roburoff, who had been pardoned and restored to his office at the intercession of Natasha, occupied the other seats, and behind them stood a throng of the leaders of the Federation forces.
As he spoke he held out his hand, which the young man grasped heartily, saying "Farewell! I will obey to the death, and if success can be earned we will earn it. If not, you shall hear of the Ariel's work in Russia before the week is out." He then took leave of the other members of the Council, coming last to Radna. As their hands clasped she said
So far as I know, every man who has ever seen her is more or less in love with her and mostly more! "As for the rest, I am as much in the dark as you are, save for the fact that I know, on the authority of Radna, that she is not betrothed to any one, and, so far as she knows, still in the blissful state of maiden fancy-freedom." "Thank God for that!" said Arnold, with an audible sigh of relief.
"Remember, too," he continued in a sterner tone, "that fortress belongs to the power that flogged Radna and has captured Natasha. Come, let's see what execution you can do." He crossed the deck and set the other gun by its scale, saying as he did so "Put your finger on the button and press when I tell you."
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