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"I am going to visit some old friends in this Government the Lanovitches, at Thors." "Ah!" "You know them?" Vassili raised his shoulders and made a little gesture with his cigarette, as much as to say, "Why ask?" De Chauxville looked at his companion keenly. He was wondering whether this man knew that he Claude de Chauxville loved Etta Howard Alexis, and consequently hated her husband.
"I was just telling mademoiselle," said Maggie, speaking French with an honest English accent. Paul nodded, and left them together. "Yes," the countess was saying at the other end of the gloomy room; "yes, we are greatly attached to Thors: Catrina, perhaps, more than I. I have some happy associations, and many sorrowful ones. But then mon Dieu! how isolated we are!"
"I told you," remarked Paul at length, "that that fellow is coming to Thors." "I wish he would go to the devil," said Steinmetz. "No doubt he will in time," answered Paul carelessly. "Yes; but not soon enough. I assure you, Paul, I do not like it. We are just in that position that the least breath of suspicion will get us into endless trouble.
It is no use living here unless one is rich and beautiful and popular. We are none of those things, so we are better at Thors." "But we have many nice friends here, dear. You will see, this afternoon. I expect quite a reception. By the way, I hope Kupfer has sent the little cakes. Your father used to be so fond of them. I wonder if we could send him a box to Siberia. He would enjoy them, poor man!
The ladies at Thors were dressed for dinner were, indeed, awaiting the announcement of that meal when Paul broke in upon their solitude. He did not pause to lay aside his furs, but went into the long, low room, withdrawing his seal gloves painfully, for it was freezing as it only can freeze in March.
Not long after the return of Steinmetz and the final decision respecting the road to Thors, Etta left the room, and a few minutes later the servant announced that the baron's horse was at the door. De Chauxville took his leave at once, with many assurances of lasting gratitude. "Kindly," he added, "make my adieux to the princess; I will not trouble her."
Before I came away I heard from Catrina that he had wheedled an invitation to Thors out of the old lady. Why, my friend, why?" Paul reflected, with a frown. "We do not want him out there," he said. "No; and if he goes there you must remain in England this winter." Paul looked up sharply. "I do not want to do that. It is all arranged," he said.
His vanity was wounded because she preferred you, and he wanted to be avenged upon you. Wounds to the vanity never heal. I do not know how he did it, Paul, but he made me help him in his schemes. I could have prevented you from going to the bear hunt, for I suspected him then. I could have prevented my mother from inviting him to Thors.
A joy of the World, that is from your perch out on the jib-boom to watch a ship with its cloud of white sails surging after you. Norse for Thors hammer.
"Why not leave the country now; at all events for a few years?" went on Paul, and when a man who is accustomed to command stoops to persuade, it is strong persuasion that he wields. "You can take Catrina with you. You will be assuring her happiness, which, at all events, is something tangible a present harvest! I will drive over to Thors now and bring her back.
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