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Updated: June 20, 2025
At the earnest request of his mother he resigned his commission in the Royal Guards, and went down to reside with the family on the estate, during their retirement for the year of mourning. Before that year was half over, however, the young Count de Volaski received a summons to the court of his sovereign. He obeyed it immediately by hurrying up to St. Petersburg.
"Lena, poor woman, who had never heard of my marriage with the Duke of Hereward, but had known me as the wife of the Count de Volaski, believed that all my distress was caused by the prospect of becoming the mother of a fatherless child, and bent all her energies to try to comfort me with the assurance that this motherhood would be the greatest blessing of my lonely life.
I have been daily expecting some communication on the subject from de Volaski: but as yet he has made none. Valerie smiled bitterly. She thought she understood the reason why the Count de Volaski was in no hurry to press the suit for marriage with a dreaming girl, to whom he had been arbitrarily contracted when he was a boy of fifteen, and she a child of twelve.
After breakfast, however, he instituted a cautious but close investigation of the circumstances attending the flight of the duchess. The servants, having nothing to gain from concealment and nothing to fear from communication, spoke freely of the daily visits of the Count de Volaski, continued through the seven weeks of the duke's absence.
"We are," responded both principals. "One two three FIRE!" intoned the Russian baron. Two flashes, a simultaneous report, and the Count de Volaski leaped into the air and fell down, with a heavy thud, upon his face! The seconds hastened to raise the fallen man. The duke stood panic-stricken for an instant, and then followed them.
She was right in her conclusions; for she had scarcely been seated five minutes when a footman entered and presented the count's card. "Show the gentleman up," she said in a voice that she vainly tried to render steady. A few minutes passed, the door opened, and Count de Volaski entered the room. She arose to receive him, but did not advance a single step to meet him.
The Baron de la Motte remained in the village, awaiting a challenge from Waldemar de Volaski; but when a week had passed away without such an event, the furious old Frenchman, bent upon his enemy's destruction, dispatched a defiance to Captain Volaski, couched in such insulting and exasperating language as compelled the young officer, much against his will, to accept it.
Petersburg, to the Colonel of the Royal Guards; one to Warsaw, to the Count de Volaski; and one to Paris, to Madame de Volaski. In the course of the next week the writer received answers from all three letters.
After dinner they played chess together all the evening, and then parted, apparently the best of friends on both sides, really good friends on the duke's. The next morning a letter was handed Valerie, while she sat at breakfast with the duke. She recognized the handwriting of Count de Volaski, and put it in her pocket to read when she was alone. The duke was not suspicious or inquisitive.
You may not believe me now; that you did not believe me before was your great misfortune, and mine, and our son's. "A week after Volaski had left me you followed us and traced us to San Vito. I heard of your visit and trembled; for, though really guiltless, I felt that to meet your eye would seem worse than death. Fortunately for us both, perhaps, you declined to see me and went away.
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