Part 26 (1/2)

”Well, then, since I must stay here I shall be disagreeable and not say a word.”

And she sat down primly and folded her hands.

He lit a cigarette, and she noticed his hand trembled a little, but his voice was quite steady, and in fact low as he said:

”I tell you frankly, if you go on treating me as you have done today, whatever happens is on your head.”

”Do you mean to strangle me then?--or have me torn up by dogs?” and Tamara smiled provokingly. With all the others in the room, and almost within earshot, she felt perfectly safe.

She had suffered so much, it seemed good to oppose him a little, when it could not entail a duel with some unoffending man!

”I do not know yet what I shall be impelled to do, only I warn you, if you tease me, you will pay the price.” And he puffed a cloud of smoke.

”He can do nothing tonight,” Tamara thought, ”and tomorrow we are going back to Moscow, and then I am returning home.” A spirit of devilment was in her. Nearly always it had been he who regulated things, and now it was her turn. She had been so very unhappy, and had only the outlook of dullness and regret. Tonight she would retaliate, she would do as she felt inclined.

So she leaned back in her chair and smiled, making a tantalizing moue at him, while she said, mockingly:

”Aren't you a barbarian, Prince! Only the days of Ivan the Terrible are over, thank goodness!”

He took a chair and sat down quietly, but the tone of his voice should have warned her as he said:

”You are counting upon the unknown.”

She peeped at him now through half-closed alluring lids, and she noticed he was very pale.

In her quiet, well-ordered life she had never come in contact with real pa.s.sion. She had not the faintest idea of the vast depths she was stirring. All she knew was she loved him very much, and the whole thing galled her pride horribly. It seemed a satisfaction, a salve to her wounded vanity, to be able to make him feel, to punish him a little for all her pain.

”Think! This time next week. I shall be safe in peaceful England, where we have not to combat the unknown.”

”No?”

”No. Marraine and I have settled everything. I take the Wednesday's Nord Express after we get back to Petersburg.”

”And tomorrow is Friday, and there are yet five days. Well, we must contrive to show you some more scenes of our uncivilized country, and perhaps after all you won't go.”

Tamara laughed with gay scorn. She put out her little foot and tapped the edge of the great stove.

”For once I shall do as I please, Prince. I shall not ask your leave!”

His eyes seemed to gleam, and he lay perfectly still in his chair like some panther watching its prey. Tamara's blood was up. She would not be dominated! She continued mocking and defying him until she drove him gradually mad.

But on one thing she had counted rightly, he could do nothing with them all in the room.

First one and then another left their game, and joined them for a few minutes, and then went back.

And so in this fas.h.i.+on the late afternoon pa.s.sed and they went up to dress.

No one was down in the great saloon when Tamara and the Princess descended for dinner, but as they entered, Stephen Strong and Valonne came in from the opposite door and joined them near the stove, and Tamara and Valonne talked, while the other two wandered to a distant couch.

”Have you ever been to any of these wonderful parties one hears have taken place, Count Valonne?” she asked.