Part 5 (1/2)
”And you say it is a dance Macabre? Tell me just what you mean.”
They had reached a comfortable sofa by now in a salon devoted to bridge, which was almost empty, the players, so eager to take part in the dancing, that they had deserted even this, their favourite game.
”When a nation loses all sense of balance and belies the traditions of its whole history, and when ma.s.ses of civilised individuals experience this craze for dancing and miming, and s.e.x display, it presages some great upheaval--some calamity. It was thus before the revolution of 1793, and since it is affecting England and America and all of Europe it seems, the cataclysm will be great.”
Amaryllis s.h.i.+vered. ”You frighten me,” she whispered. ”Do you mean some war--or some earthquake--or some pestilence, or what?”
”Events will show. But let us talk of something else. A cousin of your husband's, who is a very good friend of mine, was here yesterday. He went to England to-day, you have not met him yet, I believe--Denzil Ardayre?”
”No--but I know all about him--he plays polo and is in the Zingari.”
”He does other things--he will even do more--I shall be curious to hear what you think of him. For me he is the type of your best in England.
We were at Oxford together; we dreamed dreams there--and perhaps time will realise some of them. Denzil is a beautiful Englishman, but he is not a fool.”
A sudden illumination seemed to come into Amaryllis' brain; she felt how limited had been all her thoughts and standpoints in life. She had been willing to drift on without speculation as to the goal to be reached.
Indeed, even now, had she any definite goal? She looked at the Russian's strong, rugged face, his inscrutable eyes narrowed and gazing ahead--of what was he thinking? Not stupid, ordinary things--that was certain.
”It is the second evening, amidst the most unlikely surroundings, that you have made me speculate about subjects which never troubled me before.
Then you leave me unsatisfied--I want to know--definitely to know!”
”Searcher after wisdom!” and he smiled. ”No one can teach another very much. Enlightenment must come from within; we have reached a better stage when we realise that we are units in some vast scheme and responsible for its working, and not only atoms floating hither and thither by chance.
Most people have the brains of gra.s.shoppers; they spring from subject to subject, their thoughts are never under control. Their thoughts rule them--it is not they who rule their thoughts.”
They were seated comfortably on their sofa, and Verisschenzko leaning forward from his corner, looked straight into her eyes.
”You control your thoughts?” she asked. ”Can you really only let them wander where you choose?”
”They very seldom escape me, but I consciously allow them indulgences.”
”Such as?”
”Visions--day dreams--which I know ought not to materialise.”
Something disturbed her in his regard; it was not easy to meet, so full of magnetic emanation. Amaryllis was conscious that she no longer felt very calm--she longed to know What his dreams could be.
”Yes--but if I told you, you would send me away.”
It seemed that he could read her desire. ”I shall order myself to be gone presently, because the interest which you cause me to feel would interfere with work which I have to do.”
”And your dreams? Tell them first?” she knew that she was playing with fire.
He looked down now, and she saw that he was not going to gratify her curiosity.
”My n.o.blest dream is for the regeneration of a nation--on that I have ordered my thoughts to dwell. For the others, the time is not yet for me to tell you of them--it may never come. Now answer me, have you yet seen your new home, Ardayre?”
”No, but why should you be interested in that? It seems strange that you, a Russian, should even know that there is such a place as Ardayre!”