Part 21 (1/2)
Corsini rose; he was rather tired of the argument.
”If it is so, Madame, I shall not pay him the compliment of staying away. I would not give him the triumph of thinking that he was capable of hurting me.”
She saw it was useless. ”It must be as you wish, Signor;” there was a note of sadness in her voice as she turned away. She left the room, murmuring to herself, ”I have tried my best. It is the sister who draws him, and she must wish as fervently as I do that he would stay away.”
It was early in the evening when she had sought this interview, and as the hours sped on, bringing Corsini nearer to the time of his appointment, her agitation increased. If she could only know if the Princess had thought of anything, if she had taken any steps to prevent the tragedy which she felt sure was impending.
With a woman of her nervous and excitable temperament, to express a wish was to carry it swiftly into execution. The Opera finished early that night. She drove home at once to her villa, summoned her maid, and bade her change her costume.
A few moments later she came back to the waiting carriage, attired in clothes befitting a woman of the poorer cla.s.ses, and drove to within a short distance of the Zouroff Palace. She walked on foot to the servants' entrance and demanded to see the Princess's maid, Katerina, on very urgent business.
The girl came to the door, wondering who her visitor could be, what was the cause of this imperative summons.
The _prima donna_ laid her finger on her lips to impress caution and secrecy.
”We must speak very low, if you please. I am Madame Quero, the person you showed yesterday into your young mistress's room. Can you convey a message from me to her now?”
Katerina looked at the strange visitor who had disguised herself so successfully. Had she met her in the street, she would have pa.s.sed her by without knowing her. But now that Madame Quero had recalled herself to her recollection, she at once recognised the popular singer, in spite of her humble attire.
”If you don't mind waiting a few moments, Madame, I think I can manage it. But I am afraid I shall have to ask you to wait outside. Am I to take a letter?”
”I will wait outside, certainly. No, no letter, it might excite suspicion. Just take this message to your mistress: Has she been able to take any steps with regard to the matter we spoke of yesterday? A few words, yes or no, will do for an answer.”
The door was closed, and La Belle Quero, one of the idols of St.
Petersburg, waited in the darkness for a message to be delivered by a lady's maid. For a moment, as she stood there, she laughed a little hysterically at the situation.
The Zouroff Palace had never opened its doors to her, even in a professional capacity, for the Princess was a _grande dame_, and very rigid in her social views. But there were other great houses, presided over by hostesses with a more elastic code for people of genius who had entertained her as a guest.
It was, to say the least of it, a little _bizarre_ that she should be waiting outside the servants' quarters, dressed in working-woman's attire, because she did not want one lover to injure another man who might have been a lover had he chosen.
The minutes sped by; it seemed an eternity to the anxious woman waiting there. Then at last the door was opened cautiously, and Katerina spoke in a low voice.
”A thousand pardons for keeping you waiting so long, Madame, but it was very difficult to get hold of the young Princess. There is a big reception on to-night.”
”I know, I know,” interrupted the singer eagerly. This obliging girl, like most of her cla.s.s, was apt to be garrulous. ”Has she sent an answer?”
Katerina looked a little offended. Her good-humoured young mistress never interrupted her, even in her most prolix moments. She spoke stiffly.
”Yes, Madame, I was coming to that in a second. She has taken certain steps which she devoutly hopes will insure the result you both desire, but of course she cannot be certain.” Suddenly the maid's tone changed, and she dropped a very profound curtsey. ”It is very kind of you, Madame, but it was really not necessary. I am only too pleased to have been of use.”
The change in tone was due to the fact that Madame Quero had slipped into her hand a substantial sum of money, immediately afterwards disappearing into the darkness.
Although not happy nor a.s.sured, she felt relieved to know that something had been done to thwart the Prince's sinister designs.
She walked swiftly to her carriage, and on her way pa.s.sed Corsini, who was going in the direction of the Palace with his beloved violin-case in his hand. It was a peculiarity of the Italian that he never drove where he could walk. She shuddered as she wondered if he was going to his doom, or if the Princess's fervent hopes would be realised.
For a moment a wild impulse urged her to turn back and run after him, to blurt out the truth and implore his silence. But the instinct of self-preservation prevailed and the impulse was combated.
Zouroff's dark threat rang in her ears. And if the Prince's suspicions were correct, Corsini was in the pay of Golitzine. If that were true, she would entreat his silence in vain. Even grat.i.tude for his escape would not blind him to his obvious duty.
Corsini ascended the staircase, and the first person he met on entering the handsome gilded music-salon was the master of the house.