Part 15 (2/2)
”You didn't know hed, ”but I knew you! And there are not so ion that you should be unknown to the Grand Duke,” she said, ”and besides, you were at the reception which hness there,” said Malcolm ”I came especially----” he stopped short in confusion
”That was probably because I was not visible,” she replied dryly ”I have been to Cae for a year to finish ood,” he smiled
”It's ht not to have said '_ukhoditzay_' to people--you only say that to beggars, and I think they were rather annoyed with you”
”I should ihed; ”but won't you tell ht I saw him on the outskirts of the crowd and the impression I formed was----” he hesitated
”I shouldn't form impressions if I were you,” she said hurriedly ”Here in Russia one ought not to puzzle one's head over such things When you meet the inexplicable, accept it as such and inquire no further”
She was silent again, and when she spoke she was more serious
”The Russian people always i and rolling slowly between frail banks which we have built for theirl
”I often wonder whether those banks will ever break,” said Malcolm quietly; ”if they do----”
”Yes?”
”They will burn up Russia,” said Malcolirl ”Father believes that the war----” she stopped short
”The war?”
Malcolm had heard ruht to establish the hegemony of the Slav over Eastern Europe that the scepticism in his tone was pardonable She looked at him sharply
”You do not think there will be war?”
”One has heard so often,” he began
”I know, I know,” she said, a little ied the subject
They talked about the people, the lovable character of the peasants, the extraordinary depth of their religious faiths, their a superstitions, and suddenly Malcolm remembered the book in his pocket, and was about to speak of it, but stopped hi the confidence of the old er's care
”What is this story of the book of Kensky?”
”'The Book of All-Power'?”
She did not smile as he had expected her to
”Old Israel Kensky is a curious uardedly ”The people credit him with all sorts of pohich of course he does not possess
They believe he is a wizard, that he can bend people to his will They say the ious ceremonies over which he presides”