AN EXTRAORDINARY ADVENTURE.
The second complication was a much bigger matter; and it was of so
strange a description and fraught with consequences of such critical
importance to Olga and myself that of all my experiences of that time
it deserves to be classed as the most remarkable. Like all else at
that time, it came quite unsought by me, and as the direct and
unavoidable consequence of the first step in my new life--the duel with
Devinsky and my subsequent repute as a swordsman.
A day or two after Tueski's funeral, and while the city was still
quivering and staggering under the effects of the supposed Nihilist
blow, a great ball took place at the Valniski Palace.
Count Valniski was among the richest men in Moscow, bidding hard for
power and courting popularity right and left among all classes. To
this ball all the officers of my regiment were invited, together with
many of their friends. Amongst the latter Olga had a card; and
although we were certainly in a poor mood for a function of the kind,
we felt it expedient to do what all the world was doing, go to it; lest
by remaining away we should attract attention to ourselves.
It was a very brilliant affair, as these big Russian balls always are,
and the crowd included many of the best and smartest people in Moscow.
I moved about the rooms, not dancing much, but exchanging a word now
and then with my brother officers and with other people who claimed
acquaintance with me.
Olga had plenty of partners among my comrades, and as she was dancing
with one of them I stood watching her and thinking how completely I had
dropped into the new social grooves of this Moscow life and how quickly
my first feelings of strangeness had worn off, when my friend Essaieff
came up to me.
"Alexis, I have a commission that concerns you," he said.
"Well?"
"You're in luck. Try and guess."
"Can't," I replied, shaking my head. "Unless the war's broken out and
I'm to have a step. What is it?"
"There's a woman in it. High up, too." There were only two women in
Moscow I ever thought about; and one of them I wished to see safe out
of Russia, and the other at the devil, or anywhere out of my way.
"Give it up," I said, with a smile.
"It's that smile of yours fetches 'em, I believe," said Essaieff,
smiling in his turn. "It makes your face one of the pleasantest things
in the world to look at." He had ripened quickly into a very familiar
friend and we were great chums now.
"What is there you want me to do, old man? You wouldn't waste that
flower of speech for nothing."
"Well, something's done it. I have been asked to present you to one of
the wealthiest, most beautiful, and most influential women in
Moscow--the Princess Weletsky; and asked in terms which seemed to imply
that the honour of the introduction would be conferred on her."
"The Princess Weletsky, who is she?" I asked in absolute ignorance.
"That's just like you, Alexis. I'm getting to know that sweet
innocence of yours. Whenever I mention a name that all Russia knows,
you make the same lame show and ask, Who's he? or, Who's she? You've
heard of her a thousand times. You can't help hearing of her. You
couldn't if you tried."
"All right," I laughed, to turn my mistake. "Have you been talking
about me?" He laughed at the idea.
"Why, man where are your wits? Do you think the Princess and I are on
gossiping terms? I'm only the fly on the wheel in this. She wishes to
know you; I do know you; she once sent me a card for one of her
assemblies and snubbed me in a high bred manner; now she can use me,
and accordingly I am paraded for duty--to introduce you. Come along or
she'll be getting some Court executioner to cut my throat for
loitering."
I followed him, wondering what it could mean; and half a minute later
was presented to one of the most lovely and stately women I have ever
seen. A queenly woman, indeed, and I should have been an icicle if I
had not admired her. She was radiantly fair in both hair and
complexion, but her eyes were dark and languishing like a Spaniard's:
while the faultless regularity of her features in no way marred the
exquisite suggestion of womanly sympathy and mental power which spoke
in her voice and manner and glances.
I have seen many lovely women of all types, but in all my life none to
compare with the exquisite magnificence of this Russian beauty.
Her reception of me could not have been more cordial, moreover, had I
been one of the greatest of Russia's nobles, or had she begun to
entertain some strong favour for me. I am not a coxcomb where women
are concerned, I hope, and certainly nothing in their treatment of me
in my life had led me to conceit myself that such a woman as this would
fall in love with me; but her conduct to me that night might well have
turned my head, had it not been full of other matters.
I asked for the honour of a dance and she gave me her programme,
telling me I might write my name where I would. As it was empty, this
seemed a generous invitation; but I scribbled my initials against two
dances, and was then going to move off.
She glanced at the programme and smiled. I cannot describe the effect
which a smile produced on her face.
"I had purposely kept the next dance for you, Lieutenant," she said.
"But I see your reputation has somewhat belied you."
"My reputation?"
"Yes. But I have much I should like to say to you. I have heard of
you often; as a daring man even among Russia's most daring; and not
always as modest as brave."
"Rumour is often an unreliable witness," said I.
"She has not always spoken kindly of you, Lieutenant. But to see you
is enough to test the truth of her tales." She accompanied this with a
glance of especially subtle flattery, as she made place for me to sit
by her, and then drew me to talk by questioning me, always giving in
her answer a suggestion of keen personal interest in me.
We danced that next dance, and she declared that I waltzed better than
any man in the room; and at the close of the dance she asked me to take
her to one of the conservatories, under the pretext that she was
heated. We sat there during two dances, until the first that I had
initialled came, and then we danced again.
All the time she fascinated me with her manner and the infinite
subtlety with which she implied the admiration she felt for my bravery,
my skill as a soldier and a swordsman, my strength--everything in
short: while she was loud in the expression of the interest with which
she said she should take in my future.
At the close of the dance she sent me to fetch my sister; and when I
presented her she made Olga sit down at her side and presently sent me
away, saying that women's friendship ripened much more quickly when
they were alone--especially if they were interested in the same man.
All of which would no doubt have been very sound philosophy--had Olga
been my sister in reality.
Essaieff had been watching me, and now chaffed me a good deal about my
conquest, and grew enthusiastic about my future.
"By Gad, man, she's as rich as a Grand Duke: and there is no limit to
the height her husband may climb. Play your cards well now: and you've
got all the pluck, aye, and the brains too, if you like to use them:
and you'll be War Minister before I apply for my Colonelcy."
I laughed lightly; but I thought to myself that if he only knew the
skeletons in my cupboard that were gibbering and rattling their bones
in mockery of me, he wouldn't tell quite such an enthusiastic fortune
for me.
When I went back for my next dance with the princess, Olga was just
being led away by a handsome young partner whom the Princess had found
for her.
"Olga is most delightful," she said, with one of her smiles. "She is
worthy of--anyone; and a most enthusiastic sister. She is the most
genuine soul I ever knew. She will be my dear friend, when her reserve
has worn off." I thought I knew the cause of the "reserve," but I kept
the thought to myself.
After the dance she let me take her back to the same place, and
glancing at her programme let it fall on her lap with half a sigh.
"You were very moderate," she said, tapping the programme with her fan.
"Do you know the fable of the hungry mouse?" I asked.
"What do you mean?" This with a glance.
"Only that a poor little starveling found himself in a full granary one
day, when a fairy bade him eat. He took a few grains and munched them
and stopped. 'Why stop there, mouse?' asked the fairy. The little
thing glanced about him and looking at the crowd of fatted pets that
were watching him suspiciously from a distance, replied:--'If I take
more than these gentry think belong to me, they will fall on me; and
though I might enjoy the meal at the time, it will prove a dear one and
hard to digest.'"
"A shrewd mouse, but too timorsome," said the Princess, laughing, and
handing me her programme again. "Take other two grains, mouse. Though
I'm not quite sure by the way, whether you intended me to be the good
fairy or the bag of grain. Fables are often tricksy things."
[Illustration: "Take another two grains, mouse."]
"And fairies also. But at least mice are harmless."
"Except to frighten silly women. But I am not afraid of
mice--especially when they are so moderate in permitted pilfering."
"The touch of a fairy's wand can change even a mouse to a lion," said
I; and when she met my gaze she dropped her eyes and coloured. The
dance came then and we danced it almost in silence.
After it I went to look for Olga; but she had gone home; and then I
waited impatiently for my next dance with my most fascinating partner.
There is no flattery in the world half so telling on a man as a lovely
woman's admiration, undisguised yet not flaunted; and expressed in the
thousand subtle ways which her nimble wits can find when inspired by
resolve to please.
I did not think that at such a time any woman on earth could have
exercised so strong an influence over me in the course of no more than
an hour or two; and when we sat together after our last dance for a few
minutes before she left, I felt I would have done almost anything on
earth that she asked to serve her. Something that she said drew from
me a rather random protestation to this effect, and she reddened and
started, and then after a rapid searching glance shot into my face, she
sat silent, fingering her fan, restlessly. While doing this her
programme caught her attention.
She looked at it and held it so that I could read it.
"No name but yours," she said, almost in a whisper. I saw this was so.
Then she broke the silken cord by which it was fastened to her wrist,
and with another glance at me put it away into her bosom.
It was a little action: but from such a woman what did it not mean? I
was amazed.
Another long pause followed.
Then she laid her hand in mine and looked straight at me.
"Are you really a brave man?" she asked. I seemed to take fire under
her touch and look.
"That is not a question a man can answer for himself. Test me."
"If your sister were insulted, would you fight for her?" She little
knew the cord she had touched, or guessed how the reference cooled me.
"I have already done so," I returned.
"In days of old men fought for any woman who was wronged. Would you?"
"I have done it before now," I answered, still thinking of Olga, and my
thoughts for some reason slipped back to the first meeting on the
Moscow platform.
She paused and looked away from me for a moment as if hesitating; and
then leaning so close to me that I could feel her warm breath on my
cheek as she spoke, while her grasp tightened on my arm, she said in a
tone of deep feeling:--
"I have been wronged. You see me here as I am and what I am; but save
for the happiness you have made me feel in being with you, I am the
most wretched woman in all Russia. Will you help me? Dare you?" And
she seemed to hang on my words as she waited for my reply, her eyes
searching mine as if to read my answer there.
I was about to reply with a pledge inspired by the enthusiasm with
which she had fired me, when my instinctive caution restrained me. She
was quick to see my moment's hesitation and not willing to risk a
refusal, she added hastily:--
"We cannot talk of this here. I ought not to have spoken of it now:
but you seem to have drawn my very soul from me. Come to me to-morrow
to my house. I will be alone at three. You will come--my friend?" An
indescribable solicitude spoke through her last two words, all
suggestive of infinite trust in me.
"Certainly," I cried. "And certainly your friend, if I dare."
She answered with a glance; and then seemed to cast aside her
excitement. Rising she let me lead her back to the ball-room.
When I left her there were others round us, but as she bowed I caught a
glance and the whispered words:--
"I trust you."
I turned away half bewildered, and went home at once, pondering what
was to be the upshot of this new development.