CHAPTER XIII
It was perhaps a fortunate thing that for three days after this thePrince was kept at his military duties at Tsarskoei-Selo, and could notcome to Petersburg, for he was in a mood that could easily meanmischief. Tamara also was inclined to take things in no docile spirit.
She felt very unhappy, underneath her gay exterior. It was notagreeable to her self-respect to realize she was fleeing from a placebecause she loved a man whose actions showed he did not entertain thesame degree of feeling for her. No amount of attention from any otherquite salved that ever-constant inward hurt.
She went often through strange moments. In the middle of a casualconversation suddenly back would come a wave of remembrance of the dawndrive in the troika, and she would actually quiver with physicalemotion as the vivid recollection of the bliss of it would sweep overher.
Then she would clench her hands and determine more fiercely than everto banish such memories. But with all her will, hardly for ten minutesat a time could she keep Gritzko from her thoughts. His influence overher was growing into an obsession.
She wondered why he did not come. She would not ask her godmother. Thethree days passed in a feverish, gnawing unrest; and on the thirdevening they went to the ballet again.
Opposite them, in a box, a very dark young woman was seated. She had ahard, determined face, and she was well dressed, and not too coveredwith jewels.
"That is a celebrated lady," Count Valonne said. "You must look at her,Madame Loraine; she was one of the best dancers at the ballet, and lastyear she tried to commit suicide in a charmingly dramatic way at one ofGritzko's parties. She was at the time perhaps his _chere amie_--onenever knows, but in all cases violently in love with him--and is still,for the matter of that--or so it is said--and in the middle of rather awild feast he was giving for her, she suddenly drank off some poison,after making the terrifying announcement of her intention! We were allpetrified with horror, but he remained quite calm, and, seizing her, hepoured a whole bottle of salad oil down her throat, and then sent for adoctor!--Of course the poor lady recovered, and the romantic end wasquite _rate!_--She was perfectly furious, one heard--and married a richslate merchant the week after. Wasn't it like Gritzko? He said theaffair was vulgar, and he sent her a large diamond bracelet, and neverspoke to her again!"
Tamara felt her cheeks burn--and her pride galled her more than ever.So she and the ex-dancer were in the same boat?--but she at least wouldnot try to commit suicide and be restored by--salad oil!
"How perfectly ridiculous!" she said, with rather a bitter littlelaugh. "What complete bathos!"
"It was unfortunate, was it not?" Valonne went on, and he glanced atTamara sideways.
He guessed that she was interested in the Prince; but Valonne was acharming creature with an understanding eye, and in their set was ingreat request. He knew exactly the right thing to talk about to eachdifferent person, as a perfect diplomat should, and he was too tactfuland sympathetic to tease poor Tamara. On the contrary, he told hercasually that Gritzko had been on some duty these three days, in caseshe did not know it.
From the beginning Tamara always had liked Valonne.
Then into the box came the same good-looking Chevalier Garde, CountVarishkine, whom she had talked to on the last occasion of Gritzko'svisit, and the spirit of hurt pride caused her to be most gracious withhim. Meanwhile the Princess Ardacheff watched her with a faintsensation of uneasiness, and at last whispered to Stephen Strong:
"Does not my godchild seem to be developing new characteristics,Stephen? She is so very stately and quiet; and yet to-night it wouldalmost seem she is being flirtatious with Boris Varishkine.--I trust weshall have no complications. What do you think?"
Mr. Strong laughed.
"It will depend upon how much it angers Gritzko. It could come to meananything--bloodshed, a scandal, or merely bringing things to a crisisbetween them.--Let us hope, for the latter."
"Indeed, yes."
"You must remember, for an Englishwoman it would be very difficult tograsp all the possibilities in the character of Gritzko. We are notaccustomed to these tempestuous headlong natures in our calm country."
"Fortunately Boris and Gritzko are very great friends."
"I never heard that the warmest friendship prevented jealousy betweenmen," Stephen Strong said, a little cynically--he had suffered a gooddeal in his youth.
"I am delighted we are going to Moscow. There will be no Boris, and Ishall arrange for my two children to be together as much as possible. Ifeel that is the surest way," the Princess answered; and they talked ofother things.
After the ballet was over the party went on to supper at Cubat's in aprivate room, contrary to the Princess' custom. But it was StephenStrong's entertainment, and he had no house to invite them to.
As they passed down the passage to their salon the door of anotheropened as a waiter came out, and loud laughter and clatter of glassburst forth, and above the din one shrill girl's treble screamed:
"Gritzko! Oh, Gritzko!"
The food nearly choked Tamara when they reached their room, and supperbegan. It was not, of course, a heinous crime for the Prince to beentertaining ladies of another world. But on the top of everything elseit raised a wild revolt in her heart, and a raging disgust withherself. Never, never should she unbend to him again. She _would not_love him.
Alas! for the impotency of human wills! Only the demonstrations of lovecan be controlled, the emotion itself comes from heaven--or hell, andis omnipotent. Poor Tamara might as well have determined to keep thesun from rising as to keep herself from loving Gritzko.
She was quite aware that men--even the nicest men--like Jack and herbrother Tom, sometimes went out with people she would not care to know;but to have the fact brought under her very observation disgusted herfine senses. To realize that the man she loved was at the momentperhaps kissing some ordinary woman, revolted and galled herimmeasurably. But if she had known it this night, at least, the Princewas innocent. He had strolled into that room with some brotherofficers, and was not the giver of the feast. And a few minutes afterMr. Strong's party had begun their repast he opened the door.
"May I come in, Stephen?" he asked. "I heard you were all here, Sergesaw you. I have just arrived from Tsarskoei, and must eat."
And of course he was warmly welcomed and pressed to take a seat, whileValonne chaffed him in an undertone about the joys he had precipitatelyleft.
Tamara's face was the picture of disdain. But the Prince sat beside hergodmother, apparently unconcerned. He did not trouble to address herspecially, and before the end of supper, in spite of rage and disgustand anger--and shame, she was longing for him to talk to her.
The only consolation she had was once when they went out, as she lookedup sweetly at Count Varishkine she caught a fierce expression stealingover Gritzko's face.
So even though he did not love her really he could still feel jealous;that was something, at all events!
Thus in these paltry rages and irritations, these two human beingspassed the next three days--when their real souls were capable ofsomething great.
Prince Milaslavski, to every one's surprise, appeared continuously inthe world.
Tamara and the Princess met him everywhere, and while the Princess didher best to throw them together, Tamara maneuvered so that not oncecould he speak to her alone, while she was assiduously charming toevery one else. Now it was old Prince Miklefski or Stephen Strong, nowone of the husbands, or Jack, and just often enough to give things azest she was bewitching to the handsome Chevalier Garde.
And the strange, fierce light in Gritzko's eyes did not decrease.
The night before the Ardacheff ball they were going to a reception atone of the Embassies for a foreign King and Queen, who were paying avisit to the Court, and Tamara dressed with unusual care, and fastenedher high tiara in her soft brown hair.
The Prince should see her especially attractive, she thought.
But when they arrived at the great house and w
alked among the brilliantthrong no Prince was to be seen!--It might be he had no intention tocome.
Presently Tamara went off to the refreshment room with her friendValonne.
The conversation turned to Gritzko with an easy swing.
He seemed on the brink of one of his maddest fits. Valonne had seen himin the club just before dinner.
"If you really go to England I think he will follow you, Madame," hesaid.
"How ridiculous!" and Tamara laughed. "How can it make a difference tohim whether I go or no? We do not exist for one another," and shefanned herself rather rapidly, while Valonne smiled a fine smile.
"I should not be quite sure of that," he said. "If I might predict, Ishould say you will be lucky if you get away from here without beingthe cause of a duel of some sort."
"A duel!" Tamara was startled. "How dreadful, and how silly! But why? Ithought dueling had quite gone out in all civilized countries; and inany case, why fight about me? And who should fight? Surely you are onlyteasing me, Count Valonne."
"Duels are real facts here, I am afraid," he said. "Gritzko has alreadyengaged in two of them. He is not quarrelsome, but just never permitsany one to cross his wishes or interfere with his game."
"But what _is_ his game? You speak as though it were some kind of cardsor plot. What do you mean?" and Tamara, with heightened color, liftedher head.
"The game of Gritzko?" and Count Valonne laughed. "Frankly, I think heis very much in love with you, Madame," he said. "So by that you canguess what would be any man's game."
"You have a vivid imagination, and are talking perfect nonsense."Tamara laughed nervously. "I refuse to be the least upset by suchideas!"
At that moment up came Count Boris Varishkine, and after a while shewent off with him to a sofa by the window, and there was seated in deepconverse when the Prince came in.
He looked at them for a second and then made straight for the PrincessArdacheff, who was just about to arrange her rubber of bridge.
"Tantine, I want to talk to you," he said.
And the Princess at once left the cardroom and returned with him. Theyfound a quiet corner opposite Tamara and her Garde, and there sat down.
"Tantine, I brought you here to look over there.--What does that mean?"
The Princess put up her glasses to gain time.
"Nothing, dear boy. Tamara is merely amusing herself like all the restof us at a party. Are you jealous, Gritzko?" she asked.
He looked at her sharply, and for a moment unconsciously fingered thedagger in his belt.
"Yes, I believe I am jealous. I am not at all sure that I do not loveyour charming friend," he said.
"Well, why don't you marry her then?" suggested the Princess.
"Perhaps I shall--if she does not drive me to doing something madfirst. I don't know what I intend. It may be to go off to the Caucasus,or to stay and make her love me so deeply that she will forgive me--nomatter what I do."
He paused a moment, and his great eyes filled with mist, and then thewild light grew.
"If ever she becomes my Princess, she shall be entirely for me. I willnot let her have a look or thought for any other man. All must bemine--unshared, and then she shall be my queen."
Princess Ardacheff leant back and looked at him. He was in his blueuniform with the scarlet underdress; and even she--old woman and fondfriend--could not help picturing the gorgeous joy such a fate wouldgive--to have him for a lover! to see his fierce, proud head bent indevotion, to feel his tender caress. Tamara must be an unutterable foolif she should hesitate.
But what he had said was not reassuring in its prospect of calm. Shefelt she must put in some small word of admonition.
"You will be careful won't you, Gritzko?" she ventured to suggest."Remember, Tamara is an Englishwoman, and not accustomed to your ways."
"It will depend upon herself," he said. "If she goes on teasing me I donot know what I shall do. If she does not--"
"You will be good?"
"Possibly. But one thing, Tantine, I will not be interfered with eitherby her friend the Englishman or Boris Varishkine."
At this moment Tamara looked up and caught the two pairs of eyes fixedupon her. And into her spirit flowed a devilment.--Duels! They were allnonsense. She should certainly play a little with her new friend.
In her whole life before she came to Russia she had never been reallyflirtatious. She was in no way a coquette, rather a simple creature whorecked little of men. But the simplest woman develops feline qualitiesunder certain provocation; and her pride was deeply hurt.
Count Boris Varishkine asked nothing better than to fall in with herviews. He was, however, like most of his countrymen, sincere, and notmerely passing the time.
Jack Courtray came up, too, and joined them, his Countess Olga had senthim temporarily from her side. And Tamara scintillated and sparkled asshe talked to them both in a way which surprised herself.
This society was very diplomatic, and it amused her to watch therepresentatives of the different nations--the English and the Russiansstanding out as so much the finest men.
Presently the little group was joined by Stephen Strong.
"Isn't this an amusing party, Mrs. Loraine?" he said.
"Yes," said Tamara. "And I am beginning to be able to place the membersof the different countries. Don't you think the Russians look much themost like us, Mr. Strong?"
"The Russians, dear lady? When you have traveled a little more you willsee that term covers half the types of the earth--but I agree. What wesee here in Petersburg are very much like us--a trifling difference inthe way the eyes are set, and the way the hair is brushed; and, giventhe same uniforms, half these smart young men might be our EnglishGuards."
"We do not resemble you in character, though," said Count Varishkine."You can feel just what you like, or not at all, whereas we arestorm-tossed, and have not yet learnt the arts of pretence."
"We're a deuced cold-blooded race, aren't we, Tamara?" Jack Courtraysaid, and he grinned his happy grin.
The little party looked so merry and content Princess Ardacheff hardlyliked to disturb them, but was impelled to by a look in Gritzko's face.
"Tamara, dear," she said, as she joined them, "I am so very tired afterlast night, for once shall we go home reasonably early?"
And Tamara rose gladly to her feet.
"Of course, Marraine, I too am dropping with fatigue," she said.
The Prince spoke a few words to Stephen Strong, and Jack joined in; sothat the three were a pace or so to one side when the two ladies wishedthem goodnight.
"Come and see me early tomorrow, Jack," Tamara said. "I want to showyou Tom's letter from home," and she looked up with an alluring smile,feeling the Prince was watching her; then, turning to Count Boris, "Iam sure you will regret your bargain in having asked me to dance theMazurka tomorrow night," she said. "I do not know a single figure or astep--but I hope we shall have some fun. I am looking forward to it."
"More than fun!" the young man said, with devotion, as he kissed herhand.
Then they walked to say goodnight to the hostess, and Gritzko seemed todisappear. But when they got down into the hall they saw him already inhis furs.
The Princess' footman began to hand Tamara her snowboots and cloak, butGritzko almost snatched them from the man's hand. She made no protest,but let him help her to put them on and wrap her up, while hergodmother thought it advisable to walk toward the door.
"Tonight was your moment, Madame," he said, in a low voice. "But thegods are often kind to me, and my hour will come!"
Tamara summoned everything she knew of provokingness into her face asshe looked up and answered:
"Tant pis! et bon soir! Monsieur le demon de Lermontoff!"
Then she felt it prudent to run quickly after the Princess and get intothe automobile!