His Hour

They passed the Princess on the way, and as she apparently gave some

laughing reply to the Ambassador she was with, she hurriedly whispered

in Tamara's ear: "Pour l'amour de Dieu! Be careful with Gritzko tonight, my child."

When they were seated waiting for the dance to begin Tamara noticed

that the Prince was very pale, and that his eyes, circled with blue

shadows, seemed to flame.

The certainty grew upon her that some mysterious tragic thing had taken

place; but, frightened by the Princess' words, she did not question

him.

She hardly spoke, and he was silent, too. It seemed as though now he

had gained his end and secured her as a partner it was all he meant to

do.

Presently he turned to her and asked lazily: "Have you been amused since the Moravian reception? How have you passed

the time? I have been at Tsarsköi again, and could not come to see

Tantine."

"We have been quite happy, thanks, Prince," Tamara said. "Jack Courtray

and I have spent the day studying the lovely things in the Hermitage. We

must see what we can before we both go home."

Gritzko looked at her.

"I like him--he is a good fellow--your friend," and then he added

reflectively: "But if he spends too much time with you I hope the bears

will eat him!"

This charitable wish was delivered in a grave, quiet voice, as though

it had been a blessing.

"How horrible you are!" Tamara flashed. "Jack to be eaten by bears!

Poor dear old Jack! What has he done?"

"Nothing, I hope,--as yet; but time will tell. Now we must begin to

dance."

And they rose, called to the center by the Master of the Ceremonies to

assist in a figure.

While the Prince was doing his part she noticed his movements seemed

languid and not full of his usual wild entrain, and her feeling

of unease and dread of she knew not what increased.

Tamara was very popular, and was hardly left for a moment on her chair

when the flower figures began, so their conversations were disjointed,

and at last almost ceased, and unconsciously a stiff silence grew up

between them, caused, if she had known it, on his side, by severe

physical pain.

She was surprised that he handed all his flowers to her but did not ask

her to dance, nor did he rise to seek any other woman. He just sat

still, though presently, when magnificent red roses were brought in in

a huge trophy, and Serge Grekoff was seen advancing with a sheaf of

them to claim Tamara, he suddenly asked her to have a turn, and got up

to begin.