His Hour

"It is too horrible! and for such a trifle," Tamara said, clutching the

bedclothes, and the Princess went on.

"Valonne said they were both hit in the first round, and all the

company burst into the room. Nothing seemed very serious, and they

laughed and shook hands. So Valonne left to be in time for the ball,

but this morning, he told me, he found Boris Varishkine had had a

shoulder wound which bled very badly and quite prevented his coming,

while Gritzko was shot through the flesh of the right arm, and as soon

as they could bind it up decently, as you know, he came on."

Tamara's face was as white as her pillow. She clasped her hands with a

movement of anguish.

"Oh! Marraine, I am too unhappy," she wailed. "Indeed, indeed, I did

nothing to cause this. You heard me, I only said to Count Varishkine I

was looking forward to the dance. He is impossible, Gritzko. Oh! let me

go home!"

"Alas! my child, what would be the good of that? If you went off

tonight instead of coming to Moscow, it might create a talk; what we

want is to prevent a scandal, to hush everything up. None of these men

will tell, and your name will not be dragged into it. And if we go on

our trip amicably as was arranged it will discountenance rumor. Gritzko

and Boris are quite friends again. And if anything about the shooting

does leak out, if no one has further cause for connecting you with it,

they will generally think it merely one of Gritzko's mad parties. For

heaven's sake let it all blow over, and after Moscow and a reasonable

time, not to appear too hurried, you shall go home."

"But meanwhile, how can I know that he won't shoot at Jack? or do some

other awful thing! He does not love me really a bit, Marraine. It is

all out of pride and devilment because he wants to win and conquer me

and add me to his scalps, and I won't be conquered. I tell you I

won't!" and Tamara clenched her hands.

The Princess did not know what to say, she was not perfectly sure in

her own mind as to Gritzko's feelings, and she was too thoroughly

acquainted with his ways to hazard any theory as to his possible acts.

She felt it might not be fair to assure her godchild that he truly

loved her. She could only think of tiding over matters for the time

being.

"Tamara, dearest, could you at least try to keep the peace on our

trip?" she asked. "Be gentle with him, and do not excite him in any

way."