His Hour

"And you think I must not kiss her? Oh! you are a most cruel Tantine!

She is sound asleep and would never know, and it would be just one of

the things which could cool my fever and help my arm."

But the Princess interposed, sternly, and getting really annoyed with

him, he was forced to go. But first he kissed her hand and thanked her

and purred affection and gratitude with his astonishing charm, and the

Princess' voice grew more and more mollified as she said: "There--

there--what a boy! Gritzko, dear child, begone!"

And all this while, with her long eyelashes resting upon her cheek,

Tamara apparently slept peacefully on.

But when the door was safely shut and bolted, the Princess addressed

her.

"You are not really asleep, Tamara, I suppose," she said. "You have

heard? Is he not difficult. What is one to do with him? I can never

remain angry long. Those caresses! Mon Dieu! I wish you would love each

other and marry and go and live at Milasláv, and then we others might

have a little peace and calm!"

"Marry him," and Tamara raised herself in bed. "One might as well marry

a panther in a jungle, it would be quite as safe!" she said.

But the Princess shook her head. "There you are altogether wrong," she

replied. "Once there were no continuous obstacles to his will, he would

be gentle and adoring, he would be as tender and thoughtful as he is to

me when I am ill."

Then into Tamara's brain there rushed visions of the unutterable

pleasure this tenderness would mean, and she said: "Don't let us talk;--I want to sleep, Marraine."

And in the morning they arrived at Moscow.