French footman entered the study.
"Madame la baronne von Doring!" he announced obsequiously1.
Brother and sister exchanged a rapid glance.
"Now is our opportunity to make sure," said Kallash, with a smile.
"If it is she, I shall recognize her by her voice," whispered
Princess Anna. "Shall I remain here or go?"
"Remain in the meantime; it will be a curious experience. Faites entrer!" he added to the footman.
A moment later light, rapid footsteps were heard in the entrance hall, and the rustling2 of a silk skirt.
"How do you do, count! I have come to see you for a moment. I came in all haste, on purpose. I have come IN PERSON, you must be duly appreciative3! Vladislav is too busy, and the matter is an important one. I wanted to see you at the earliest opportunity. Well, we may all congratulate ourselves. Fate and fortune are decidedly on our side!" said the baroness4, speaking rapidly, as she entered the count's study.
"What has happened? What is the news?" asked the count, going forward to meet her.
"We have learned that the Shadurskys have just received a large sum of money; they have sold an estate, and the purchaser has paid them in cash. Our opportunity has come. Heaven forbid that we should lose it! We must devise a plan to make the most of it."
The baroness suddenly stopped short in the middle of the sentence, and became greatly confused, noticing that there was a third person present.
"Forgive me! I did not give you warning," said the count, shrugging his shoulders and smiling; "permit me! PRINCESS ANNA CHECHEVINSKI!" he continued with emphasis, indicating his poor, decrepit5 sister. "Of course you would not have recognized her, baroness."
"But I recognized Natasha immediately," said the old woman quietly, her eyes still fixed6 on Natasha's face.
The baroness suddenly turned as white as a sheet, and with trembling hands caught the back of a heavy armchair.
Kallash with extreme politeness assisted her to a seat.
"You didn't expect to meet me, Natasha?" said the old woman gently and almost caressingly7, approaching her.
"No wonder; I am so changed," replied Princess Anna. "But YOU are just the same. There is hardly any change at all."
Natasha began to recover her composure.
"I don't understand you," she said coldly, contracting her brows.
"Allow me, princess," Kallash interrupted her, "permit me to have an explanation with the baroness; she and I know each other well. And if you will pardon me, I shall ask you in the meantime to withdraw."
And he courteously10 conducted his sister to the massive oak doors, which closed solidly after her.
"What does this mean?" said the baroness, rising angrily, her gray eyes flashing at the count from under her broad brows.
"How a coincidence? Speak clearly!"
"The former mistress has recognized her former maid—that is all."
"How does this woman come to be here? Who is she?"
"I have told you already; Princess Anna Chechevinski. And as to how she came here, that was also a coincidence, and a strange one."
"Impossible!" exclaimed the baroness.
"Why impossible? They say the dead sometimes return from the tomb, and the princess is still alive. And why should the matter not have happened thus, for instance? Princess Anna Chechevinski's maid Natasha took advantage of the confidence and illness of the elder princess to steal from her strong box, with the aid of her sweetheart, Kasimir Bodlevski, money and securities—mark this, baroness—securities in the name of Princess Anna. And might it not happen that this same lithographer Bodlevski should get false passports at the Cave, for himself and his sweetheart, and flee with her across the frontier, and might not this same maid, twenty years later, return to Russia under the name of Baroness von Doring? You must admit that there is nothing fantastic in all this! What is the use of concealing12? You see I know everything!"
"And what follows from all this?" replied the baroness with a forced smile of contempt.
"Much MAY follow from it," significantly but quietly replied Kallash. "But at present the only important matter is, that I know all. I repeat it—ALL."
"Where are your facts?" asked the baroness.
"Facts? Hm!" laughed Kallash. "If facts are needed, they will be forthcoming. Believe me, dear baroness, that if I had not legally sufficient facts in my hands, I would not have spoken to you of this."
Kallash lied, but lied with the most complete appearance of probability.
The baroness again grew confused and turned white.
"Where are your facts? Put them in my hands!" she said at last, after a prolonged silence.
"Oh, this is too much! Get hold of them yourself!" the count replied, with the same smile. "The facts are generally set forth13 to the prisoner by the court; but it is enough for you in the meantime to know that the facts exist, and that they are in my possession. Believe, if you wish. If you do not wish, do not believe. I will neither persuade you nor dissuade14 you."
"And this means that I am in your power?" she said slowly, raising her piercing glance to his face.
"Yes; it means that you are in my power," quietly and confidently answered Count Kallash.
"But you forget that you and I are in the same boat."
"You mean that I am a sharper, like you and Bodlevski? Well, you are right. We are all berries of the same bunch—except HER" (and he indicated the folding doors). "She, thanks to many things, has tasted misery15, but she is honest. But we are all rascals16, and I first of all. You are perfectly right in that. If you wish to get me in your power—try to find some facts against me. Then we shall be quits!"
"And what is it you wish?"
"It is too late for justice, at least so far as she is concerned," replied the count, with a touch of sadness; "but it is not too late for a measure of reparation. But we can discuss that later," he went on more lightly, as if throwing aside the heavy impression produced by the thought of Princess Anna's misery. "And now, dear baroness, let us return to business, the business of Prince Shadursky! I will think the matter over, and see whether anything suggests itself."
He courteously conducted the baroness to the carriage, and they parted, to all appearance, friends. But there were dangerous elements for both in that seeming friendship.
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1
obsequiously
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rustling
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| n. 瑟瑟声，沙沙声 adj. 发沙沙声的 | |
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appreciative
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| adj.有鉴赏力的，有眼力的；感激的 | |
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baroness
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| n.男爵夫人，女男爵 | |
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decrepit
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| adj.衰老的，破旧的 | |
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6
fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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7
caressingly
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| 爱抚地，亲切地 | |
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8
supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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9
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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10
courteously
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| adv.有礼貌地，亲切地 | |
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11
ironical
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| adj.讽刺的，冷嘲的 | |
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12
concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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13
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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14
dissuade
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| v.劝阻，阻止 | |
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15
misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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16
rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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