Tamara shivered. If she could only overcome this numbness which had
returned--if she could only let her frozen heart speak; this was surely
the moment, but she could not, she remained silent and white and
lifeless.
He came over to the sofa.
"Tamara," he said, and his voice vibrated with suppressed passion.
"Will you tell me the truth? Do you hate me,--or what do you feel for
me?"
She thought he meant only to torture her further; she would not answer
the question.
"Is it not enough that you have conquered me by force? Why should you
care to know what my feelings are? As you say, after Wednesday I shall
belong to you--You can strangle me at Milasláv if you wish. My body
will be yours, but my soul you shall never soil or touch, you have no
part or lot in that matter, Prince."
His eyes filled with pain.
"I will even have your soul," he said. Then, as though restraining
further emotion, he went on coldly. "I have arranged that after the
wedding we go to my house, and do not start for the South until
Saturday. There are some things I wish to show you there. Will that be
as you wish?"
"I have no wishes, it is as you please," Tamara answered monotonously.
He gave an impatient shrug, and walked up and down the room, his will
kept its mastery, but it was a tremendous strain. Her words had stung
him, her intense quiet and absence of emotion had produced a faint
doubt. What if after all he should never be able to make her love him.
For the first time in his life a hand of ice clutched his heart. He
knew in those moments of agony that she meant the whole world to him.
He glanced at her slender graceful figure so listlessly leaning against
the blue cushions, at her pale ethereal face, and then he turned
abruptly away toward the door to the other salon.
"Come," he said, "it is of no avail to talk further, we will say
goodnight." Tamara rose. The way to her room led from the opposite
side.
"Goodnight then," she said, "make my adieu to Sonia and the rest. I
shall go to bed," and she walked that way. The whole floor was between
them, as she looked back. He stood rigid by the other door.
Then with great strides he was beside her, and
had taken her in his arms.
"Ah! God!" he said, as he fiercely kissed her, and then almost flung
her from him, and strode from the room.