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.