"Bon soir, Madame," he said. "Will you take me as a substitute for your
partner, Count Varishkine?" and he bowed with a courtly grace which
seemed suited to the scene. "He is, I regret to say, slightly
indisposed, and has asked me to crave your indulgence for him, and let
me fill his place."

For a moment Tamara hesitated; she seemed to have lost the power of
speech; she felt she must control her anxiety and curiosity, so at last
she answered gravely:

"I am so very sorry! I hope it is nothing serious. He is so charming,
Count Varishkine."

"Nothing serious. Shall we take our places? I have two chairs there not
far from Olga and your friend," and the Prince prepared to lead the
way. Tamara, now that the tension was over, almost thought she would
refuse, but the great relief and joy she felt in his presence overcame
her pride, and she meekly followed him across the room.

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