Tamara was almost repulsed. How could one be so odd as this man? she
thought. Was he a type, or was he mad, or just only most annoyingly
attractive and different from any one else? She found herself thrilled.
Then with a subtle change he turned and almost tenderly wrapped the
rug, which had blown a little down, more securely round her.

"You have such a small white face," he said, the words a caress. "One
must see that you are warm and the naughty winds do not blow you away."

Tamara shivered; she could not have told why.

After this the conversation became general.

Millicent joined in with her obvious remarks. The sea was much
smoother; they would be able to eat some dinner; she had heard there
was a gipsy troupe on board in the third-class, and how nice it would
be to have some music!

And something angered Tamara in the way the Prince assisted in all
this, out-commonplacing her friend in commonplaces with the suavest
politeness, while his grave face betrayed him not even by a twinkle in
the eye. Only when he caught hers; then he laughed a sudden short
laugh, and he whispered:

"What a perfect woman! everything in the right place. Heaven! at the
best times she would do her knitting, and hand one a child every year!
I'll marry when I can find a wife like that!"

Tamara was furious. She resented his ridicule of Millicent, and she was