“And who is this distinguished man?”
“His name is Hermann.”
Lizaveta made no reply; but her hands and feet lost all sense of feeling.
“This Hermann,” continued Tomsky, “is a man of romantic personality. He has the profile of a Napoleon, and the soul of a Mephistopheles. I believe that he has at least three crimes upon his conscience.... How pale you have become!”
“I have a headache.... But what did this Hermann—or whatever his name is—tell you?”
“Hermann is very much dissatisfied with his friend: he says that in his place he would act very differently ... I even think that Hermann himself has designs upon you; at least, he listens very attentively to all that his friend has to say about you.”
“And where has he seen me?”
“In church, perhaps; or on the parade—God alone knows where. It may have been in your room, while you were asleep, for there is nothing that he——”
Three ladies approaching him with the question: “oubli ou regret?” interrupted the conversation, which had become so tantalizingly interesting to Lizaveta.
The lady chosen by Tomsky was the Princess Pauline herself. She succeeded in effecting a reconciliation with him during the numerous turns of the dance, after which he conducted her to her chair. On returning to his place, Tomsky thought no more either of Hermann or Lizaveta. She longed to renew the interrupted conversation, but the mazurka came to an end, and shortly afterwards the old Countess took her departure.