The last command seemed to come as an afterthought. No doubt, Sophia wished to test her work before Petrovitch arrived.
I was encouraged to think that she had no immediate intention of killing me; and as the maid bent over me I contrived to give her hand a reassuring squeeze.
“He is quite dead, Madame,” the girl said, turning away. “Would you like to have the body carried into another room?”
“No. Wait till M. Petrovitch comes,” her mistress replied. “You can go.”
As my assistant withdrew I again became on the alert for any dangerous move on the part of the Princess.
It was not long before I was conscious that the room had grown darker.
I gathered that Sophia had switched off some of the lights in order to make it more difficult for Petrovitch to detect her fraud, and again I took courage.
Some muttered words helped me to understand the plan of the desperate woman.
“I will give him one chance. He shall choose. Men do not die for love in these days.”
There was little doubt that she intended to lock me up in her oratory and hold me a prisoner till I consented to sacrifice my faith to her Japanese rival.