"A fair question," she answered, smiling. She was certainly a very beautiful woman when she smiled. "There is—but only very indirectly. By the way, do you not wonder that I content myself with giving you no more than a fortnight's imprisonment?"
"If you knew the punishment it is likely to be to me you would not wish to inflict a heavier."
"You mean, you are so eager to be searching for this girl who masqueraded as your sister, that you cannot spare a fortnight for the Russian Court. Excuse me; I cannot think that even Englishmen can be so impolite and phlegmatic."
"My 'sister' is very dear to me, Princess," I said, emphasizing the word.
"Oh, yes, we know the value of a lover's sighs and a lover's vows and a lover's impatience and a lover's constancy and a lover's everything else. And you Englishmen are but like other men in these things."
I didn't understand her, so I held my tongue.
"I dare believe that though you are now so eager to be away on this romantic search of yours, and are fretting and fuming at the delay which I have caused, so that you may have the opportunity of witnessing the grandeur of the Court marriage I have arranged, you will cool in your ardour long before the fortnight is out. There are women about the Russian Court, Sir, to the full as fair and witching and sweet as Olga Petrovitch."
"I have the evidence of that before my eyes, Princess," I said, looking at her and bowing to hide my chagrin at her words.
"You are angry that I hold you fickle. You should not be," she said, with a swift glance reading my mood.
"I have confidence in my faith."