Was this another little personal attention from the Princess, or merely a development of the policy of winning me to the Russian side? I was turning this over, and thinking how far I could get the answer from Spernow, when a servant came to say that the two officers who had called earlier in the day had returned.
I told the man to show them in, and explained matters to Spernow. He knew them, he said, but not their errand.
This was soon explained, and caused me no little surprise.
“We come from Lieutenant Ristich,” said Captain Dimitrieff, speaking very formally and stiffly.
“And who is Lieutenant Ristich?” I asked. “I do not know him.”
“You met yesterday at General Kolfort’s house, and he considers that you insulted him. Will you be good enough to tell me who will act for you? The facts have been explained to me.”
“Do you mean that the lieutenant wishes to force a quarrel upon me? I remember him now, of course; but I know of no insult, and certainly I have no quarrel with him.”
The captain raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders.
“Shall I say, then, that you prefer to apologise?” he asked, superciliously.
“Certainly not,” I returned sharply, stung by his manner. “What I mean is that nothing passed which need make another encounter between us necessary.”