“She has said almost as much to me to-day—among other things,” was her reply, very coldly spoken. I could guess at the “other things,” but there was no time then to enter upon any defence.
“As to the power and feeling of the army I can prove my words. Colonel Petrosch is here and he will himself convince you. Will you come to him?”
“It seems incredible. How have you prevailed upon him to speak of this to me?”
“Does that matter, so long as he does speak?”
“I shall be at liberty to report what he may say?”
“No, certainly not. It is for your ears only. You asked for the proofs of what I said. I offer it to you; but it must, of course, be under a pledge of secrecy.”
She hesitated in anxious perplexity. “I will see him. I can at any rate act upon any knowledge so gained.”
“It is for that object I wish you to be convinced.”
We went then to the room where I had left the Colonel and Nikolitch, and both men rose and bowed to Gatrina as we entered, the Colonel stiffly, Nikolitch with unmistakable interest.
“Time is pressing and the interview need not take long,” I said. “What I wish is that you will convince the Princess Gatrina as you have convinced me, Colonel Petrosch, of the intentions of the officers for whom you speak so far as they affect her.”