She looked at him keenly for a minute, then sighed a quick, impatient little sigh.
“Well, call my carriage, Iván; I will not keep you, you evidently have some pressing engagement.”
“The Cardinal——” he began clumsily.
“Ah! his Eminence requires your attention at so late an hour?” she said, still a little bitterly.
“His Eminence is leaving Vienna to-morrow, and there are still many letters to answer. I shall probably write most of the night through.”
She appeared content with this explanation, and while Volenski gave directions to one of the gorgeous attendants stationed outside the house to call Madame Demidoff’s carriage, she resumed the conversation in more matter-of-fact tones.
“His Eminence will be glad of a holiday after the trying diplomatic business of the past few weeks; and you, M. Volenski, I feel sure, have also earned a few days’ repose.”
“The Cardinal certainly has given me two or three weeks’ respite, while he himself goes to the Tyrol for the benefit of his health.”
“And after that?”
“We meet at Petersburg, where his Eminence has an important memorial to submit to his Majesty the Tsar.”