"What has happened?" she inquired, looking from Schmidt to her husband.
The latter came to her side, if not for protection, as might be maliciously supposed, at least for company.
"I cannot understand at all," said Fischelowitz, still edging away.
"You understand well enough, I think, and as for you, Frau Fischelowitz, I have something to talk of with you, too. But we will put it off until later," he added, as though suddenly changing his mind.
The Count himself had appeared in the doorway behind Akulina. Both she and her husband stood aside, looking at him curiously.
"Good-morning," he said, gravely taking off his hat and inclining his head a little. He acted as though quite unconscious of what had happened on the previous day, and they watched him as he quietly went into the room beyond, into which the Cossack had retired on seeing him enter.
He hung up his hat in its usual place, nodding to Schmidt, who was opposite to him. Then, as he turned, he met Vjera's eyes. It was a supreme moment for her, poor child. Would he remember anything of what had passed on the previous day? Or had he forgotten all, his debt, her saving of him and the sacrifice she had made? He looked at her so long and so steadily that she grew frightened. Then all at once he came close to her, and took her hand and kissed it as he had done when they had last parted, careless of Schmidt's presence.
"I have not forgotten, dear Vjera," he whispered in her ear.
Schmidt passed them quickly and again went out, whether from a sense of delicacy, or because he saw an opportunity of renewing the fight outside, is not certain. He closed the door of communication behind him.
Vjera looked up into the Count's eyes and the blush that rarely came, the blush of true happiness, mounted to her face.