“They must be married at once,” she said with decision; “every hour counts, and Najine has selected this time to hesitate and increase our embarrassments, while I have been looking for Madame Zotof at any moment.”
I smiled. “A more terrible infliction than the czar,” I admitted; “but mademoiselle will yield. We must go straight to the Kremlin, find a priest, and have the knot tied.”
“There will be a difficulty about the priest,” Zénaïde said.
I showed her Mentchikof’s signet, and explained briefly his cautions and fears.
“The signet will probably help us,” she said thoughtfully. “Meanwhile we must prevail upon Najine to consent at once.”
As she spoke, there was a hasty tap upon the door, and I opened it to admit Pierrot.
“Monsieur and madame,” he said hurriedly, “the Zotofs are coming. I left Touchet with the carriage at some distance that they might not see us approach, and I have put out the lights at the front of the house.”
“Wise Pierrot,” I said, “put out all the lights that show at the windows;” and then I turned to my wife for suggestions.
“It is, as I thought,” she said; “the czar intends that Madame Zotof shall undo all that he has done. We must get mademoiselle and M. de Lambert out by the rear door.”
“Will that be possible, Pierrot?” I asked.