“Mademoiselle is no longer with us,” I replied with frankness; “she left us at a late hour last night.”
“And is with her guardians?” he asked persistently.
“You must ask Madame Zotof,” I said calmly.
He flushed with anger at my indifference to his importance.
“I ask for his imperial Majesty,” he declared haughtily.
But I only continued to regard him with a smile. “I understand that, M. Shein,” I replied composedly, “but I cannot perform miracles even for the czar. I cannot produce mademoiselle when she is not with us; neither can I tell you where she may be at this moment.”
He had his hand upon the door, but made me an obeisance.
“I have discharged my errand, your Excellency,” he said gravely, “and shall return to the czar and report the result of my endeavors.”
“You will do well to do so before going on a thankless errand, monsieur,” I replied cheerfully.
“I am not sure of the wisdom of that, M. l’Ambassadeur,” he retorted tartly; “I only trust that it may not be my painful duty to return here shortly with more stringent orders.”