“Mademoiselle,” I said gently, “I thank you for remembering my petition; the day is brighter for seeing you.”
She smiled as she replied softly to my greeting, and then I discreetly withdrew to a little distance, that they might have an opportunity to converse. Her woman was waiting with Touchet, but as she spoke no French and he only a few words of Russ, they made an amusing by-play by their gestures and grimaces, which indeed conveyed nothing of their meaning to each other. I watched them with enjoyment, for it was evident that Touchet found it an effort to entertain her, and she regarded him with distrust as an alien. Meanwhile mademoiselle and her lover walked to and fro in the shadow of the great Tower of Ivan Veliki, conversing in low tones; now and then I caught the czar’s name and madame’s, and could see that M. de Lambert grew more eloquent each moment, while mademoiselle was apparently uncertain; yet her face was brighter than on the previous day. They had been talking a quarter of an hour, and seemed to forget me, although I could overhear a sentence or two as they passed and repassed me in their promenade.
“He is the czar and I but a poor French gentleman,” he said; “he can offer you a crown and I—nothing but my sword and my heart.”
I saw mademoiselle’s face, and she gave her lover a charming glance.
“Is your heart so poor a thing, monsieur?” she asked; “it seems to me that a true heart weighed in the scale with a diadem would exceed the jewelled bauble.”
“You will be true to me, Najine!” he cried passionately.
“M. de Lambert,” I heard her reply, as they turned back upon their walk, “I come of a loyal race, and the empty honor of a crown could not shake my faith. Is there a better gift than an honest heart? A throne and a heart are offered me—Guillaume, I prefer the heart!”
I smiled; were there ever two more simple children? Yet I loved them both for their simplicity. A few moments later, mademoiselle had bidden him adieu and came towards me with her veil down, so that I could but dimly see her blushing cheeks as she parted from me. She had forbidden our attendance, and with her woman walked rapidly away; as they did so, I saw Tikhon come out of the cathedral and follow in their wake, and knew that we had been watched. M. de Lambert saw it as quickly as I did, and, before I could stop him, dashed off in pursuit. Knowing his hot blood, I followed at once with Touchet, anticipating mischief. Mademoiselle and her companion, walking fast, gained upon their follower, and, turning the corner of the cathedral, disappeared just as M. de Lambert overtook the Russian, and I could see that they disputed together. Before I reached them, Guillaume struck the spy a blow with the flat of his sword that stretched him on the ground; I know not what would have ensued if I had not come up in time to catch his arm.
“You madman!” I exclaimed, “that is Prince Dolgoruky’s equerry. What folly is this?”
But M. de Lambert’s blood was up. “The villain!” he cried fiercely; “has he no other employment than to follow mademoiselle about the city? I will teach him better manners.”