“And the particular command in question?”
“That I do not attempt to leave these quarters.”
“I hope you will not. You are safer here than elsewhere. And this is the only place in which we could see much of each other.”
“Say no more, my dearest. Wild horses shall not drag me away without your approval.”
“There, what do you say to that, Sister Ivanovitch?” asked Sergius. “You see, my wife has pledged her word to me to be obedient. In fact, you need be under no apprehension of indiscretion on her part. We both give you our word of honor.”
“And yours is too well known to be doubted, Brother Volkhoffsky.”
“Sergius,” I said, as the worthy woman went to see after our lunch, “I feel thoroughly ashamed of myself for causing you so much trouble and anxiety. I shall—”
“Not another word, my darling. It does me good to see you looking something like your own bright self again. I ought never to have left you behind, for I might have known that you would have preferred to share danger with me, rather than live a life of suspense and inactivity at home.”
“My life promises to be inactive enough even here now.”
“But at least you know where I am and what I am doing, and that is something.”