"Look here, Fatalité," he said roughly; "we thought you were dying a little while ago, and I helped to fight for your life, and all the time, at the back of my brain I wished you were dead. Yes, you needn't look so horrified." He gave her a fierce shake. "I hoped to see you in your coffin. Can't you understand, Fatalité? No, of course you can't, and you think me a brute. One of these days perhaps you will think differently. Probably you imagine I don't care for you, but if I didn't should I mind whether you were alive or dead? You've always been saying that you feel something is going to happen. It seems you are right. There have been several unexpected developments during the last few days. It is most likely that I may be chosen to go back to Russia with despatches to one of the secret societies there. Here I cannot be arrested, there I can. Of course it means Siberia—eventually. That's only what we all expect."
"Then I shall be here alone."
"Yes, and there's no future for a woman in this vile place. You know the proverb they have, 'Can any good thing come out of Barcelona?' Your looks are against you too."
"There's always the river."
"Then when the time comes choose that—if you still have the courage. You've been bonne camarade to me, Fatalité. The men you will meet later on may not want that."
CHAPTER XV
"I kiss you and the world begins to fade."
W. B. YEATS.
Count Vladimir and Emile met and consulted together, the immediate result of the interview being that Vardri was offered the post of private secretary to the former. Emile had gone out leaving them together, and Vladimir had hardly finished speaking when he found himself faced by an unexpected situation.
"I accept with pleasure," Vardri said, "but on one condition—that it means my remaining in Barcelona."
Vladimir hesitated. "Well, I had not contemplated that. Naturally one requires one's secretary to be—"