The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 119: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

BY RIGHT OF SWORD. 119 I was all inclined to disbelieve the story which the princess had told, or rather had suggested ; and I began to look behind all she had said for some motive or intrigue. I thought she might wish for the help of my sword for some altogether different purpose than she had suggested; but I could think of nothing. Nor could Olga, with whom I spoke very freely on the subject. She said she could see no more than appeared on the surface ; and what that was it was superfluous to ask ; especially when she told me that the prin- cess could or would talk of nothing else to her but my bravery, my good looks, my courtesy, my chivalry, and so on, at great length. “It is agreeable to have my brother praised,’’ said Olga once, laughing. ‘“ But there are limits.’”’ During the next four or five days Olga had ample opportunities of hearing these praises, moreover, as the princess would scarcely let her out of her sight. When I called on the day following the ball, I found the two together, and the princess, in the few words we had together out of my sister’s hear- ing, would say nothing at all about the subject of her wrongs. She enlarged on the suggestion of the previous night that she had been led by her impulses and her instinctive trust in me to speak too fully. For some days she maintained the same attitude of reserve, and then quite suddenly, when we were alone, she changed again and in words which I could not fail to understand she let me know indirectly that if I would avenge her wrongs, her hand would be my reward. I have never in my life had to face a more awkward crisis than that. What reply she expected I cannot tell: whether she looked for some eager, passionate protestations of love, or some strong pledge of defense, or what. Whether she really cared for me and the confusion she showed was the sign of it, or whether the whole part was assumed and everything mere acting, I cannot say. But I know that I on my part felt indescribably embarrassed and scarcely knew who to answer her. I knew the danger to Olga and myself of offending a woman so highly placed, so influential and powerful as the princess. We had enough troubles as it was ; and if they were to be multiplied and aggravated in this way, we should be overwhelmed. It was certain that I must find some way of temporizing. ‘‘ Princess, 1am your devoted servant to do with as you will,’’ I answered. ‘‘ And if my sword can be of service, tell me how.’’ She started and flushed with pleasure as I said this. 3 ‘I knew I should not count on you in vain. The Grand Duke Ser- vaniefi will now learn that a more stalwart arm than his protects me from his insults.’’ Her eyes seemed to glitter as she watched the effect of this name on me. ‘‘Do you mean that that is the man you wish me to fight?’’ I cried in the deepest astonishment. He was all but on the very steps of the throne, and if I had approached him he would have brushed me away into a jail with no more concern or difficulty than he would have whisked a fly off his hand. The woman was mad. ° Commicooolkxs (S@)