For Paul, one fact, and only one, existed—it was she—his Lady of the Beauteous Countenance; no vision, but a be[162]witching creature of flesh and blood whose gloved hand rested for a moment in his own. [162] As in a dream Paul heard the lady's name—the same that he had learned at Lucerne—and he felt himself murmuring something—what the words were he scarcely knew. Not by so much as the quiver of an eyelash did Mademoiselle give sign of recognition, or memory of any previous meeting. She merely smiled as she told Paul that her old friend the Countess had often spoken of him. His heart was athrob with curious emotions, when he heard the Countess' voice: "Come! we are going in. You two can become better acquainted at table." And he felt his partner's arm rest lightly within his; its merest touch electrified him. "Damn the dinner!" Paul swore softly[163] to himself, for he had no wish to share his good fortune with a roomful of people. [163] To his great disgust, a silly ass of a young German attaché, who sat on the other side of Mademoiselle Vseslavitch, began talking with her as soon as they had reached their places. When Paul did have her to himself occasionally, she talked to him of England, the last subject he was interested in then. Not for a minute did she allow him an opportunity to lead her in the direction of Langres or Lucerne. "I have never been across the Channel," she told him. "But I have long wished to go. You English are such a remarkable people—you are all so sane and sensible compared with my own countrymen. What Russian can talk with a woman for five minutes without making violent love to her?—but you cold-[164]blooded Anglo-Saxons are so refreshingly different." [164] Paul did not see the mischievous merriment in the lady's eyes. And his gallant answer was interrupted by some inanity from Herr von Mark. If ever the Anglo-German diplomatic relations were in danger, an observer would have promptly decided that they were at that instant. That the conceited young German did not immediately expire was only due to the fact that dagger glances cannot cause a fatal
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