Chapter 9

IX

ANNOUCHKA

"And now it's between us two, Natacha," murmured Rouletabille as
soon as he was outside. He hailed the first carriage that passed
and gave the address of the datcha des Iles. When he got in he
held his head between his hands; his face burned, his jaws were set.
But by a prodigious effort of his will he resumed almost instantly
his calm, his self-control. As he went back across the Neva, across
the bridge where he had felt so elated a little while before, and
saw the isles again he sighed heavily. "I thought I had got it all
over with, so far as I was concerned, and now I don't know where it
will stop." His eyes grew dark for a moment with somber thoughts
and the vision of the Lady in Black rose before him; then he shook
his head, filled his pipe, lighted it, dried a tear that had been
caused doubtless by a little smoke in his eye, and stopped
sentimentalizing. A quarter of an hour later he gave a true Russian
nobleman's fist-blow in the back to the coachman as an intimation
that they had reached the Trebassof villa. A charming picture was
before him. They were all lunching gayly in the garden, around the
table in the summer-house. He was astonished, however, at not
seeing Natacha with them. Boris Mourazoff and Michael Korsakoff
were there. Rouletabille did not wish to be seen. He made a sign
to Ermolai, who was passing through the garden and who hurried to
meet him at the gate.

"The Barinia," said the reporter, in a low voice and with his finger
to his lips to warn the faithful attendant to caution.

In two minutes Matrena Petrovna joined Rouletabille in the lodge.

"Well, where is Natacha?" he demanded hurriedly as she kissed his
hands quite as though she had made an idol of him.

"She has gone away. Yes, out. Oh, I did not keep her. I did not
try to hold her back. Her expression frightened me, you can
understand, my little angel. My, you are impatient! What is it
about? How do we stand? What have you decided? I am your slave.
Command me. Command me. The keys of the villa?"

"Yes, give me a key to the veranda; you must have several. I must
be able to get into the house to-night if it becomes necessary."

She drew a key from her gown, gave it to the young man and said a
few words in Russian to Ermolai, to enforce upon him that he must
obey the little domovoi-doukh in anything, day or night.

"Now tell me where Natacha has gone."

"Boris's parents came to see us a little while ago, to inquire after
the general. They have taken Natacha away with them, as they often
have done. Natacha went with them readily enough. Little domovoi,
listen to me, listen to Matrena Petrovna - Anyone would have said
she was expecting it!"

"Then