Читать книгу When I Was Czar онлайн

93 страница из 105

“My hand is forced by this. I shall use them.”

“My God, what a mess!” I cried involuntarily.

She paid no heed, but hurried me into the house, and gave orders for a carriage to be brought round at once.

“You are ready of course, monsieur,” she said quickly.

But I had made up my mind. Her fear of “something happening” had given me a cue.

“I am not going, mademoiselle, without the papers.”

“You will go, monsieur,” she replied, her face setting.

“Then I take the papers with me, mademoiselle.”

“On the contrary, monsieur, you will go without them.”

“We shall see;” and I sat down with an intentional deliberation.

“I have pledged myself for your personal safety. You must go.”

The purpose in her voice strengthened with every sentence.

“I will trust to my own right arm, mademoiselle. Without those papers, I do not leave the house, come what may.”

“You are dealing with a desperate woman, monsieur. You must go.”

“Then give me the papers to take with me.”

She came and stood opposite me, her eyes aflame, and her hands clenched.