Jack immediately recognised him as the Hussar who had been with Kirchoff on the night he had been captured; but Sominoff, hardly giving Jack a glance, just nodded slightly and passed him by. Jack was relieved to think he had not been recognised; but presently he heard Count Pauloff relating how Jack had saved his life at the Alma, how later he had been captured by Kirchoff, and how the count had rescued him. Then Colonel Sominoff favoured Jack with a long, cold stare. During the evening Sominoff paid Irma very great attention. She, however, received his advances with great coolness. The handsome Hussar stroked his moustache and pretended not to notice this treatment; but there was a look in his eye that Jack did not like, and later on in the evening, when Irma seated herself on a divan in one corner of the room with him, and told him who all the people were, he glanced up to see Colonel Sominoff regarding him with a look that quite made him start. Seeing Colonel Sominoff glaring at Jack, Irma said, ‘Oh, that’s my cousin Vladimir; he pesters me to death with his odious attentions, but I hate him. Alexis says he is careful to keep as far from danger as he can, which means he is a coward, and I am sure he is a bully as well, in spite of his cat-like manners.’ After that Colonel Vladimir Sominoff was a frequent visitor at the château, and he kept by Irma’s side all the while he was in the house. Jack he simply ignored, never addressing a word to him, and treating him as if he did not exist. Sometimes the count came with the colonel, but more often the latter came alone. On one occasion the colonel and the count came to spend a few days at the mansion, and Jack determined to keep in the apartments which he occupied. This, however, Irma did not let him do. ‘Why do you shut yourself up here?’ she cried with a little stamp of her foot, while her dark eyes shone angrily. ‘I--I do not wish to intrude,’ said Jack rather lamely. ‘Intrude, intrude! who has dared say you intrude?’ she cried fiercely. ‘If any of the servants’---- and her eyes blazed ominously. ‘No one has said a word,’ interrupted Jack hastily; ‘but your brother and your cousin are here. You are quite a little family circle, and--and’---- ‘And what? Have we neglected you? Have we slighted you?’ ‘No, a thousand times no,’ said Jack; ‘but can you not understand? You are of the aristocracy. I am a plain English soldier; I cannot mix on an equality with you, and it is better that I should not. This life is unfitting me for my career. I shall never forget your kindness; but the longer I remain here the harder I shall find it when I go. At any moment I may be taken off to prison’---- ‘You won’t,’ cried Irma. ‘Alexis has promised me that you shall not be taken from here if he can help it; and he can help it--he shall. He is a friend of Prince Mentschikoff.’ ‘Then I must return to my duty, and before long I hope.’