Jack dropped into a chair. ‘By Jove!’ he muttered, ‘here’s a pretty kettle of fish. I’m sorry for the count. It would have been better if Miss Irma had left me to my own devices. As for that popinjay Sominoff, I’d like to make him stand up before me for ten minutes with bare fists!’ Late that night old Sergius, with a perfectly imperturbable air, appeared and asked Jack if there was anything he required before he retired to rest. Jack replied that there was nothing; but bade him carry his respectful salutation to the count and countess and the Lady Irma. Without moving a muscle of his face, Sergius retired, and Jack could not help thinking that the old man, at his master’s bidding, would as calmly cut a guest’s throat as offer him a glass of wine. In the morning the count appeared. At first he seemed much annoyed, and talked coldly on various subjects. Jack, who felt very sorry for him, treated him with the utmost courtesy, and presently the count referred to the occurrence of the afternoon before. Jack expressed his regret at the affair, and said how distasteful it was to him to be mixed up in what was really a family squabble. ‘The fact is,’ said the count, ‘Vladimir has taken it into his head to be madly jealous of you.’ ‘My dear count, is it not absurd for him to be jealous of a plain English sergeant of Lancers. Has he such a poor opinion of the daughter of one of the oldest families in Russia?’ The count looked keenly at Jack. ‘The worst of it is,’ he said, rather shamefacedly, ‘my sister is young and very impressionable. She met you under somewhat romantic circumstances on the day of the Alma; then you came here at the point of death, and she pitied you. You are really a gentleman, though you choose to serve in the ranks of your army. You two have been thrown much together, and’---- ‘My dear count, it is time I went. I will not stay here to embarrass you. Send me at once to Sebastopol.’ ‘That I will never do,’ cried the count vehemently, ‘if only to thwart Vladimir; and, besides, Irma will not hear of it. I have tried to get you exchanged; but, unfortunately, you are--er’---- ‘Not an officer,’ said Jack, finishing the sentence. ‘Exactly, and for some reason Prince Mentschikoff is obdurate. I fear Vladimir, who possesses much influence with him, has been using it against you. I will, however, see what I can do for you to-day. Meanwhile it would be better if you kept to the house, or at least the grounds. I--er--forgot to mention that I have pledged my word for your safe custody.’ Jack understood the delicately inferred hint. ‘Do not fear, count, that I could ever think of repaying your kindness by escaping,’ he said. ‘And I implore you not to attempt it. The whole country swarms with our men, and capture would be certain. Then it would be Siberia for you, even if nothing worse happened.’