"If you are not tired, I would rather walk," answered he. "Very well. I am not tired at all. But where shall we go? Would you look at the pigeon-shooting?" "Willingly, but we shall not be alone there. De Sinten and young Kladzki will be sure to exercise after lunch." "Yes; but they will not trouble us. When pigeons are the question, these two young men grow deaf and blind to all else that happens around them. For that matter, let them see me with my great man!" And, turning her head, she looked with a smile into his eyes:-- "Doesn't the great man wish that himself?" "Of course, let them see us!" answered Svirski, raising her hand to his lips. "Then we will go down; I like well enough to see the shooting." "Let us go." And after a while they were on the great steps leading to the shooting gallery. "How bright it is here! How pleasant and how happy I am!" said Pani Elzen. Then, though there was no one near them, she asked in a whisper, "But you?" "My light is with me!" answered he, pressing her arm to his breast. And they began to descend. The day was uncommonly bright, the air golden and azure; the sea was dark in the distance. "We will stay here awhile," said Pani Elzen. "The cages are perfectly visible from this spot." Beneath them was a green half-circle covered with grass, extending far into the sea. In this half-circle were placed, in a curving line on the ground, cages containing pigeons. Moment after moment, some one of those cages was opened suddenly, and a frightened bird rushed through the air; then a shot was heard, and the pigeon fell to the ground, or even into the sea, where boats were rocking with fishermen in them waiting for their prey. Sometimes it happened, however, that the shot missed. Then the pigeon flew toward the sea, and afterward, moving in a circle, returned to seek refuge in the cornice of the Casino. "From here we do not see the marksmen, and do not know who fires," said Pani Elzen, joyously, "so we will guess; if the first pigeon falls, we will remain in Monte Carlo; if it escapes, we will go to Italy." "Agreed. Let us look! Out it comes!" A cage fell open that instant, but the bird, as if dazed, remained on the spot. They frightened the pigeon by rolling a wooden ball toward it; next a shot thundered. The bird did not fall at once, however; it made straight for the sea, coming down gradually to the surface, as if wounded; but at last it vanished completely in the brightness of the sun. "Maybe it fell, maybe it did not fall! The future is uncertain," said Svirski, laughing. "It is that unendurable De Sinten," said Pani Elzen, pouting like an angry child. "I will bet that is he! Let us go down." And they went farther down toward the shooting, among cactuses, sunflowers, and goat grass clinging to the walls. Pani Elzen stopped at every report of a gun, and in her white robe, on the great steps, against the green background, she looked like a statue.