"I am sorry for him. There are certain wrinkles in the corners of his eyes which show him to be a fanatic. His face is a strange one, and really he is a curious man." "Again art is speaking through you," said Pani Elzen, smiling. But after a moment she grew serious, and on her face even anxiety appeared. "I have another reason," said she. "It is difficult for one to speak of it; but still I will tell you, for with whom am I to be outspoken if not with my great man?--such a loved one, and so honest, who is able to understand everything. You see I have noticed that Kresovich has lost his head, and fallen in love with me to madness; under these conditions he could not remain near--" "How is that, and he too?" "Yes," answered she, with downcast eyes. And she struggled to pretend that the confession caused her pain; but just as a moment before after the words of De Sinten, there flew across her mouth a smile of flattered self-love and feminine vanity. Svirski took note of that smile, and a bitter, angry feeling straitened his heart. "I have succumbed to the epidemic," said he. She looked at him a moment, and asked in a low voice,-- "Was that said by a jealous man, or by an ungrateful one?" "You are right," answered he, evasively. "If that be the position, Kresovich should go." "I will settle with him to-day, and that will be the end." They ceased talking; nothing was heard save the shots of De Sinten and the Hungarian. Svirski, however, could not forgive her that smile which he had caught on the wing. He said to himself, it is true, that Pani Elzen was obliged to act with Kresovich as she had acted, that there was nothing over which to be angry--still he felt rising vexation in his soul. On a time, at the beginning of his acquaintance with Pani Elzen, he saw her riding; she was some yards ahead; after her hurried De Sinten, young Kladzki, Prince Valerian, Wilkis Bey, and Waxford. On Svirski, the group produced the fatal impression at the moment, that it was a kind of chase after a woman. At present the picture stood in memory before him so vividly and with such sharpness that his artistic nature suffered really. "It is absolutely true," said he to himself, "that all are running after her, and if I had been thrown in clearing some obstacle, the next man behind would have caught her." But further meditation was stopped by Pani Elzen, who declared that she was growing cold in the shade, and wished to warm herself a trifle in the sun. "Let us go to your rooms, and do you get a wrap," said Svirski, rising. They set out for the upper terrace, but halfway on the steps she stopped all at once and said,-- "You are dissatisfied with me. In what have I offended; have I not done what was proper?" Svirski, whose discontent had calmed somewhat on the way, and who was touched by her alarm, said,-- "Pardon an old original; I beg you to do so."