"They will witness against no one. Knowing that roulette is a forbidden game, being unable to open the safe, I took the precaution to pour aquafortis through the keyhole; and they into whose hands the 'yellow' book has fallen have not found a single name inscribed upon its pages, for they are all effaced. I was present when it was produced; there was no writing to be seen." At these words there was a loud clanking of chains, Ivan striking together those which fettered his hands. Chevalier Galban was wild with rage. "You are truly an imp of Satan, Zeneida Ilmarinen. By this demoniacal act you have deprived Siberia and the scaffold of ten thousand conspirators!" "Let us add their families, and reckon it at a hundred thousand." "Only a woman could be capable of such an abomination. And you dare to tell it to me?" "What have I to fear from you? I have in my possession a letter from the Czar, authorizing me to leave this unhappy country and to go wherever I like." Chevalier Galban, seeing that she was thus outside the pale of his castigation, wished to return to his tone of studied French courtesy. "The world of St. Petersburg, madame, will deeply regret its loss after this 'farewell' performance of yours to-day. And where may you be going, if I may take the liberty of asking, that I may instruct the police to allow you to pass unmolested?" "Where else than where my _master_ leads--to Tobolsk?" "What! You are going with Ghedimin to Siberia?" "Why not? I am not his wife, to separate from him when misfortune overtakes him. I am only his friend; I cannot desert him." And, going to the chained prisoner, she took the heavy ball hanging to his feet in her hands; it was her bridal dowry. "We can go now, master." At this moment Ivan proudly raised his head, a glow upon his face. The attitude of the shaven head was what it should have been before--that of a hero--the statuesque head of one fighting for his country's freedom. With his fettered hands he raised Zeneida's to his lips and cried, in the full metallic tones of his manly voice: "I thank thee, O my God! Thou hast made me richer now than ever I was before!" Zeneida, nestling up to him, put her arms about him. "Now you may hiss to your heart's content, Chevalier Galban. The play is over!" But Galban had no desire to do so. Even his despicable heart was touched by so much nobility of spirit. The four grenadiers, too, stood with sunken heads, against all military discipline. "But, Fräulein," stammered the Chevalier, "only consider what is in store for you if you seriously carry out this tremendous determination." Zeneida looked at Ivan Maximovitch, her whole soul in that look. "I will be a _nameless wife_ to this _nameless man_. Let us go." The heavy chains clanked at each step. In the deserted room the only sound now heard was the sobbing of the faithful old serving-man; but on the face of the dead, stretched upon the floor, all lines had been smoothed away. She smiled.