"He's dancing. He's glad for something. That's how he'll dance on my grave." At last the Geisha tore herself away--the crowd about her could not withstand her quick fists and sharp teeth. The Geisha dashed from the room. In the corridor the Ear of Corn rushed at the Geisha again and caught hold of her dress. The Geisha almost succeeded in tearing herself away, but she was again surrounded. The scuffle was renewed. "They're pulling her by the ears!" someone exclaimed. A little woman caught the Geisha's ear and pulled it with loud triumphant cries. The Geisha screamed and somehow tore herself away, after having hit the malicious little woman with her fist. At last, Bengalsky, who had managed in the meantime to put on his ordinary dress, fought his way towards the Geisha. He took the trembling Geisha in his arms, covered her with his huge body and arms as far as he could and quickly carried her away, thrusting the crowd aside with his elbows and feet. The crowd shouted: "Rotter! Scoundrel!" They tugged at Bengalsky and punched him in the back. He exclaimed: "I won't allow the mask to be torn from a woman. Do what you like, I won't allow it." In this way he carried the Geisha the entire length of the corridor, which culminated in a narrow door opening into the Club dining-room. Here Veriga managed to hold back the crowd for a short time. With the resolution of a soldier he stood there and refused to allow anyone to pass. He said: "Gentlemen, you can't go any farther." Goudayevskaya, rustling with the remaining ears of corn of her costume, dashed at Veriga, clenching her fists and screamed piercingly: "Go away! Let us pass!" But the General's imposingly cold face and his determined grey eyes kept her from doing anything more. She cried in helpless rage to her husband: "You might have boxed her ears--you gaping block-head!" "It was hard to get at her," the Indian justified himself, gesticulating wildly--"Pavloushka was in the way." "You ought to have hit Pavloushka in the teeth and her in the ear--why did you stand on ceremony!" screamed Goudayevskaya. The crowd pressed against Veriga. They abused him fully. Veriga stood calmly before the door and tried to persuade those nearest him to preserve order. The kitchen-boy opened the door behind Veriga and whispered: "They've gone, your Excellency." Veriga walked away. The crowd broke into the dining-room, then into the kitchen--they looked for the Geisha but did not find her. * * * * * Bengalsky, carrying the Geisha, ran through the dining-room into the kitchen. She lay tranquilly in his arms and said nothing. Bengalsky thought he could hear the strong beating of the Geisha's heart. On her tightly-clutching bare arms he noticed several scratches and near the elbow the blue-yellow stain of a bruise. In a hurried voice Bengalsky said to the crowding servants in the kitchen: "Quick, an overcoat, a dressing-gown, a sheet--anything! I must save this lady."