Adventure stories; British -- Foreign countries -- Fiction; Conspiracies -- Fiction; Europe, Eastern -- Fiction; Princesses -- Fiction
Here Ravenna drew forth a paper and began reading from it. "'Name:
Paul Woodville, formerly Paul Cressingham. Age: twenty-seven.
Nationality: English. Residence: Oriel Hall, Kent, England. Religion:
Anglican Church. Calling: Captain in the Twenty-fourth Kentish, a
cavalry regiment. Object in visiting Czernova: The pleasure of
travelling,' Humph! was that the motive that drew him here? Princess,
do you mark the name Woodville? Your Dalmatian hero has been
distinguishing himself, for he is none other than the Englishman who
conducted the defence of Tajapore."
Emotion caused Barbara to sink upon a marble seat. She knew that
Ravenna was speaking, but she heard not his words. She was oblivious
of everything, but the one overwhelming thought that Paul was alive,
and at that very moment within her own city of Slavowitz!
Her feelings were eloquently testified by the new and radiant light
that came over her face, by her lips parted in an unconscious smile,
by her bosom heaving beneath its foam of white lace. Never had the
princess looked so lovely in the cardinal's eyes as now. Lost in a
delicious daze she was quite forgetful of his presence, as he himself
perceived, for two or three questions addressed to her evoked no
recognition.
Her pleasure struck a pang to his jealous heart. What would he not
have given to be the cause of such transfiguration? But though he
could not create such joy, he could extinguish it, and would; and
observing that Barbara was awaking from her day-dream, and endeavoring
to fix her attention upon him, he proceeded,--
"Captain Woodville--to call him by his new name--saw you this morning
from the balcony of the Hôtel de Varsovie. Knowing that you cannot
really be Natalie Lilieska he will, of course, conclude that you are
an impostor."
How could Paul, ignorant of her true history, come to any other
conclusion? The thought sent a sudden chill to her warm feelings.
"These Englishmen pride themselves on their blunt honesty and plain
dealing. What will he think when he sees that in the sacred matter of
religion you are acting the hypocrite, in secret a Catholic, yet for
the sake of self-interest publicly posing as a Greek!"
Yes; it was true. In name and religion she was a living lie. How she
must have fallen in Paul's esteem! Her quickly changing expression
gave pleasure to the cardinal.
"He saw the duke publicly kiss your hand, and must thus have learned
of your betrothal. Inquiries as to Bora's character must cause him to
marvel at the taste which selects this Scythian barbarian for your
consort."
Every word went, as intended, to Barbara's heart. Paul, not knowing
that she had believed him dead, must have thought himself forgotten by
her. How she longed to see him, to explain the difficulties of her
position, to set matters right between them!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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