But what passion was here! What force! He had somehow never even dreamt such feelings dwelt in women--or, indeed, in any human creatures out of sensational books. Yet, gazing there at her, he dimly understood that in himself, too, they could rise, were another to take her from him. Yes, he could kill in suchlike case. They were silent for some moments, each vibrating with passionate thoughts; and then the lady leant over and laid her cheek against the sleeve of his coat. "Heart of my heart," she said, "I frighten and ruffle you. The women of your country are sweet and soft, but they know not the passion I know, my Paul--the fierceness and madness of love--" Paul clasped her in his arms. "It makes me worship you more, my Queen," he said. "Englishwomen would seem like wax dolls now beside you and your exquisite face--they will never again be anything but shadows in my life. It can only hold you, the one goddess and Queen." Her eyes were suffused with a mist of tenderness, the passion was gone; her head was thrown back against his breast, when suddenly her hand inadvertently touched against the pocket where Dmitry's pistol lay. She started violently, and before he could divine her purpose she snatched the weapon out, and held it up to the light. Her face went like death, and for a second she leant against the parapet as if she were going to faint. "Paul," she gasped with white lips, "this is Dmitry's pistol. I know it well. How did you come by it?--tell me, beloved. If he gave it to you, then it means danger, Paul--danger--" "My darling," said Paul, in his strong young pride "fear nothing, I shall never leave you. I will protect you from any danger in the world, only depend upon me, sweetheart. Nothing can hurt you while I am here." "Do you think I care a _sou_ for my life?" she said, while she stood straight up again with the majesty of a queen. "Do you think I feared for me--for myself? Oh! no, my own lover, never that! They can kill me when they choose, but they won't; it is you for whom I fear. Only your danger could make me cower, no other in the whole world." Paul laughed with joy at her speech. "There is nothing to fear at all then, darling," he said. "I can take care of myself, you know. I am an Englishman." And even in the tumult of her thoughts the lady found time to smile with tender amusement at the young insular arrogance of his last words. An Englishman, forsooth! Of course that meant a kind of god untouched by the failings of other nations. A great rush of pride in him came over her and gladdened her. He was indeed a splendid picture of youth and strength, as he stood there, the sunlight gilding his fair hair, and all the magnificent proportions of his figure thrown into relief against the background of grey stone and sky, an _insouciante_ smile on his lips, and all the light of love and self-confidence in his fine blue eyes.