II
395 Words
IIAt last! She was alone! Olga Borgensky drew from under her foot the scrap of paper, and feverishly unfolded and smoothed it. It had been more than half burnt, but the contents, such as they were, fully compensated her for all the difficulties she had encountered.
This is what she read:
At her ball then, in her home, which had been so hospitably opened to these young plotters, their infamous schemes were to be consummated.
No doubt existed in her mind. His Majesty the Tsar, as was well known, meant to honor her by appearing at her ball for an hour or so on the following evening.
When he re-entered "his carriage," a bomb would be " thrown without much" risk of detection, as the crowd would be sure to be very dense. In the meanwhile the conspirators meant to draw "lots as to who" should be the actual assassin, and this they meant tn do during the "czimbalom solo," probably in the card or billiard-room, and those that were willing to perpetrate this dastardly deed, and thus to sacrifice themselves as well as their family, were to wear a "red carnation," which was evidently the badge of the fraternity.
The terrible part of the whole thing in Madame Borgensky's mind was that, as the infamous plot was to be carried through in her house, she, and especially her husband, were certain to be suspected of some sort of connivance, and might thereby lose their liberty, probably their lives.
Ah! how she hated these plotters now, with a bitter, deadly hatred, the hatred of the Russian against the Pole, the hatred born of fear! How thankful she was that Count Gulohoff had induced her to spy on them; she did not regret her action now, as at one moment she feared she would do.
"Why, my darling, how pale and agitated you look," said a loving voice, close to her elbow. "Count Gulohoff told me you had not been well, and I have ordered the carriage to take you home."
And Eugen Borgensky bent anxiously over his young wife, and scanned her wan-looking features and wild eyes.
"It is nothing, dear," she said; "a little too much excitement, I think. I will make my adieux to Princess Leminoff, and we will go home at once." When she joined him again a moment later, all her wonted composure had returned.
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