of wilful blind ignorance you
are fallen. I pity you--and--I despise you! You are indeed a plain man,
as you say--nothing more and nothing less. You can take advantage of
the hospitality of this house, and pretend friendship to the host,
while you slander him behind his back, and insult his sister in the
privacy of her own apartment. Very manlike, truly; and perfectly in
accordance with a reasonable being who likes to live and love and laugh
according to the rule of society--a puppet whose wires society pulls,
and he dances or dies as society pleases. I told you a gulf existed
between us--you have widened it, for which I thank you! As I do not
impose any of my wishes upon you, and therefore cannot request you to
leave the room, you must excuse me if _I_ retire elsewhere."

And she approached the entrance of her studio, which was opposite to
where I stood; but the Prince reached it before her, and placed his
back against it. His face was deathly pale, and his dark eyes blazed
with wrath and love intermingled.

"No, Zara!" he exclaimed in a sort of loud whisper. "If you think to
escape me so, you are in error. I came to you reckless and resolved!
You shall be mine if I die for it!" And he strove to seize her in his
arms. But she escaped him and stood at bay, her lips quivering, her
bosom heaving, and her hands clenched.

"I warn you!" she exclaimed. "By the intense loathing I have for you;
by the force which makes my spirit rise in arms against you, I warn
you! Do not dare to touch me! If you care for your own life, leave me
while there is time!"

Never had she looked so supremely, terribly beautiful. I gazed at her
from my corner of the doorway, awed, yet fascinated. The jewel on her
breast glowed with an angry red lustre, and shot forth dazzling opaline
rays, as though it were a sort of living, breathing star. Prince Ivan
paused--entranced no doubt, as I was, by her unearthly loveliness. His
face flushed--he gave a low laugh of admiration. Then he made two swift
strides forward and caught her fiercely in his embrace. His triumph was
brief. Scarcely had his strong arm clasped her waist, when it fell numb
and powerless--scarcely had his eager lips stooped towards hers, when
he reeled and sank heavily on the ground, senseless! The spell that had
held me a silent spectator of the scene was broken. Terrified, I rushed
into the room, crying out:

"Zara, Zara! What have you done?"

Zara turned her eyes gently upon me--