You can see her if you wish."

A woman's whisper broke the twilight: "Thank God!--Thank God!--She is
conscious? She is safe?"

"She cannot be conscious for some hours yet, Madame.--The operation has
been a terribly difficult one. Her Ladyship's condition is critical."

Silence. Then a faint groan from Michael's chair.

There followed six hours of waiting, watching, hoping, despairing. The
deadened consciousness trembled on the edge of the great void; and
neither doctor, nurse, nor relative left the still room in which the
soul still delayed. Now and again, after the administration of some
stimulant, one of the three, Michael, Vassily, or Caroline would whisper
a question, hoping always for an answer suggestive of hope. But the
reply was always the same:

"We cannot tell.--Wait."

It was nine o'clock at night before the body stirred naturally for the
first time, and a long, fluttering sigh broke from the pallid lips. From
Caroline came a faint cry of joy; and then Sophia's great eyes opened,
languidly, and her look was turned upon her sister.

"Mother!" she whispered, smiling.

"No, Sophie!--No!"

But Weimann was at her elbow. "Do not contradict!" he murmured. Then he
turned to Michael.

"You have a son?" he said, quietly.

"Yes!--You mean--" Michael's face had not held this look before.

"He should be here," said the doctor, steadily. "I think she will know
you all--yet."

Prince Gregoriev bowed his head upon his breast, and stole from the
room. Ten minutes later Piotr was speeding across Moscow in his master's
brougham, towards the _Corps des Cadets_.

* * * * *

Of that long drive homeward across the city, Ivan's only memory was of a
long blur of pain that culminated, as they halted at the portals, in a
sudden burst of realization. His eyes, tear-shrouded as they were,
sought the well-known window on the second floor from which his mother's
face had so often greeted him or smiled down a farewell for one more
week.--Yes, the window was alight! Then--then she was still--Great God!
How did human senses bear such grief as was swelling through him now?

Within the gloomily lighted hall Ivan found himself, quite unexpectedly,
face to face with his father, who was apparently awaiting him. Until
this moment Ivan had forgotten the very existence of Prince Michael; but
now he was startled at the drawn and haggard face that presented itself
in the lamp-light, as his father seiz