“How is she?  Where is she?” he demanded, incoherently.

“She is well, and is going to be, very soon now, the prince’s bride.”

“Never.”

“Don’t let his excellency hear you say so in that tone.  He thinks you only a detective, not an ardent, though secret wooer yourself.  The Strogareffs brook no rivals,” she laughed, “and he is already like a madman.  I should tremble for your life if he dreamed—­”

“Help me to help her—­” he said.  “It will be more than worth your while.  You did this for—­”

She shook her head.  “I have descended very low, indeed, but not so low as that.  Like the bravos of old”—­was it she who spoke bitterly now?—­“Sonia Turgeinov is, at least, true to him who has given her the little douceur.  No, no; do not look to me, my young and Quixotic friend.  You have only yourself to depend upon—­”

“Myself!” He felt the sharp iron cut his flesh.  That seemed indubitable—­no mere fantasy of pain but pain itself.

“Let well enough alone,” she advised.  “The prince will probably put you ashore somewhere—­I’ll beg him to do that.  He’ll be better natured after—­after the happy event,” she laughed.  “Perhaps, he’ll even slip a little purse into your pocket though you did hurt a few of his men.  Not that he cares much for them—­mere serfs.  You could find a little consolation, eh?  With a bottle, perhaps.  Besides, I have heard these island girls have bright eyes.”  He could not speak.  “Are you adamant, save for one?” she mocked.  “Content yourself with what must be.  It is a good match for her.  The little fool might scour the world for a better one.  As for you—­your crazy infatuation—­what have you to offer? Tres drole! Do dog-tenders mate with such as she?  No; destiny says to her, be a grand lady at the court of Petersburg.  I am doing her a great favor.  Many American families would pay me well, I tell you—­”

She paused.  “You will smile at it all, some day, my friend.  You played and lost.  At least, it was daringly done.  You deceived even me over the telephone.  ‘Go to sleep,’ forsooth!  You commanded in a right princely tone.  And I obeyed.”

An instant her hand lingered once more near the bandage.  It was ridiculous, that tentative, almost sympathetic touch.  Then, she—­a figment of disordered imagination—­receded; there was no doubt about his light-headedness now.

They sent again bread and water, and, after what seemed an intolerable interval, he found himself eating with zest; he was exceedingly hungry.  He also began to feel mentally normal, although his thoughts were the reverse of agreeable.  Days had, no doubt, gone by.  He chafed at this enforced inaction, but sometimes through sheer weariness fell into a semblance of natural sleep despite the sitting posture he was obliged to maintain.  On one such occasion he was abruptly awakened by a light thrown suddenly on his face.  He would have started to his feet but the fetters restrained him.