He lifted each piece slowly, like a sleeper with his eyes half shut; and yet his opponent could not hold her own against his wary tactics and was defeated by him now for the third time, though her uncle himself called her a good player.  It was easy to read in her high, smooth brow and dark-blue eyes with their direct gaze, that she could think clearly and decisively, and also feel deeply.  But she seemed wilful too, and contradictory—­at any rate to-day; for when Orion pointed out some move to her she rarely took his advice, but with set lips, pushed the piece according to her own, rarely wiser, judgment.  It was quite plain that she was refractory under the guidance of this—­especially of this counsellor.

The bystanders could not fail to see the girl’s repellent manner and Orion’s eager attempts to propitiate her; and for this reason Neforis was glad when, just as her husband had finished the third game, and had pushed the men together on the board with the back of his hand, his chamberlain reminded him that the Arab was without, awaiting his pleasure with growing impatience.  The Mukaukas answered only by a sign, drew his long caftan of the finest wool closer around him, and pointed to the doors and the open roof.  The rest of the party had long felt the chill of the damp night air that blew through the room from the river, but knowing that the father suffered more from heat than from anything, they had all willingly endured the draught.  Now, however, Orion called the slaves, and before the strangers were admitted the doors were closed and the roof covered.

Paula rose; the governor lay motionless and kept his eyes apparently closed; he must, however, have seen what was going forward through an imperceptible slit, for he turned first to Paula and then to the other women saying:  “Is it not strange?—­Most old folks, like children, seek the sun, and love to sit, as the others play, in its heat.  While I—­ something that happened to me years ago—­you know;—­and it seemed to freeze my blood.  Now it never gets warm, and I feel the contrast between the coolness in here and the heat outside most acutely, almost as a pain.  The older we grow the more ready we are to abandon to the young the things we ourselves used most to enjoy.  The only thing which we old folks do not willingly relinquish is personal comfort, and I thank you for enduring annoyances so patiently for the sake of securing mine.—­It is a terrific summer!  You, Paula, from the heights of Lebanon, know what ice is.  How often have I wished that I could have a bed of snow.  To feel myself one with that fresh, still coldness would be all I wish for!  The cold air which you dread does me good.  But the warmth of youth rebels against everything that is cool.”

This was the first long sentence the Mukaukas had uttered since the beginning of the game.  Orion listened respectfully to the end, but then he said with a laugh:  “But there are some young people who seem to take pleasure in being cool and icy—­for what cause God alone knows!”