"
Then into Tamara's brain there rushed visions of the unutterable
pleasure this tenderness would mean, and she said:
"Don't let us talk;--I want to sleep, Marraine."
And in the morning they arrived at Moscow.
CHAPTER XVI
The whole day of the sight-seeing passed with comparative smoothness,
Tamara persistently remained with Sonia's husband or Stephen Strong,
when any moment came that she should be alone with any man.
She was apparently indifferent to Gritzko,--considering that she was
throbbing with interest in his every movement and inwardly longing to
talk to him--she kept up the _r?le_ she had set herself to play
very well. It was not an agreeable one, and but for the inward feverish
excitement she would have suffered much pain.
Gritzko for his part seemed whimsically indifferent for most of the
time, but once now and then the Princess, who watched things as the god
in the car, experienced a sense of uneasiness. And yet she could not
suggest any other line of conduct for Tamara to pursue. But on the
whole the day was a success.
The two young English guests had both been extremely interested in
what they saw. Stephen Strong was an old hand and knew it intimately,
and the whole party was so merry and gay. The snow fortunately had
held, and they rushed about in little sleighs seeing the quaint
buildings and picturesque streets and the churches with their bright
gilt domes.
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