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Page 29
Mrs. Ebley did not relent at the sound of the sobbing, but left
the room, closing the door firmly after her. And a few minutes
afterward Martha was let in by the chambermaid without knocking
and sat down grimly by the window and began to knit.
Then Stella's tears turned to resentment. To be insulted so! To
have a servant sent to watch her was more than she would bear. But
as she turned in bed she felt her lover's note touch her and like
a magic wand a thrill of comfort rushed through her. After all, he
would settle things for her--and meanwhile she would close her
eyes and pretend to sleep. So with her precious love letter
clasped tight in her hand under the clothes she turned her face to
the wall and shut her eyes.
Meanwhile, Canon Ebley and the Reverend Eustace Medlicott were
spending a very disagreeable time in the reading-room. Relieved of
Mrs. Ebley's presence, Eustace had recounted more fully the
interview he had had with Sasha Roumovski the night before. He was
not a very accurate person and apt to color everything with his
own prejudice, so Canon Ebley did not obtain a very clear idea of
the Russian's arguments. They seemed to him to be very unorthodox
and carnal and reprehensible from all points. But it was evident
they were dealing with a clever and dangerous character and Stella
must be rescued from such a person's influence and married off to
her lawful fiance at once.
"We could have the ceremony here, Eustace, in three weeks' time,
or we could go back to England immediately, for until our niece is
your wife I am sure her aunt and myself will not feel easy about
her."
"Nor I either," Mr. Medlicott returned, and at that moment the
Aunt Caroline entered the room and gradually disclosed the awful
truth she had arrived at from Miss Rawson's admissions.
"That dreadful foreigner must he told at once we refuse to have
any communication with him and Stella shall be kept locked in her
room until we can leave Rome," Mrs. Ebley said sternly. "I could
not have believed my own sister's child could have behaved so
disgracefully."
"Dear, dear," said Canon Ebley, "but we must get at the facts of
when she has been able to see this Russian. It is impossible that
the present state of things could have arisen from merely last
night at the Embassy."
At this stage of the proceedings, it being a public room, Count
Roumovski entered it serenely and, coming toward the group, made a
stiff bow to each in turn.
"I believe you have received my letter, sir," he said, addressing
Canon Ebley, "but, as I have had no reply, I ventured to present
myself without further delay--"
"We do not wish for any communication from you," Eustace Medlicott
hastened to announce before either of the others could speak. "I
have informed Canon and Mrs. Ebley of your disgraceful conduct and
that is sufficient. We shall discuss nothing further."
"I was not addressing you, sir," Count Roumovski returned mildly.
"My business with you terminated last night." And he turned his
shoulders to the irate junior chaplain and looked Canon Ebley
straight in the face. "I am here to ask for the hand of your
niece, Miss Rawson, as she is now free from other engagements, and
with her full consent I desire to make her my wife."
"Come, Erasmus," Mrs. Ebley said with icy dignity. "Let us go up
to our apartment and if this person annoys us further we can
complain to the manager of the hotel," then, with an annihilating
glance, she took her husband's arm and drew him toward the door.
"As you will, madame," and the Russian gentleman bowed with
respectful serenity. "It would have been more sensible to have
taken my request otherwise, but it is, after all, quite
immaterial. I will wish you a good-day," and he bowed again as
Canon Ebley and his outraged spouse sailed from the room--and,
with an exclamation of suppressed fury, Eustace Medlicott followed
in their wake.
Then Count Roumovski laughed softly to himself and, sitting down
at a writing-table, wrote a letter to his beloved. His whole plan
of life was simple and direct. He had done what he considered was
necessary in the affair, he had behaved with perfect openness and
honor in his demand, and if these people could not see the thing
from a common sense point of view, they were no longer to be
considered. He would take the law into his own hands.
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