"What do you mean?" she demanded. "Insolent!"
"Countess," he answered, "it is very strange to me that you should so long have been ignorant of the truth. Do you think that it is for the sake of Theos I have planned for the overthrow of Ughtred of Tyrnaus? Do you think that it is for your brother's sake that I have smoothed his _way_ to the throne? No! My reward has always been clear before me. I have looked for it always at your hands."
He winced before the amazed scorn of her words. Yet he continued steadily.
"If you are surprised, Countess," he said, "well, I have been the victim of that time-worn fallacy which ascribes to any woman at any time the knowledge of being loved. You have always been the object of my respectful admiration. You are now----"
She threw out her hands--a silencing gesture.
"Enough!" she exclaimed. "I do not know what you are going to say. I do not wish to hear it."
"You must!" he declared. "You shall hear me!"
She turned her back upon him, but he was between her and the door. He turned the key in the lock, and faced her--a new Domiloff, wolf-like, with evil things in his white face and black eyes.
"You shall promise to be my wife," he said, "or----"
She did not quail. His eyes fell before hers. But the key slipped into his pocket.
"Or you do not leave this house," he answered. "I am master here. The whole quarter is Russian. Be reasonable, Countess. The alliance is worthy of your consideration."
She leaned suddenly forward, and struck him across the cheek.
"You cur," she cried. "I would as soon marry one of my servants."
She beat upon the door and called out. Domiloff drew out his handkerchief and held it to his cheek. He made no effort to silence her. There was a dull red mark across his face. If she could have seen his expression she would have been frightened.
There came no answer to her calling. She rushed across to the window. There were men on the place below, but they only answered her frantic gestures with dull indifference--at most with a shrug of the shoulders and a smile. They were Russian Jews. It was as Domiloff had said. They were his creatures. It was the one evil spot in Theos. Domiloff stood with his back to her, still with his handkerchief to his face.