BY ORDER OF THE CZAR, 55
" He is to be envied," said Petronovitch, stealing his arm round her. >
" Your Excellency is pleased to be merry after your act of goodness," Anna replied.
" I am pleased with you, too, and I hope you are not displeased with me ? "
" You are very good ; I owe you a deep debt of grati- tude."
" It is easily paid," he said, taking her hand in his hot grasp.
" It can never be sufficiently acknowledged," she said, now moving a little way from him ; " my father and my future husband will never cease to bless you."
" I prefer to be in your thoughts," he said, his hot lips close to her own, " and in your arms," and he kissed her roughly, brutally.
She struggled free from his grasp, but did not lose her self-control nor upbraid him, as he expected she would.
" You propose too much honor for a poor Jewess ; pray now, sir, permit me to withdraw," was all she said.
" You are worthy of an emperor," he said : " no Chris- tian is more beautiful."
" But your Excellency knows I am to be married to one of my own people."
She would not allow him to think for a moment that she believed he intended anything more than to make love to her with a view to marriage. "You may not marry a Jewess, be she ever so wealthy."
" Oh yes, I may," he said , " we are not so particular when beauty is in the case such beauty as yours."
She retreated before him ; he followed her.
" I frighten you. Nay, let us talk about that release I have only to write it."
She stood still and allowed him to approach her ; she permitted him to take her hand ; he led her to a couch of skins.
