She's got some idea in her head. Perhaps you
can explain it."
"I?" said Vera, looking at me.
"Yes. She gave me a message for you."
"What was it?" But even as she asked the question she seemed to fear the
answer, because she turned away from me.
"She told me to tell you that she saw what happened on the afternoon of
the Thursday in Revolution week. She said that then you would
understand."
Vera looked at me with the strangest expression of defiance, fear,
triumph.
"What did she see?"
"I don't know. That's what she told me."
Vera did a strange thing. She laughed.
"They can all know. I don't care. I want them to know. Nina can tell
them all."
"Tell them what?"
"Oh, you'll hear with the rest. Uncle Alexei has done this. He told Nina
because he hates me. He won't rest until he ruins us all. But I don't
care. He can't take from me what I've got. He can't take from me what
I've got.... But we must get her back, Ivan Andreievitch. She _must_
come back--"
Nicholas came in and then Semyonov and then Bohun.
Bohun, drawing me aside, whispered to me: "Can I come and see you? I
must ask your advice--"
"To-morrow evening," I told him, and left.
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