"What shall be done?"
Presently, with a slow and methodical motion, she withdrew from me
again, and returned to the divan, which had been the scene of our
awakening love, calling upon me to follow her as she went; and I stood
before her, looking down into her eyes up-turned to mine, waiting for
her to speak. I knew that she had hit upon some solution of the
difficulty, and was about to present it to me. I don't think that it
occurred to me to consider seriously whatever she might suggest, even
then, for I had not for a moment lost confidence in my entire ability
to free both of us from the dangerous environment; but I delighted to
hear the sound of her voice. I loved to drink in her words, as she
uttered them. I was enthralled in watching the play of expression upon
her features while she talked; if she had rendered me a dissertation
upon any theme which absorbed her, my interest would have been the
same; I was overwhelmed in love.
"There is only one way; only one," she said, unconsciously repeating
words she had used once before.
"Yes?" I replied, mindful only of the fact that she had spoken;
unmindful of the import of what she said.
"Only one way," Zara repeated. "You must join the nihilists. You must
take the oath."
I shook my head with emphasis, brought back suddenly to the intent of
her words.
"It is impossible, Zara," I said.
"You must do it, Dubravnik."
"No."
"I say that you must do it. You must take the oath. You must become a
nihilist. It is the only way. I will send a servant from the house,
with a message which will bring two or three of the leaders here, and
you shall take the oath."
She started to her feet again, reaching toward the bellcord, and I had
to spring after her, and seize her arm, in order to restrain the act
she was about to commit.
"No, Zara," I said, and forced her gently back to the couch, compelling
her to be seated, and this time dropping down beside her, and putting
my arm around her. "No, Zara, not that. I cannot take the oath. It is
utterly impossible. It is much more impossible now, than it was
before."
"Why?" she asked, in surprise.
"Because I love you, dear."
"Ah," she said smiling, "as if that were not a greater reason for your
taking it, instead of denying it."
"No, Zara," I said again. "I cannot take the oath of nihilism. I have
already taken an oath which thoroughly obviates such a possibility."
"Another oath, Dubravnik?"
"Yes."
"To whom?"
"To the czar."
"Oh," she exclaimed, and she shuddered. "I had forgotten that you were
in the service of his majesty." I thought that she drew away from me at
that, but the motion was so slight as to be almost imperceptible. "I
had forgotten all that about you, Dubravnik." Again there was a
shudder, now more visible than before. "You are under oath to the czar;
to the man, who, because he permits so many wrongs to happen I have
learned to hate." She straightened her body. "And Dubravnik I can hate
quite as forcibly as I can love."