"Before we landed I liked you. And, because I saw wonderful
possibilities in the little country girl who shared my stateroom, I
deliberately made up my mind to develop you, make use of your
excellent mind, your quick intelligence, your amazing capacity for
absorbing everything that is best, and your very unusual attractions
for my own purposes. I meant--to train you--educate you--to aid me."
There was a silence; the girl looked up at her, flushed, intent,
perplexed; the Princess Mistchenka, her hands on the girl's shoulders,
looked back at her out of grave and beautiful dark eyes.
"That is the truth," said the Princess. "My intention was to develop
you along the lines which I follow as a--profession; teach you to
extract desirable information through your wit, intelligence, and
beauty--using your youth as a mask. But I--I can't do it----" She
shook her head slightly. "Because I've lost my heart to you.... And
the business I follow is a--a rotten game."
Again silence fell among those three; Rue, kneeling at the elder
woman's feet, looked up into her face in silence; Neeland, his elbows
resting on his knees, leaned slightly forward from the sofa, watching
them.
"I'll help you, if you wish," said Rue Carew.
"Thank you, dear. No."
"Let me. I owe you everything since I have been here----"
"No, dear. What I said to you--and to James--is true. It's a
merciless, stealthy, treacherous business; it's dangerous to a woman,
body and soul. It is one long lifetime of experience with treachery,
with greed, with baser passions, with all that is ignoble in mankind.
"There is no reason for you to enter such a circle; no excuse for it;
no duty urges you; no patriotism incites you to such self-sacrifice;
no memory of wrong done to your nearest and dearest inspires you to
dedicate your life to aiding--if only a little, in the downfall and
destruction of the nation and the people who encompassed it!"
The Princess Mistchenka's dark eyes began to gleam, and her beautiful
face lost its colour; and she took Rue's little hands in both of hers
and held them tightly against her breast.
"Had I not lost my heart to you, perhaps I should not have hesitated
to develop and make use of you.
"You are fitted for the rôle I might wish you to play. Men are
fascinated by you; your intelligence charms; your youth and innocence,
worn as a mask, might make you invaluable to the Chancellerie which is
interested in the information I provide for it.
"But, Rue, I have come to understand that I cannot do this thing. No.
Go back to your painting and your clever drawing and your music; any
one of these is certain to give you a living in time. And in that
direction alone your happiness lies."