Picture Play Magazine (Mar-Aug 1916)

58 The Serpent still dumfounded at the nearness of such aristocracy, stood together like bashful school children. Valonoff sat himself near Vania, and lit a cigarette. From without, Andrey watched the byplay, his lips set and white, his hands clenched. "Come, sit down beside me, lovely child/' said the duke, motioning to Vania, "and while the tea steeps, tell me your dearest hope." Shyly, she obeyed him. "The barin is very kind to be interested in his servant," murmured Vania. "Nonsense, lovely child ; I am not kind, only curious — you interest me," replied the grand duke. "Now, tell me your cherished ambition, and thy name." Using the intimate "thy" to her made Vania flush, and she grew confused ; yet she found tongue to answer: "Your highness, my name is Vania Lazar; I am an only daughter of poor muzhiks ; my only ambition is for pretty clothes " "How do you expect to get them, lovely child?" As he asked this question, Valonoff leaned forward and stroked her bare arm. Instinctively, Vania shrank from his touch. He chuckled. "I shall marry well and have what I want !" said the girl, a note of defiance in her voice, fire kindling in her black eyes. "By Heaven, I like your spirit, girl !" laughed the duke. "I thought that spunk was dead among the muzhiks. I am astonished and pleased to find a charming Tartar to brew tea for me. Vania, you are a discovery !" He stood up as if to emphasize his words. Vania rose and poured from the samovar a bowl of tea, offering it to his highness timorously. The grand duke took it eagerly, catching her fingers around the vessel. And thus he drank his tea. Vania was uneasy, but flattered. Having quaffed his bowl in this unique manner, Valonoff took out his gold cigarette case again and helped himself to a fresh smoke. Meanwhile, his party waited his royal pleasure, whispering among themselves and nudging one another knowingly. "The duke is still hunting," said one of his cronies to a companion, and the two men grinned. . Andrey overheard them, but though hot with rage, he controlled himself. He knew only too well the awful penalty such as he incurred if an exhibition of violence against nobility was made, even at greater provocation. His own father had been sent to Siberia for less. So the young fellow suffered in silence. "Here, lovely child, are some rubles for thee." Valonoff held out a palmful of gold coins. "One for each smile bestowed upon me." He was preparing to leave the hut. "Next time we meet, may you have those pretty things you want so much !" Vania stood in the middle of the room, dazed by the sudden descent of good fortune. In her hands the rubles clinked and glittered. With an inward oath, Andrey led the huntsmen off into the night. The mother and father of the girl recovered their senses finally, and swooped down upon her. "What did his highness give?" queried Martsa, her face _alive with greed. "Let me have the money !" demanded Lazar, and he grasped Vania brutally, pinching her shoulders. The girl put her hands behind her back, glaring angrily at her father. "It is mine — mine — and you shan't have a kopeck of it for your rotten vodka. It is for my wedding — I need all of it." Ivan Lazar held her shoulders as in a vise. Vania paled at the pain of his digging fingers. Out of self-protection, she bent down her head and sunk her strong, sharp teeth into his hand. He howled a string of curses, and hurled her from him across the room.